Municipality of Xiromero | Diving tourism: Request for sinking of a decommissioned warship

The municipality of Xiromero, Aitoloakarnania, decided to send a request to the Navy and the Ministry of National Defense for the free concession of a decommissioned ship.

According to the municipality, after relevant communication with the Navy, it has received a verbal commitment from the competent Service for the concession, free of charge, of a decommissioned Navy ship for the creation of an artificial reef, very attractive for divers. The ship that is proposed to be granted is the "FTH THETIS A-307".

In particular, the barrier ship (F/T) THETIS, as stated in its history on the website of the Hellenic Navy, raised the Greek Flag on 9 April 1960 in RENDSBURG, Federal Republic of Germany. On 23 May 1960, the ship sailed for Greece, where it joined the ranks of the Hellenic Navy, bearing the side number A-307 and the international call sign SZZZ. Its mission is to carry out works of installing metal barriers and inspecting, maintaining, launching, and raising the barges (samadoures) in order to maintain their operational readiness.

According to the municipality, the expected funding will fully cover the project and no participation from the municipality will be required for the launching of the ship.

It is noted that this request is part of the Ministry of Tourism's state aid program for diving tourism, which had submitted a call for applications for support for diving tourism within the framework of the "Tourism Development" Action of the Recovery and Resilience Fund.

The "Diving and Underwater Tourism" project is in line with the principles of Blue Growth and concerns the protection and promotion of the underwater environment and the exploitation of the comparative advantages (natural and cultural) that the country has. It aims to create and upgrade diving/underwater parks and to highlight the underwater environment, with the aim of developing the local economy and employment, as well as adding a new activity to the Greek tourism portfolio, which is suitable for all year round.

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