Heraklion Port Authority (HPA)

The history of the port of Heraklion begins from the era of the Minoan civilization. At that time, in our region there was no port of Heraklion as we know it today, there were the "ports" of Knossos located in Amnisos, Poros and Apollonia (today's Agia Pelagia). Crete then functioned as the "Gate" that connected the East with the West. The great palaces of Knossos demonstrate the power of the Minoan state whose prosperity was based on maritime trade.

Later, during the Arab rule, the economy of Crete was autonomous, a fact that contributed to the development of trade and probably led to serious work being done on the construction of infrastructure facilities and warehouses in the port of Heraklion.

Equally important is the presence of the port during the Byzantine era and during Venetian rule. The Venetians were a seafaring people. They were interested in trade. They were the "Merchants of Nations". For this reason, wherever they settled, their first concern was the organization of the port and port facilities. Thus, the port of Heraklion received special care from the Venetian authorities of the island. They organized the port and equipped it with all the modern works and means of the time.

The port of Heraklion

The port of Heraklion, continues to be an important center for the movement of passengers and goods in the Mediterranean basin. Passenger, tourist and commercial vessels operate on frequent routes throughout the year. Large shipping companies operate in the port of Heraklion and connect it with other ports in the country and abroad. Also, cruise ships operate throughout most of the year in the Mediterranean basin. Finally, commercial ships transport goods from markets around the world and Mediterranean countries to Crete.

Heraklion Port Authority Administration

Grimaldi Emanuele, non-executive Chairman.
Minas Papadakis, Managing Director.
Antonios Nithavrianakis, Non-Executive Member.
Nikolaos Sifakis, Non-Executive Member.
Maria Kallergi, Non-Executive Member.

Nikolaos Giampanas, Non-Executive Member, Shareholder Representative.
Dimitrios Rogas, Non-Executive Member, Employee Representative of HPA S.A.
Xenophon Sfakianakis, Non-Executive Member, Representative of the Hellenic Federation of Longshoremen.
George Antonogiannakis, Non-Executive member, Representative of the Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Heraklion Port Authority (H.P.A.) successfully exercises the passenger and commercial management of the port of Heraklion with a profitable balance sheet, which helps it to plan and implement long-term projects with the aim of the port evolving and responding to its role as one of the ports of national importance of the country. The wealth that the port of Heraklion provides to the local and by extension to our national economy, is noticeable even to non-specialists who become acquainted with its constantly increasing work. The constantly increasing number of cruise ships approaching the port of Heraklion is the result of the effort made in recent years by the administration of the Organization to attract high-income visitors to our city and to contribute to the local economy.

By upgrading services and infrastructure, a great effort is being made for our port to fulfill its role as a port supporting the local and national economy, as a port of national importance and as a port center for coastal shipping and cruises in the center of the southeastern Mediterranean. Following this strategy, the port of Heraklion continues, over the centuries, to always remain a center of culture and development for our country.