Greek Unions Protest Repair Period for Israeli Cruise Ship

Trade unions in Greece are protesting plans for a cruise ship with alleged links to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to be allocated space at a Greek yard for extensive repair and maintenance work.

The Athens-based World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) wants Greek authorities to revoke the approval for the allocation of space for Crown Iris, a cruise ship that is allegedly due to arrive at the Public Power Corporation (PPC) pier in Keratsini, Piraeus, for the repair work.

Operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime (Mano Cruise), Crown Iris has links to the IDF since the beginning of the Gaza war and the Israel-Iran conflict this year, WFTU claimed. The ship has participated in the rescue of Israelis, specifically bringing back hundreds of thousands back to Israel from Cyprus.

Following the eruption of the Iran-Israel war this year, Crown Iris participated in an operation to rescue foreigners stranded in the country. In June, the ship delivered more than a thousand foreign visitors from Israeli shores to Cyprus, then took aboard more than 2,000 Israeli citizens for the return voyage back.

Launched in 1992, the 32,396 gross tonnage ship was originally ordered by Birka Line as MS Birka Queen from the Wärtsilä Marine Turku Shipyard in Finland. She was however completed by Kvaerner Masa-Yards as MS Royal Majesty for Majesty Cruise Line. The ship, which has a capacity for 2,000 passengers, changed ownership several times before she was acquired by Mano Maritime in 2018.

The ship operates holiday cruises from the ports of Haifa and Ashdod in Israel to destinations like Cyprus, the Greek islands, France, Croatia, Malta and Italy, and it is not a stranger in Greek yards. In 2019, Crown Iris went through an extensive refit in Chalkis Shipyards that resulted in all the guest rooms being renovated and five new restaurants installed. Other amenities that were added include a basketball court and a water slide.

Israel's recent activities in Gaza are unpopular in Greece, and the planned return of Crown Iris to Greece for repair and maintenance works has touched off a furor, with WFTU and the Workers Militant Front (PAME) condemning the management of Piraeus Port Authority/COSCO for allocating space for the works.

“We demand that they immediately revoke the approval for the allocation of space to the Crown Iris and make that space available to commercial ships wishing to carry out extensive repair works, and at the same time allocate the requested areas at the PPC pier in Keratsini for new ship constructions,” said WFTU in a statement.

WFTU added that it will oppose any repair or maintenance works being carried out on Crown Iris in Greece and went on to urge the Piraeus Regional Union and other trade unions at the port to remain on militant alert and not to participate in any work that facilitates the ship in its attempt to approach the repair docks.