Trade unions in Greece have moved to oppose plans that would see the cruise ship Crown Iris allocated berth space at a Greek facility for major repair and maintenance works. The objections centre on the vessel’s anticipated arrival at the Public Power Corporation pier in Keratsini, within the Port of Piraeus, where space has reportedly been approved for the project.
The Athens-based World Federation of Trade Unions has called on Greek authorities to withdraw that approval. The organisation has argued that the vessel, operated by Israeli cruise company Mano Maritime, has maintained operational links with the Israeli Defense Forces since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict and the subsequent Israel–Iran tensions earlier this year.
According to the federation’s account, Crown Iris has been used in several evacuation and transport operations, including voyages that returned large numbers of Israeli citizens from Cyprus to Israel. During the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the ship was also involved in evacuating foreign nationals. In June, it reportedly carried more than 1,000 foreign visitors from Israel to Cyprus before embarking over 2,000 Israeli citizens for the return crossing.
The ship was built in 1992, with a gross tonnage of 32,396. Originally ordered by Birka Line as MS Birka Queen at the Wärtsilä Marine Turku yard in Finland, the vessel was ultimately completed by Kvaerner Masa-Yards as MS Royal Majesty for Majesty Cruise Line. With accommodation for approximately 2,000 passengers, she passed through several owners before being acquired by Mano Maritime in 2018.
Crown Iris currently operates leisure cruises from the Israeli ports of Haifa and Ashdod to destinations across the eastern and western Mediterranean, including Cyprus, the Greek islands, France, Croatia, Malta, and Italy. The ship is familiar to Greek repair yards, having undergone a substantial refit at Chalkis Shipyards in 2019, when passenger cabins were renovated, 5 new restaurants were added, and facilities such as a basketball court and water slide were installed.
The proposed return of the vessel to Greece has provoked a strong reaction amid broader opposition within the country to Israel’s actions in Gaza. The World Federation of Trade Unions and the Workers Militant Front have criticised the Piraeus Port Authority and its operator, COSCO, for allocating space for the works.
In its public communications, the federation has urged that the approval for Crown Iris be withdrawn and that the berth space instead be made available to commercial vessels seeking repair slots, as well as to new shipbuilding projects at the Keratsini PPC pier. The organisation has also stated its intention to oppose any repair or maintenance activity involving the ship in Greece and has called on port unions in Piraeus to refrain from participating in work that would facilitate the vessel’s entry to repair docks.