Short Sea Shipping in Greece: Benefits and Policy Impact
This paper examines the impact, benefits, and drawbacks of implementing a short sea shipping (SSS) policy in Greece. Using secondary data analysis, the study compares sea transport with road and rail alternatives, highlighting SSS's capacity to reduce road congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease overall transportation costs. The paper reviews Greece's unique geographic advantages — including its extensive coastline and large number of islands — and evaluates the role of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association and EU policy frameworks such as the Naiades II action plan. Findings indicate a 67% reduction in air pollution relative to road and rail transport, alongside measurable economic gains from increased cargo efficiency.
- Introduction to Short Sea Shipping: Defines SSS and frames Greece's policy context
- Literature Review: EU statistics, Piraeus advantages, and environmental studies
- Methodology: Justification for secondary data approach
- Data Analysis: SPSS findings on pollution and economic gains
- Conclusion: Policy implications and environmental preservation argument
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What makes this paper effective
- Grounds the argument in concrete statistics — the 1.8 billion tonnes EU SSS figure and the 67% air-pollution reduction give readers measurable benchmarks.
- Balances environmental and economic dimensions throughout, making the case for SSS on two parallel tracks rather than one.
- Acknowledges the limitations of secondary data collection, which adds methodological honesty and strengthens credibility.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a comparative framework — consistently measuring short sea shipping against road and rail transport — to build a cumulative argument. Each section adds a new layer (policy context, environmental data, economic data) to the same central comparison, which is a reliable structure for policy-analysis writing at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a conventional five-section research report format: an introduction that defines SSS and frames the Greek context; a literature review synthesizing EU statistics and prior studies; a methodology section justifying the secondary-data approach; a data analysis section reporting findings from SPSS-assisted review; and a conclusion that restates the policy implications. References are formatted in APA style and span 2001–2016.
Introduction to Short Sea Shipping
This study aims to identify the impact, benefits, and drawbacks of implementing a short sea shipping policy within Greece. Arguments are made in support of adopting the policy, and clear supporting facts are presented. The paper also compares different modes of transport with the goal of showing how cost-effective and environmentally friendly short sea shipping is for a country. The results are backed by previous research demonstrating the impact of marine transportation and drawing comparisons with road and rail transportation.
Short sea shipping is defined as the movement of passengers and cargo by sea between ports that share a coastline, without crossing an ocean. Short sea shipping has been at the forefront of European Union transport policy primarily because it offers the potential to reduce road congestion and lower pollution (Fafaliou, Lekakou, & Theotokas, 2006). Currently, short sea shipping accounts for approximately 40% of all freight moved within Europe (Denisis, 2009).
It has been noted that using short sea shipping services offers a country both environmental and economic benefits compared to traditional modes of transportation. Short sea shipping can provide consistent, timely, and reliable services. The transportation of cargo is vital, and having a scheduled delivery timeline ensures that cargo arrives as expected while reducing costs incurred when cargo is delayed. Traffic growth on roads has increased, resulting in unnecessary congestion that causes delivery delays (Blonk, 1994). These delays not only raise the cost of transporting goods but also have a significant impact on the environment. Europe currently suffers from severe congestion problems, and solutions are needed to alleviate road congestion. Therefore, a balance must be found between transport volumes and societal development (Paixao & Marlow, 2002). Making use of underutilized transport modes is a sound strategy to ensure a balance between environmental protection and economic growth. Moving cargo transportation from roads to the sea would help reduce current road congestion and diminish the environmental impact of road transport (Sambracos, Paravantis, Tarantilis, & Kiranoudis, 2004). This paper examines Greece's short sea shipping services with the aim of establishing the benefits the country has received from using the service, as well as the drawbacks of its policy.
References
Beskovnik, B. (2006). Importance of short sea shipping and sea motorways in the European and Slovenian transport policy. Pomorstvo, 20(1), 23–35.
Blonk, W. A. (1994). Short sea shipping and inland waterways as part of a sustainable transportation system. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 29(6–12), 389–392.
Denisis, A. (2009). An economic feasibility study of short sea shipping including the estimation of externalities with fuzzy logic. University of Michigan.
Douet, M., & Cappuccilli, J. F. (2011). A review of short sea shipping policy in the European Union. Journal of Transport Geography, 19(4), 968–976.
Eurostat Statistics Explained. (2016). Maritime transport statistics — short sea shipping of goods. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Maritime_transport_statistics_-_short_sea_shipping_of_goods
Fafaliou, I., Lekakou, M., & Theotokas, I. (2006). Is the European shipping industry aware of corporate social responsibility? The case of the Greek-owned short sea shipping companies. Marine Policy, 30(4), 412–419.
Paixao, A., & Marlow, P. (2001). A review of the European Union shipping policy. Maritime Policy & Management, 28(2), 187–198.
Paixao, A., & Marlow, P. B. (2002). Strengths and weaknesses of short sea shipping. Marine Policy, 26(3), 167–178.
Sambracos, E., & Maniati, M. (2012). Competitiveness between short sea shipping and road freight transport in mainland port connections: The case of two Greek ports. Maritime Policy & Management, 39(3), 321–337.
Sambracos, E., Paravantis, J. A., Tarantilis, C. D., & Kiranoudis, C. T. (2004). Dispatching of small containers via coastal freight liners: The case of the Aegean Sea. European Journal of Operational Research, 152(2), 365–381.
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