The supply chain sector contributed €25.5bn, or 10.8% of GDP, to the Greek economy in 2025, up from €23.5bn the previous year, according to the annual nationwide survey by the University of the Aegean.
The findings indicate that around 236,000 people work in transport and storage (5.4% of total employment). Attica alone is expected to gain around 800,000 sq m of modern warehouse space over the next two years, at an investment cost of more than €500m, while investment in Thessaloniki is estimated to exceed €800m.
According to the Logistics Committee of the German-Hellenic Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the figures confirm the sector’s momentum. But to turn that momentum into a lasting competitive advantage for the country, comparable progress is needed on the ground: in completing procedures (Joint Ministerial Decisions, permits and financing), connecting new infrastructure and coordinating the bodies involved.
Need to speed up completion
George Stamnos, chairman of the Logistics Committee, said: “The new freight centres in Attica and Thessaloniki need all procedures – Joint Ministerial Decisions, permits and financing instruments – to be completed faster so construction can begin immediately. They also need a clear regulatory framework and connections to the road network, railways and ports. Better coordination among the bodies involved is also needed, so that investments move from planning to operation within a predictable timeframe. For businesses organising transport every day, every delay means extra costs and lost opportunities.”
Mr Stamnos added: “The question for the next few years is clear: how quickly can we turn the momentum of Greek logistics into infrastructure that is up and running?”
In the warehouse market, rents for modern, high-specification facilities stand at €5.75–6.00 per sq m per month (GEOAXIS, early 2026), with the median asking rent in Aspropyrgos at €5.52 and prime yields at about 6.75%.
Throughput via Piraeus
Piraeus handled a total of 4.64 million TEUs in 2025, ranking seventh among EU ports. Of that total, around 3.98 million TEUs passed through piers II and III (down 6% on 2024), while 664,581 TEUs – a record high – passed through pier I. In 2026, throughput at piers II and III has stabilised, with 2.72 million TEUs handled in the January–August period, virtually unchanged from the same period in 2025 (+0.1%). A strong August result (372,100 TEUs, up 18% year on year) made up for the shortfall over the first seven months, while the gradual return of ships to the Suez route is expected to bolster Piraeus’ role as a transhipment hub.
At Athens International Airport, total air cargo throughput reached 74,400 tonnes in the first half of 2026, up 19.8% from 62,200 tonnes in the same period of 2025. Cargo carried by dedicated freighters rose 27.4% to 37,300 tonnes, mainly reflecting the continued operation of e-commerce cargo services.
A significant change for e-commerce is the introduction, from 1 July 2026, of a flat customs duty of €3 per item on low-value parcels imported into the EU from third countries. The measure is already affecting parcel volumes from China and the planning of e-commerce flows.
Rail and prospects
In rail freight, reconstruction of the network damaged by Storm Daniel and full electrification of the Thessaloniki–Athens corridor are nearing completion. Certification of the corridor for trains with a P400 profile remains outstanding, however. This is a prerequisite for carrying semi-trailers and large loading units by rail.
Total freight volumes remain below 2023 levels because of upgrade work on the rail network in the Balkans (Serbia and Hungary), completed in late August, and competition from road hauliers based in the region. Intermodal container transport by rail is holding up well, but network capacity falls short of market potential, particularly for P400-profile traffic. The Committee expects freight volumes to increase from mid-2027 onwards.