The energy efficiency of domestic passenger shipping in Greece

Abstract

By virtue of its coastal and insular character, Greece undoubtedly holds a leading position in Europe with regard to domestic passenger shipping. In the quest to improve economic competitiveness and curb carbon emissions in Greece, the energy efficiency and carbon footprint assessment of domestic passenger shipping has so far attracted little attention in comparison to other energy consumers, including other modes of transport. In the current work, energy and carbon efficiency of domestic passenger shipping in Greece during the decade 2001–10 is expressed and estimated through the associated intensity terms, i.e. the consumed energy and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of transport work performed. The energy and carbon efficiency assessment is facilitated through comparisons with relevant shipping operations in Europe and other regions of the world. Furthermore, the influence of the market’s seasonal and spatial characteristics is also examined. Finally, the analysis of energy efficiency provides the means for assessing the influence of fuel expenditure upon the overall cost of the supplied services.