The Port of Piraeus is the largest Greek seaport and one of the biggest in the Mediterranean Sea. The Port of Piraeus served as the port of Athens since the ancient times. Today, the Port of Piraeus is a major employer in the region and is operated by the Piraeus Port Authority S.A. (PPA). With about 18.6 million passengers Piraeus was the busiest passenger port in Europe in 2014. Since 2009 the port's container handling is growing rapidly.