UN/LOCODE: GRPIR📍 Greece

Port of Piraeus (UN/LOCODE GRPIR)

❖ Coordinates: 37.9300°N, 23.6200°E

❖ Time Zone: Europe/Athens

❖ UN/LOCODE: GRPIR

## About the Port Piraeus (UN/LOCODE: GRPIR) is Greece’s principal seaport, located in Attica on the Saronic Gulf at 37.93° N, 23.62° E, within the Europe/Athens timezone (UTC+2/+3). It is the largest port in Greece and the busiest passenger harbour in Europe, while also ranking among the top five container gateways in Europe. According to the Piraeus Port Authority↗, the port complex spans roughly 3,000 ha of land and water and handles over 20 million passengers and 5+ million TEU annually. Its natural deep-water basins and proximity to the Athens metropolitan area make it a strategic node on the Asia–Europe Suez trade lane and the Aegean short-sea network. Depths range from 12 m in legacy quays to 18 m at deep-water container piers, accommodating Post-Panamax vessels up to 23,000 TEU. The harbour is administered by Piraeus Port Authority S.A. (OLP), with terminal operations split between OLP subsidiaries and the COSCO-controlled Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT). Road access is provided by the Attiki Odos motorway and the Piraeus node of the Athens Proastiakos suburban railway, while an on-dock rail link connects directly to the national gauge network. The port also contains a customs free zone, the headquarters of the Hellenic Coast Guard, and extensive warehousing for transit cargo destined for the Balkans. ## History Piraeus originated as the fortified naval port of classical Athens in the 5th century BCE under Themistocles, comprising the harbours Kantharos, Zea, and Munichia. Connected to Athens by Long Walls, it secured grain and military supply during the Peloponnesian War. After medieval decline, the modern port was rebuilt after 1834 when Athens became the Greek capital; the first permanent wet dock was finished in 1874, and the opening of the Corinth Canal in 1893 improved maritime access. Twentieth-century expansion added breakwaters, cargo piers, and passenger terminals, with containerization in the 1970s shifting traffic to dedicated deep-water quays. WWII caused extensive destruction, but post-war reconstruction restored capacity. A turning point came in 2008 when COSCO’s Piraeus Container Terminal secured a concession for Piers II–III; by 2016 COSCO held 51% of OLP, embedding the port in the Belt and Road Initiative and driving rapid throughput growth from under 1 million TEU in 2010 to over 5 million TEU today. ## Infrastructure & Facilities ### Container Terminals The port operates three container piers. Pier I (OLP) offers ~1.1 million TEU capacity at 14–16 m draft, serving conventional and feeder vessels. Piers II–III (PCT/COSCO) provide >2,800 m quay, 18 m alongside depth, and >7 million TEU theoretical capacity. Equipment includes 25 STS cranes—12 of them super-post-Panamax with 22-row outreach—rail-mounted gantries, and extensive reefer parks (over 6,000 plugs). The yard area exceeds 1.8 million sqm. An on-terminal rail link connects to the Athens–Thessaloniki corridor, enabling direct intermodal block trains to Budapest, Belgrade, and Sofia. ### Passenger and Ro-Ro Facilities Three terminals—Akti Miaouli, Themistocles, Alkimos—handle domestic ferries to the Aegean and international cruise. Annual passenger movements exceed 20 million; peak daily flows surpass 100,000. Pre-pandemic cruise calls topped 1.5 million passengers, with Piraeus serving as homeport for Mediterranean itineraries. Adjacent ro-ro ramps support unaccompanied trailers and private vehicles, making Piraeus the primary short-sea bridge to the Greek islands. ### Specialized Cargo and Ship Repair A multipurpose basin handles steel, project cargo, and dry bulk (cement, aggregates, scrap). The vehicle terminal stores 30,000 cars and processes ~450,000 units yearly, serving as a distribution hub for Southeast Europe. Liquid bulk jetties serve fuels and lubricants. Nearby Perama shipyards provide dry-dock and repair via 30+ slipways, sustaining a dense maritime cluster of chandlers, naval architects, and classification societies. ## Economic Importance Piraeus is the logistical and economic heart of Attica and a pillar of Greek shipping—the world’s largest by tonnage. The port directly employs 4,000+ and indirectly supports tens of thousands of jobs in logistics, customs, and tourism. Studies estimate its contribution at 1.0–1.5% of national GDP, with the free zone and logistics parks fostering SME growth. COSCO’s €600 million+ investment modernized terminals, lifted Piraeus to fourth-busiest in Europe, and shortened Asian import transit to Southeast Europe by up to five days versus northern gateways. As the Union of Greek Shipowners↗ notes, the fusion of Greek maritime expertise with Chinese capital has made Piraeus a flagship Sino-European trade node and a catalyst for regional development. ## Trade Routes & Major Cargo Piraeus lies on the primary Asia–Europe container corridor via Suez. Far East sailings operated by COSCO, Maersk, and MSC call after transshipment hubs like Port Said, with Piraeus serving as load center and feeder hub to Alexandria, Izmir, Constanța, and Adriatic ports (Trieste, Koper). Rail-linked block trains distribute cargo to Hungarian, Serbian, and North Macedonian markets. Exports include petroleum products, marble, foodstuffs, and pharmaceuticals; imports are dominated by electronics, machinery, and textiles from Asia. The passenger division sustains cabotage to 30+ islands; cruise links Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, and Barcelona. Bulk imports include coal, clinker, and agricultural goods; automotive ro-ro trade distributes vehicles across the Balkans. Green initiatives—shore power, electrified handling, and digital customs—are reinforcing Piraeus’ role as the premier Mediterranean supply-chain gateway for the 21st century.

Port Intelligence

UN/LOCODE

GRPIR

Country

Greece

Province / Region

Attica

Latitude

37.930000

Longitude

23.620000

Timezone

Europe/Athens

Nautical Map (OpenSeaMap)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UN/LOCODE for Port of Piraeus?

The official UN/LOCODE for Port of Piraeus is GRPIR.

Where is Port of Piraeus located?

The Port of Piraeus is located in Greece, Attica. Its coordinates are 37.9300°N, 23.6200°E.

What time zone is Port of Piraeus in?

Port of Piraeus operates in the Europe/Athens time zone.

🌊 Live Marine Conditions

Wave Height0.12 m

Wave Direction184°

Swell Height0.04 m

Data provided by Open-Meteo Marine API

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About the World Port Index

This data is sourced programmatically. The UN/LOCODE is the official geographic coding scheme used by the United Nations for trade and transport locations.

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