Greece: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors

212 harbours · 3 bridges and locks

Greece: 212 harbours, 3 bridges and locks, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.

Formalities

EU memberSchengen AreaEU customs unionCurrency: Euro

Clearing in: No border control from a Schengen country; yachts under an EU flag have not needed a DEKPA since April 2020, but a current crew list with passport numbers and embarkations and disembarkations must always be on board. From Turkey, Albania or Montenegro (outside Schengen), first go to a port with a border crossing point, e.g. Corfu, Preveza, Patras, Piraeus, Syros, Samos, Chios, Lesbos, Kos, Rhodes or Heraklion, to the port police (Limeniko), passport control and customs. Yachts under a non-EU flag need a Transit Log stamped by the port police.

Documents: Licence (ICC or a recognised licence according to your home country's rules), SRC for the radio, boat papers and third-party insurance with the Greek minimum amounts; a confirmation in Greek or English must be on board. Receipt for the TEPAI paid.

Fees: TEPAI (fee for leisure boats over 7 m) per metre and month, to be paid online to the tax authority (AADE, e-TEPAI) before entry; the receipt is checked. Harbour dues per night; the Corinth Canal and the Chalkida bridge charge a transit fee.

Fairway: Meltemi from the north to north-west in the Aegean from June to September, in July and August often force 6 to 7 for days with downdraughts in the lee of the islands; in the Ionian Sea the Maestro from the north-west in the afternoon. Hardly any tide, but in the Evripos at Chalkida currents up to 7 knots. Many fast ferries; the Corinth Canal is closed on Tuesdays during the day, the Chalkida bridge only opens at night, the Lefkada floating bridge at fixed times.

Nature: National Marine Park of Alonissos and the Northern Sporades with zones where navigation or anchoring is prohibited; National Marine Park of Zakynthos with a speed limit and anchoring ban in Laganas Bay (turtle beaches). Seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) are protected; anchor on sand.

Emergency: 112 or 108 (coastguard), JRCC Piraeus, VHF channel 16 and DSC.

Sources: AADE: e-TEPAI, Hellenic Coast Guard (Limeniko Soma), Noonsite: DEKPA abolished for EU boats (as of 2026-10-20)

Local winds

Meltemi: summer northerly of the Aegean under clear skies, strongest in the afternoon and often lasting for days; downdraught gusts in the lee of high islands, acceleration zones between the islands, short, steep seas

Harbours by cruising area

Corfu and Epirus (Corfu, Paxos, Igoumenitsa, Parga)

Crete (Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos)

Cyclades (Syros, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Milos, Santorini)

Dodecanese (Rhodes, Kos, Leros, Patmos, Symi, Kastellorizo)

Euboea, Sporades and Pagasetic Gulf (Chalkida, Volos, Skiathos, Skopelos)

Gulfs of Patras and Corinth (Patras, Nafpaktos, Galaxidi, Corinth)

Halkidiki and Thermaic Gulf (Thessaloniki, Nea Moudania, Porto Carras)

Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaca (Preveza, Meganisi, Fiskardo)

North-east Aegean (Samos, Ikaria, Chios, Lesbos, Limnos)

Saronic and Argolic Gulfs (Piraeus, Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Nafplio)

Southern Peloponnese and Kythira (Kalamata, Mani, Monemvasia)

Thrace and Thassos (Kavala, Thassos, Alexandroupoli, Samothraki)

Zakynthos and western Peloponnese (Katakolo, Pylos, Methoni)

Bridges and locks

Movable bridges

Frequently asked questions

Greece: Do I need to clear in?

No border control from a Schengen country; yachts under an EU flag have not needed a DEKPA since April 2020, but a current crew list with passport numbers and embarkations and disembarkations must always be on board. From Turkey, Albania or Montenegro (outside Schengen), first go to a port with a border crossing point, e.g. Corfu, Preveza, Patras, Piraeus, Syros, Samos, Chios, Lesbos, Kos, Rhodes or Heraklion, to the port police (Limeniko), passport control and customs. Yachts under a non-EU flag need a Transit Log stamped by the port police.

Greece: Which documents do I need on board?

Licence (ICC or a recognised licence according to your home country's rules), SRC for the radio, boat papers and third-party insurance with the Greek minimum amounts; a confirmation in Greek or English must be on board. Receipt for the TEPAI paid.

Greece: What fees apply?

TEPAI (fee for leisure boats over 7 m) per metre and month, to be paid online to the tax authority (AADE, e-TEPAI) before entry; the receipt is checked. Harbour dues per night; the Corinth Canal and the Chalkida bridge charge a transit fee.

Greece: What is the emergency number at sea?

112 or 108 (coastguard), JRCC Piraeus, VHF channel 16 and DSC.

Greece: Which local winds blow there?

Meltemi.

Greece: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?

Sailseer covers 212 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 3 bridges and locks with opening times and clearances.