Tenders for the ports of Alexandroupolis-Igoumenitsa set to progress

Alexandroupolis, Greece (Ports Europe) May 12, 2020 - The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), responsible for privatising Greek state-owned assets, is set to approve tender documents for the regional ports of Alexandroupolis and Igoumenitsa. Local sources report that the fund plans to sell 67% of the Port Authority of Alexandroupolis and a corresponding percentage of the Port Authority of Igoumenitsa. Alexandroupolis port is key asset in the process, and the government has slowed the privatisation process in order to generate more interest from overseas, specifically the U.S. In an interview with the local Ta Nea earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt, said, "We continue to encourage American investment in key sectors like energy and infrastructure, including the Alexandroupoli port and FSRU, new wind power concessions, and the Elefsina shipyard: these are long-term projects whose strategic value hasn’t changed" Last year, speaking at the 7th annual Exposec-Defenseworld Conference in Athens last May, Geoffrey Pyatt said that Greece’s geo-strategic location is key to security and stability in the Southeast Mediterranean. He reiterated Washington’s interest in the northern ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandroupoli. “From a security and economic standpoint, it makes sense to further develop the port (Alexandroupolis) to benefit both our strategic relationship and the Greek economy,” Pyatt said. The ambassador has also visited the port several times. The Greek government is in a hurry to proceed with the projects that will upgrade the role of the port, such as the connection with the Egnatia highway and the upgrade of the Alexandroupolis-Ormenio railway section. The second project is at a very early stage and is expected to be tendered within the next 18 months. EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) funding has been secured. Regarding Igoumenitsa port, Italian group Grimaldi is reported as being interested in a future role in the port. Grimaldi owns local ferry company Minoan Lines. The government’s portfolio includes 10 ports in the form of sociétés anonymes; the ports of Volos, Rafina, Igoumenitsa, Patras, Alexandroupolis, Heraklion, Elefsina, Lavrion, Corfu and Kavala. In the last two years, the Piraeus and Thessaloniki port authorities were sold via the sale of majority stakes. The process for regional ports is likely to be by awarding sub-concessions for individual activities such as cruise, freight and cabotage. For a detailed article on U.S. interests in Alexandroupolis port, please read Analysis – Is Alexandroupolis port the new trump card in the Trump administration’s Mediterranean Great Game? March 10, 2020 Copyright (C) Ports Europe. All Rights Reserved. 2020.

Tenders for the ports of Alexandroupolis-Igoumenitsa set to progress

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Tenders for the ports of Alexandroupolis-Igoumenitsa set to progress

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