Safety of Navigation Division

The Maritime Safety Division has the important mission of informing seafarers about and protecting them from the dangers lurking when sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

The main activities of the Directorate are to:

• Constantly inform seafarers by transmitting special navigational warnings and NAVTEX messages via the NAVTEX Service and navigational warnings to seafarers in cooperation with the Coast Guard, the National Meteorological Service, and the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization as part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
• Publish nautical publications (Monthly and Annual issue of Notices).
• Determine sea routes, channels, straits and natural harbors.
• Conduct maritime design for the installation by the Lighthouse Department and other agencies, of lighthouses, beacons, buoys, etc.
• Keep records of wrecks, dirty seabed and buoys for Greece’s maritime space.
• To represent the country at the International Maritime Organization and the International Hydrographic Organization, on matters related to its remit.
• Monitor and coordinate issues related to education, information and training of the HNHS staff

It is also actively involved in general and specific issues relating to the safety of navigation, such as:

• port or other technical projects to be constructed in seashore – beach areas  and in the sea.
• unauthorized works built without permit or beyond the terms of an existing permit in the same area, and complaints about such illegal activities.
• concession – rental of marine areas to install and operate aquaculture units.
• concessions for use of seashore and beach areas, as well as terrestrial zones of ports.
• granting permits for sand extraction.
• installations of tanks for oil/oil derivatives in seashore – beach areas.
• drafting – updating of mile distances between Greek ports; calculating mileage as requested by various agencies and bodies.
• making proposals on matters relating to laying power (PPC) cables, telecommunications (OTE) cables and various pipes on shorelines.
• issuing opinions on the creation of waterways, determining operational areas for sea wind parks and diving centers.
• issuing opinions on the method of marking marine risks, channels and straits.