Payment of a new Greek tax for all sailing in Greek waters has been delayed by the Greek government, Beryl Chalmers of the Cruising Association reports.

Discussions are still continuing between the Ministry of Economy, which is the lead ministry, and the Ministry of Shipping, Maritime Affairs & the Aegean, which is instructed to levy the tax.
 
The fee will be collected on- line through the new Greek TAXIS system. But, collection agents and the system for payment will not be ready for up to two months, resulting in two concessions being promised: There will be a new deadline for payment and no penalties will arise before this new deadline. Originally the deadline was January 1 of this year.

The Cruising Association, which has members sailing throughout the Mediterranean and Aegean is negotiating how much notice the deadline should give.

Two other areas of the tax have been clarified:
Boats immobilised do not need to pay the new tax. If they are to be launched and used, the tax must be paid.

Boats in transit through Greek waters under the terms of UNCLOS – the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea which allows free passage for all leisure craft, have no obligation to pay (although it is still unclear whether boats in transit through the Corinth canal is regarded as “a boat in transit”).