A procedure to sell-off a majority stake (50% plus one share) of the Lavrio Port Authority, located southeast of the greater Athens-Piraeus area, is underway by Greece’s privatization fund, officially known as the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF).
A deadline for the submission of expressions of interest is May 14, 2024.
Additionally, certain facilities are also being offered to the highest bidder at the large port of Patras, western Greece, and the increasingly important port of Alexandroupolis, in extreme northeast Greece. Another tender offers up a tract of land in the Fyli municipality, due west of Athens, for the creation of a logistic center.
The prospective concessions – an entire port authority, facilities in two others and the zoned tract – were presented by the privatization fund’s CEO, Dimitris Politis to Indian investors during a recent visit to India by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The small-to-midsized port of Lavrio (ancient Laurium) lies in the extreme southeast corner of Attica prefecture, where the greater Athens area is located, and specifically some 60 kilometers from the Greek capital and 20 kilometers from the Athens International Airport (AIA). The location is seen as a distinct alternative to the large and busy port of Piraeus, as it’s able to load/offload bulk carriers and containers. It’s also seen as an alternate for ferry boats, compared to the small and very busy harbor of Rafina, located further north along the eastern Attica coast.
Moreover, Lavio has the prospects to also host cruise ships and more marina space for pleasure craft and professional fishing vessels.