Parga :: Comparisson reports

“In the past Parga had several ships it used to trade between the town and the nearby coasts and islands, especially Corfu. There are very few left today. The old, derelict dock, collecting sand in the interior, doesn’t offer much protection on stormy days. That’s why boats have to seek refuge in Ayos Joannis port, especially in winter. The steam ships that reach Parga have taken over almost all of the import and export trade.

The company, La Puglia, has especially earned the trust of nearly all the area merchants. Its low costs and the fact that it can get fairly close to the coast due to its small steam ships have favoured it. At times, a ship still arrives loaded with animals from Corfu. Today, there is a larger kaikia built in Parga and some gaitas built by shipbuilders in Paxos.”

“Some smaller boats also provide service within the port. La Puglia has its own barges and crew to load and unload goods. By contrast, other companies have to use the barges found around here and which tend to take a long time and don’t operate in case of bad weather. There are some 30 coastal ships in Parga, including the five barges, which load and unload merchandise from the steam ship. Other boats are used for passengers, for sailing trips or rowing along the coast. Some even travel to Paxos.”