What Levante Ferries does

Levante Ferries is a Greek coastal shipping operator founded in 2014 and headquartered in Kallithea, Athens, providing passenger and vehicle ferry services across the Ionian Sea. The company connects five Ionian islands (Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Ithaca, plus connecting points) with the Greek mainland at Kyllini and Patras through four primary routes (Kyllini–Zakynthos, Kyllini–Poros Kefalonia, Patra–Sami–Ithaca, and a seasonal Poros–Ithaca link), executing approximately 8,700 sailings and transporting more than 1.9 million passengers and 560,000 vehicles annually. Operations are supported by 9 physical ticket offices across Greek port cities, a call center, a cooperating travel-agency network spanning Greece and international markets (UK, Bulgaria, Italy), and a multi-language direct booking platform (Greek, English, Italian, German, Russian).

The fleet comprises six vessels ranging from the award-winning flagship Fior di Levante (2014) and the recently retrofitted Smyrna di Levante (Shippax Retrofit Award 2023) to the 1999-built Contessa di Levante currently undergoing reconstruction. The company operates an integrated booking and passenger management system delivered through its own website (levanteferries.com) and the IonianGroupApp on iOS/Android, which supports e-ticket purchase, offline ticket storage, and mobile check-in. Technology investments include an AI-powered CO2 emissions algorithm that processes operational data into EUMRV-compliant reports verified by RINA, machine learning-based condition-based maintenance for machinery, and shore-power (cold ironing) infrastructure on Fior di Levante that represents the first such installation in the Eastern Mediterranean under the ELEMED European project. The company is also the only Greek ferry operator participating in the Horizon Europe FIT-HORIZONS consortium for AI-based ship retrofit decision-making, alongside involvement in e-SHyIPS for hydrogen propulsion regulation.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based pricing of passenger tickets (€4.50–€15.40 one-way across routes with discounts for students, disabled, N.A.T. retirees, and children), vehicle transport at unit rates (cars €17–€58, trucks per meter, campers per meter, motorcycles, mini-buses, agricultural pick-ups), cabin and premium seating on Smyrna di Levante, and ancillary onboard services (shops, bars, restaurants, pet facilities). Group bookings of 15+ persons are offered by arrangement. Direct booking is positioned as price-advantageous versus third-party platforms. The company is privately held within the Levant Ferries Group consortium structure, has received multiple Lloyd's List and Shippax industry awards (2015, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), and operates with a lean headcount of 51–100 employees leveraging outsourced maritime crewing.

Name

Levante Ferries

Legal name

LEVANTE FERRIES GROUP (LFG)

Website

https://levanteferries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Levante Ferries is a Greek privately-held ferry operator connecting the Ionian Islands (Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Ithaca) with mainland Greece at Patras and Kyllini, transporting 1.9M+ passengers and 560K+ vehicles annually across 8,700 sailings using a fleet of six vessels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Ferry Services

NAICS

Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (4831)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Passenger Ferry Operators (Interisland/Intercity) (TLAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Island & Archipelago Ferry Services (THAEAGAB), Tourist & Scenic Passenger Ferries (Non-Cruise) (THAIAJAH)

Keywords

• Passenger ferry services
• Maritime transportation
• Vehicle ferry transport
• Island ferry routes
• Coastal shipping services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kallithéa

HQ country

Greece

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ferry Tickets: Revenue from selling ferry tickets to passengers for routes connecting Kyllini-Zakynthos, Kyllini-Poros Kefalonia, Patra-Sami-Ithaca, and seasonal Poros-Ithaca. Ticket categories include standard, discounted (children 5-10, students, disabled, N.A.T. retirees), and free (children under 5).
2. Vehicle Transport: Revenue from transporting passenger vehicles including cars (I.X.), motorcycles (standard and >250cc), trucks (per meter rate), campers, mini-buses, and agricultural pick-ups. Round-trip discounts available outside peak season (25/03-15/09).
3. Cabin and Seating: Revenue from premium cabin accommodations (4-berth cabins with private bathroom, 2-berth cabins with private bathroom, 2-berth cabins with shared bathroom, 2-berth cabins for disabled passengers, 6 two-passenger suites) and air-type seating on Smyrna di Levante vessel.
4. Onboard Services: Revenue from onboard retail (shops), food and beverage services (bars, restaurants, grill bars on open deck) and pet accommodation facilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Levante Ferries operates passenger and vehicle ferry transportation across the Ionian Sea, connecting the Ionian islands of Zakynthos, Kefalonia, and Ithaca with mainland Greek ports at Patras and Kyllini. The company runs four primary routes with daily sailings using a fleet of six vessels, selling passenger tickets, vehicle transport, cabin accommodations, and onboard services through direct online and offline channels.

Product overview

Levante Ferries operates as a ferry transportation company serving the Ionian Sea routes between Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Ithaca, Patras, and Kyllini. The product portfolio centers on core ferry services (ferry tickets, e-tickets, and mobile app booking/check-in) delivered by a fleet of six vessels: Fior di Levante (flagship, award-winning), Mare di Levante, Andreas Kalvos, Kefalonia, Smyrna di Levante (recently retrofitted), and Contessa di Levante (under retrofit). Supplementary offerings include AI-powered CO2 emissions monitoring, cold ironing shore power infrastructure, and participation in the European FIT-HORIZONS project for ship retrofit optimization. The company operates under a consortium arrangement with centralized booking systems and customer service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ionian Routes: Brand name used for route information and branding, referring to the Ionian Sea ferry operations

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 emissions per passenger transport work reduced by 13% for Fior di Levante
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FIT-HORIZONS ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2023Levante Ferries is the only Greek ferry company participating in the European FIT-HORIZONS project (Flexible Tool Environment for Holistic Retrofits and Decarbonization of Ships), funded by Horizon Europe. The project brings together 19 leading organizations from 12 countries including shipping companies, research centers, universities, software companies, and technology providers to develop AI-based digital tools for ship retrofit decisions and decarbonization solutions.
• ELEMED (ELectrification in the Eastern MEDiterranean)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project for the use of electrical energy as alternative fuel in shipping, aimed at reducing environmental footprint in the Eastern Mediterranean. Through this program, Levante Ferries installed shore connection infrastructure on Fior di Levante, achieving the first cold ironing connection in the Eastern Mediterranean.
• e-SHyIPSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project contributing to the development of future regulations for hydrogen use in passenger shipping.
• HELMEPA (Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreek marine environmental protection organization under whose auspices Levante Ferries conducts beach cleaning activities at Ithaca, Kefalonia, and Zakynthos.
• SINTEF Ocean (Norway)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian research center coordinating the FIT-HORIZONS project, with grant number 101270016 under Horizon Europe Framework.
• RINA (Italian Classification Society)minorOthersItalian classification society that verified Levante Ferries' CO2 emission reports submitted to EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency).

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seajets: Greek high-speed ferry operator (Seajets, Hellenic Seaways, Alpha Lines) serving Cyclades, Crete, and Dodecanese routes. Direct passenger ferry peer with comparable modern fleet, mobile ticketing, and island-mainland connectivity model, though operating in different Greek sea basins.
• Minoan Lines: Greek coastal ferry operator serving Adriatic/Ionian routes connecting Patras and Igoumenitsa with Italian ports. Directly comparable as a Greek passenger ferry operator with overlapping Adriatic/Ionian geog
• ANEK Lines: Athens-based Greek ferry operator with strong Adriatic presence and Cretan routes, directly competing for inter-island and Greece-Italy passenger traffic. Closely comparable service offering with similar mixed passenger/vehicle transport model.
• Kerkyra Lines / Kerkyra Seaways: Smaller Greek ferry operator historically active on Igoumenitsa-Corfu and Corfu-Paxos routes. Comparable business serving Ionian Islands with passenger ferry model, though smaller scale and narrower route scope.

Broad incumbents

• Trasmediterranea: Spain-based passenger ferry operator (part of Grupo Armas Trasmediterranea) serving Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, and mainland Spain-North Africa routes. Comparable island-mainland passenger ferry model with substantial vehicle transport focus.
• Balearia: Spanish ferry operator serving Balearic Islands and Mediterranean corridors with focus on sustainability and gas-powered vessels. Comparable ferry business model with island-mainland connectivity, similar investments in alternative fuels, and award-winning fleet modernization.
• Corsica Ferries: Major Mediterranean ferry operator (France/Italy-based) serving Mediterranean island routes with modern fleet and direct booking platform. Comparable passenger ferry business model targeting island tourism connectivity, with broader Mediterranean footprint.
• Attica Group / Blue Star Ferries: Largest Greek coastal ferry operator (Blue Star, Superfast, Hellenic Seaways brands) with significantly larger fleet serving Cyclades, Dodecanese, and Crete. Comparable ferry business model and target customer base of island/mainland passengers; broader portfolio and scale.
• Grimaldi Lines: Italian-based international ferry and RoRo shipping group operating passenger ferry services on Italy-Greece routes and within Mediterranean. Comparable ferry business model serving Greek ports and Ionian/Adriatic corridors including Greece-Italy connectivity.

Others

• Ferryhopper: Athens-based ferry booking aggregator platform distributing tickets for multiple ferry operators including Greek carriers. Operates as both an indirect competitor (taking booking commissions) and a distribution channel partner for operators like Levante Ferries in the Greek ferry market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCghhe5b2jtAiK61JfsdIytA
• Facebookfacebook.com/levante.ferries
• Instagraminstagram.com/levante_ferries

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Levante Ferries