Tender process for 10 regional ports around Greece proceeding

An international tender for the long-term concession of the port of Irakleio (Herakleion), the largest and busiest on the island of Crete, commenced on Tuesday, part of the Greek government’s goal of privatizing 10 regional ports around the east Mediterranean country.

The privatization of the regional ports – following the concessions for the major port authorities of Piraeus and Thessaloniki over previous years – was among the provisions in successive memoranda with institutional creditors.

The process has already proceeded with the ports authorities of Alexandroupolis and Kavala, both smaller but strategically placed facilities in northern Greece.

The other ports on the list for long-term concession leases are Igoumenitsa, in extreme northwest Greece, a primary Greece-Italy ferry route; Volos, in central-eastern Greece; Patras, the main port of western Greece; Elefsina, an industrial hub west of the greater Athens-Piraeus area; Lavrio, a small port and harbor southeast of Athens proper, and the port of Corfu, on the eponymous Ionian island.

In terms of the tender for the extreme northeast port of Alexandroupolis, which lies just west of the land border with Turkey in the Thrace province, and which figures prominently on regional energy networks, Greece’s semi-autonomous privatization agency (HRADF) has already short-listed four investment schemes in the second phase of the process. The tender involves a 67-percent stake of the Alexandroupolis port authority’s share capital and its management.

The four contenders are:

– QUINTANA INFRASTRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT

– The consortium CAMERON S.A- GOLDAIR CARGO AE- BOLLORE AFRICA LOGISTICS

– The consortium INTERNATIONAL PORT INVESTMENTS ALEXANDROUPOLIS, comprised of the companies BLACK SUMMIT FINANCIAL GROUP – EUROPORTS -EFA GROUP and Gek Terna

– The Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A.

For the concession tender involving the port authority of Kavala, HRADF has shortlisted the following contenders:

– QUINTANA INFRASTRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT

– The consortium IMERYS GREECE SA, GOLDAIR CARGO AE & Industrial Minerals of Greece S.A.

3) The consortium INTERNATIONAL PORT INVESTMENTS KAVALA, comprised of the companies BLACK SUMMIT FINANCIAL GROUP – EFA GROUP Gek Terna

– The Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A.

In terms of the concession for Igoumenitsa, Italy’s Grimaldi group has expressed an interest. The multinational coastal shipper is already active in the Greek market with its subsidiary, Irakleio-based Minoan Lines.

Expressions of interest for Igoumenitsa have also been tabled by:

– Attica Group

– Danthia Shipping MARG

– Portek international

– Quintanna infrastructure &Development,

– Aegean Oil

– the consortium Archirodon ANEK and Trident Hellas

– The Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A.