by Alexia Vlachou

ATHENS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Port of Piraeus in Greece has installed a first set of smart solar benches accessible for people with disabilities.

Piraeus Mayor Yiannis Moralis presented the two smart "infokiosk" benches, which are part of the city's plan to install several pieces of smart solar urban furniture in the coming months.

The city's aim is to offer residents and tourists a tech-friendly place where they can relax and interact, he said.

This is also the first time a municipality in Greece gives people with disabilities the opportunity to charge their electric vehicles for free in an open public space, he noted.

"Our aim is to monitor the use (of these smart solar benches) and to expand this network. We live in a new era. We need to incorporate modern solutions. We want to be a smart city," Moralis said.

Drawing on the smart city concept, the benches have four built-in USB (universal serial bus) ports for charging electric bicycles, electric wheelchairs and phones. They also provide wireless internet (Wi-Fi) access.

The autonomous benches' built-in environmental sensors, powered by integrated solar panels, collect and share real-time information, such as weather forecasts.

The benches are vandal-proof and have an anti-graffiti finish.

"You can charge your mobile phone, you can connect to Wi-Fi, it is very practical," Dimitris, a resident of Piraeus, told Xinhua.

Open to embracing new technologies, Piraeus has incorporated a series of initiatives in its digital development strategy -- an 80-million-euro (97.5 million U.S. dollars) investment plan that runs until the end of 2024 -- in order to make the city as smart as possible, according to a press release. (1 euro = 1.22 U.S. dollars)