Contractional structures recognised in a recent SW‐NE oriented seismic profile offshore western Greece, between the islands of Zakynthos and Kefallinia (Cephalonia), indicate that this part of the Pre‐Apulian geotectonic zone was involved in Quaternary shortening related to the westward propagation of the Hellenic fold‐and‐thrust system. Deep reflector horizons including the Moho and the top of the crystalline basement were identified on the profile. Shallower reflectors include those corresponding to the contacts between the Mesozoic/Miocene, Upper Miocene/Lower Pliocene, and Pliocene/Pleistocene sedimentary sequences. The Upper Cenozoic to Quaternary sequence rests unconformably upon Mesozoic carbonates. Triassic evaporites wedge‐out in the Paxos geotectonic zone, where the Palaeozoic passes up into Mesozoic deposits. We have identified contractional structures which were reactivated during the Plio‐Quaternary on pre‐existing high‐angle normal faults, and which gave rise to significant topographic anomalies. West‐dipping normal faults were also recognised both within the Palaeozoic and Cenozoic successions, and are related to regional extension during sedimentation. East‐dipping thrust faults which root in the evaporites were also identified on the seismic profile. Due to right‐lateral strike‐slip activity on the Kefallinia Transform Fault, east‐dipping normal faults were formed within the lonion abyssal plain. This abyssal plain together with the Hellenic Trench, an accretionary prism, and a forearc basin can be recognised on the seismic profile. A “triple junction” between the Apulian (African) Platform, the oceanic crust of the Ionian Abyssal Plain and the Eurasian Plate in the west of the line is related to the Kefallinia Transform Fault. Neotectonic structural deformation (i.e. Quaternary‐Holocene) is superimposed on the above‐mentioned structures. Finally, diapiric movement of Triassic evaporites has affected both the Alpine and the late Cenozoic to Holocene sedimentary sequences. Diapiric activity continues at the present day in the eastern part of the profile, in the lonian geotectonic zone. The forearc basin may be prospective for hydrocarbons. Target areas include the lonian channel where a play has already been located, and its extension to the south (the Kyparisiakos Gulf area). Here, thick late Cenozoic to Quaternary deposits may act as a top‐seal above a reservoir consisting of eroded Mesozoic to Eocene carbonates, as at the recent Katakolon discovery.

In order to estimate the palaeoflow direction of the submarine fans, deposited in the Internal Ionian subbasin of the Pindos Foreland, fifty-one positions along the sub-basin were selected and measurements of palaeocurrents indicators such as flute and groove marks were taken. In the studied area the main palaeoflow direction of turbidites was axial, from south to north in the southern part, and from north to south in the northern part. A minor westward palaeoflow direction is also present. These palaeoflow directions were influenced mainly by the regional tectonic activity, such as internal thrusting (Gavrovo Thrust) and differential activity of the Pindos Thrust which subdivided Pindos foreland into narrow linear sub-basins.

A different basin evolution is suggested between the northern and southern parts of the Pindos basin, based on biostratigraphic dating results. Characteristic nannofossils showed that flysch sedimentation in the whole basin started in the Paleocene and generally finished during the Eocene, with the exception of the Konitsa and Milia areas where sedimentation lasted until Early Oligocene. Although, basin depth increased southwards, Kastaniotikos and Sperchios faults affected the geometry of Pindos basin, creating ridges and troughs within the basin. Due to this segmentation of the basin, the continuity of the sedimentation in the northern part of the study area until Oligocene is suggested. Calcareous nannofossils recovered from this northern part indicate a Paleocene NP5 to early Cligocene (NP20-21) age. On the other hand, in the southern part, sedimentation of flysch was lasted until middle Eocene. According this model, sedimentation in the southern part, stopped during the middle Eocene, was followed by subaerial exposure and the migration of clastic sedimentation to the western part of Pindos zones (Pindos foreland basin of Ionian zone). At this time, in the northern part, a small-restricted basin was continuously active as a piggyback basin from upper Eocene to lower Oligocene and shallow deposits (slope and submarine canyon deposits, delta fan deposits) accumulated.

A number of polished thin sections from two cross sections within the Pindos foreland deposits were petrographically examined while microanalyses on certain minerals were carried out. Chemistry of these minerals is compared to analogous phases occurring in several formations in the neighbourhood of the studied areas which can stand as source areas. Our results reveal that the most probable source materials include the Pindos, Koziakas (and probably and Vourinos) ophiolite complexes, as well as metamorphic sequences of the Pelagonian Zone

Pindos foreland is a tertiary turbiditic basin fill trending parallel to the external Hellenides (Aubouin, 1959). The basin is bounded to the east by the Pindos thrust and to the west by the Ionian thrust. Apart of these two major thrusts, minor thrusts separate the basin into linear narrow sub-basins, trending also parallel to the basin axis.For the grain size statistical analysis 35 sandstone samples were collected from sandstone beds in three sections: Metsovo, Amphilochia and Palaiopyrgos. The thickness of the beds ranges from 8 to 25 cm, and comprise Ta, Tb and Te Bouma sequence subdivisions. The samples were smashed in small pieces and then they were disaggregated using acetic acid solution. Then the samples were washed with deionized water and prepared for sieve analysis. The results of the sieve analysis were plotted in grain size cumulative diagrams in order to estimate the statistical pa rameters. Sorting, skewness and kyrtosis were calculated and also the samples were plotted in CM, FM and LM diagrams (Passega, 1957;Passega, 1964) The palaeoflow velocity measurements were estimated using Komar's model (1985).The results of the above analysis provided the following conclusions: a) Sorting values are decreasing at the top of Metsovo and Palaiopyrgos sections indicating an increase of the sediments immaturity, b) The asymmetry values range from positive to very positive with a trend to increase at he top in the sections of Metsovo and Amphilochia, which shows a dominance of the coarser frac tion in the selected samples, c) C-M, F-M, L-M affirms that the sediment was transported to the deeper parts of the basin by turbidity currents.Mean flow velocities at the time of deposition range between 1,86 and 26,59 cm/sec. These values are very much in agreement with those proposed for low-density turbidity currents (<25cm/sec) . A similar velocity range is refereed also by Avramidis (1999) who studied the turbidites of the Middle Ionian zone. In Metsovo and Palaiopyrgos mean flow velocity values increase towards the top of the stratigraphy.