Some 200 crossings through the Corinth Canal were recorded last week, following its reopening on July 4 after substantial landslides over the last couple of years and the completion of the first part of repair works that followed, Corinth Canal SA General Director Georgios Zouglis said over the weekend.
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Crossings are expected to reach 6,500 by October, he added, the aim being for Corinth Canal to become a model of global navigation, on a par with international sea routes standards. Zouglis noted that the operating company is making plans to develop tourism activities in the broader vicinity, which would boost the area’s development.
According to the CEO:
“The problem we encountered was repeated landslides of the ground in late 2019 and early 2020, which forced us to close the channel and contact the relevant ministries to resolve this issue once and for all “.
Speaking about the progress of the work, Mr. Zuglis explains: “The solution that was given was a difficult and complex project to restore and strengthen the walls of the canal at the site of the landslides.
Vast volumes of soil were removed to prevent another collapse. Work is being carried out on a 1 km section in an area where 95% of landslides have occurred over the past 20 years. The second phase includes work to support the base of the slopes to prevent future soil erosion.”