Attica ports: 47 ships and a sailing ban

Forty-seven ships are departing on Monday 17 August 2026 from the three ports of Attica, on one of the busiest days of the year for Greek coastal shipping. According to TheTOC, 21 departures are being made from Piraeus, bound for the Cyclades, the North Aegean, Crete and the Dodecanese, with more than 20 sailings to the islands of the Argosaronic Gulf added on top. From Friday through Monday, more than 100,000 passengers departed from the port of Piraeus for the islands, as the August holiday exodus continues alongside the wave of returns after the 15 August feast.

At the same time, two of the three ports are operating under restrictions. As Naftemporiki reported, a sailing ban is in force at Rafina and Lavrio at least until 13:00 on Monday, because of strong winds reaching 9 Beaufort in the Aegean. From Rafina only the sailings to Marmari on Evia are running; they are not affected to the same degree as they move through a sheltered channel. From Piraeus traffic is proceeding normally, with isolated changes to sailings. The ban is imposed by the local port authority on the basis of the national weather service bulletin and the characteristics of each type of vessel, which is why high-speed craft are usually held in port earlier than conventional car ferries. The lifting of the ban is announced gradually and by vessel category.

The combination of these two pictures puts the system under strain. Rafina mainly serves the Western Cyclades and Andros, Tinos and Mykonos, while Lavrio covers Kea, Kythnos and part of the North Aegean. When these two ports stay closed on a peak day, passengers either wait in the terminals or are redirected to Piraeus, which increases traffic on the road corridors leading to it. The phenomenon simultaneously burdens the Attiki Odos motorway, Marathonos Avenue and Souniou Avenue. Passengers holding tickets for cancelled sailings are entitled to transfer to a later ship or to a refund, at no charge, when the cancellation is due to a sailing ban. Companies as a rule inform travellers through agencies and their digital channels.

Traffic on Attica’s road network remained heavy on Monday morning, with delays towards Elefsina. TodayGrid had recorded the picture of the previous days in the report «Piraeus: 30,526 passengers and cancelled sailings» and in «Megara: queues on the Athens-Corinth road on the return». The lifting of the ban depends on how the strength of the winds develops, which according to forecasts eases gradually during the day. More from the area on the Piraeus page. The peak of the return journey is expected to continue in the period ahead, as August leave gradually runs out. The coastguard is maintaining a reinforced presence at the three ports to check boarding and compliance with permitted passenger numbers.