Cruise ships continued to arrive at Mykonos in October. Credit: Greek Reporter

Greece’s ports handled 81.1 million passengers in 2024, securing the country’s position as the second-busiest maritime destination in the European Union, behind Italy.

According to Eurostat data, Italy led with 93.5 million passengers, while Denmark ranked third with 41.3 million.

Overall, EU ports in 2024 welcomed 417.8 million passengers, marking a 6.2 percent increase (24.3 million higher) compared with 2023, though slightly below pre-pandemic 2019 levels (-0.1 percent).

Between 2019 and 2024, half of the top 10 countries recorded increases in the number of passengers. Greece gained 7.1 million passengers (+9.7 percent), Italy 7.0 million (+8.0 percent) and Malta 2.0 million (+14.9 percent). In contrast, the largest declines were recorded in Sweden (-5.7 million; -18.7 percent), Finland (-4.8 million; -25.1 percent) and Germany (-3.1 million; -9.8 percent).

Top 10 busiest EU passenger ports

More into Eurostat’s data, the top ten busiest EU passenger ports in 2024 accounted for 21.8 percent of all maritime passenger traffic, with seven located in the Mediterranean, two in the Baltic, and one in the North-East Atlantic.

Italian ports dominated the list, with Messina handling 11.4 million passengers, Reggio di Calabria 11.2 million, and Naples 11 million. Greece’s Piraeus ranked fourth with 10 million passengers, highlighting its ongoing role as a key Mediterranean hub.

Other Mediterranean ports featured among the EU’s busiest include Greece’s Paloukia of Salamis (seventh place) and Perama (eighth place), highlighting the country’s appeal to travelers seeking maritime transport.

Related: Pros and Cons of Tourism in Greece Highlighted in New Report