The Volos water airport paves the way for the next water airports in the country to be licensed

A new era begins for Volos with the arrival of sea planes at its port, as it now officially has its own water airport.

With a publication in the Government Gazette, the approval of the license for the Volos Port Authority to proceed with the creation of the city’s water airport has been granted.

The decision for the licensing of the Volos water airport is co-signed by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Christos Staikouras, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Ioannis Kefalogiannis, and the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy, Mr. Ioannis Plakiotakis.

Hellenic Seaplanes, the company responsible for the successful completion of the water airport’s licensing in cooperation with the Volos Port Authority, is now taking the next step in the developments and is incorporating Volos into its flight plan with its sea planes.

The immediate goal of Hydroplanes Greece S.A. is to connect the water airport of the Thessalian city with the water airports and water fields for the take-off and landing of sea planes, both on the islands and at nearby ports in mainland Greece.

Specifically, the company’s plan includes the connection of Volos with the Sporades, particularly the water airports of Skopelos, Alonissos, and Skyros, with the water airports of Evia, and with the water airports of Chios, Psara, and Oinousses. The construction of the water airports in the Sporades and the islands of the Northern Aegean is part of the investment plan of Hellenic Seaplanes. Notably, the files for the five water airports in Evia, specifically in the areas of Chalkida, Karystos, Kymi, Aidipsos, and Aliveri, are ready to be submitted for licensing to the relevant department of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport in the coming days.

The contents of the water airport license

The granting of the water airport license ensures the holder ownership of the project, including the guarantee of compatibility between the entire building and other facilities of the water airport and the design of the water airport as outlined in the technical file, as it is reflected and described in the water airport manual prepared by Hellenic Seaplanes, nautical charts, topographic diagrams, etc.

In the announcement of the Volos water airport’s licensing, the CEO of the Volos Port Authority (O.L.V.), Mr. Socrates Anagnostou, stated:
“I am very happy that we received the license for the establishment of the water airport. This is a matter I have fought for extensively, both during the one and a half years that I have been CEO of Volos Port and previously when I was vice president. I believe that sea planes can solve the problem of connecting the mainland with our islands. It is a modern means of transport and will greatly help our tourism. It is essential that more water airports are licensed in the country to create a strong network of water airports that will support the flight operations of sea planes and bring the desired results.”

The positive outcome of the licensing for the Volos water airport was also commented on by the President and CEO of Hellenic Seaplanes, Mr. Nicolas Charalambous:
“With the official licensing of the water airport, Volos joins the network of water airports in the country that is being built every day and automatically gains a prominent position. Volos is a city with a strong port and a powerful tourism brand that will connect, with its sea planes, the surrounding areas and islands, and enhance its commercial identity. For the issuance of the water airport license, Hellenic Seaplanes worked methodically and in full cooperation with the Volos Port Authority and the State. We hope that the case of Volos will serve as an example for other areas to have their own water airport and for us to give ‘body and soul’ to the opportunity that sea plane travel offers to both Greek and foreign passengers!”

The optimistic message of the Volos water airport’s licensing opens the curtain for the next water airports that are on their way to securing the required water airport establishment license and brings Hellenic Seaplanes closer to its goal of operating sea plane flights in the near future.