Debt crisis hits Greek port hard

The giant container cranes lie still in the haze of a warm spring afternoon in the port of Piraeus near Athens – a vital commercial hub for the economy since the days of ancient Greece.

Business for the local dockworkers is badly down these days as a result of the deep economic crisis that Greece has been plunged into due to spiralling debts and the harsh austerity measures it has been forced to adopt.

"The freight has reduced dramatically," said Giorgios Ganos, a soft-spoken 37-year-old worker, looking out over the sprawling commercial port laid out along the Saronic Gulf from which ancient Athens once launched its warships.

"If before we were working every day, now it can be 15 or 20 days without a job," said Ganos.

When there were no ships to load, workers had to survive on a daily minimum wage, he added – and that even that minimum had been cut.

Greek imports have fallen sharply because of a prolonged recession. The Piraeus Port Authority slumped to a loss of €33.6 million (Dh155.38m) last year from a profit of €5.6m in 2008.

Ironically, however, Greek shipowners are doing well due to a recovery in international trade.

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