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Alexandroupoli port attracts mega-investors

The participation of four important investment schemes in the tender for the sale of 67% of the Port Authority of Alexandroupolis confirms the strong geopolitical interest in the region, as well as its importance in the energy sector.

The interest of the US has already been expressed through the participation in the tender of Black Summit Financial Group. However, the number of the investors taking part in the tender exceeded all expectations, as strong French, Belgian and German groups in alliance with important Greek companies will also participate.

The strategic role of Alexandroupolis has been repeatedly emphasized by the American ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, while the USA already uses the port in the terms of the Greek-American Mutual Defence Cooperation Agreement – MDCA.

Alexandroupolis as a regional energy hub is strengthened by the development of the floating receiving station, temporary storage and gasification of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which will be a new, independent gateway for natural gas to the markets of SE and Central Europe. Gastrade projects, in combination with other planned major energy projects in the region, such as the TAP and IGB pipelines, as well as the Kavala underground storage, create a complete system for the reception and distribution of natural gas for the entire region.

Apart from the energy sector, the port has strong prospects in the freight activity, as it is connected to the Egnatia Motorway, giving easy passage to the goods of East and West and vice versa.

Given the above, the participation of four investor teams in the tender is not at all surprising. The four investors are the following:

  1. Quintana Infrastructure & Development,
  2. Cameron S.A. Consortium (Kopelouzos group) – Goldair Cargo SA. – Bollore Africa Logistics,
  3. International Port Investments Alexandroupolis Consortium (IPIA) (Black Summit Financial Group – Euroports – EFA Group and GEK Terna), and
  4. Thessaloniki Port Authority SA.

The completion of the tender and the announcement of the strategic investor are expected in 2021.

However, there are other tenders undergoing in the region of East Macedonia and Thrace. Three schemes submitted an expression of interest for the concession of the use, development and exploitation of the underground natural space resulting from the almost depleted natural gas field “South Kavala”, in order to convert it into a natural gas storage space. These are China Machinery Engineering (CMEC) – Maison Group, Energean Oil & Gas and DESFA – GEK Terna.

There has also been an increased interest in the sub-concession of the right of use and exploitation of the commercial port of Filippos II of Kavala. The expressions of interest for this tender were submitted with the participation of five groups and namely:

– PFIC LTD

– QUINTANA INFRASTRUCTURE + DEVELOPMENT

– UNION OF COMPANIES IMERYS SA, GOLDAIR CARGO & I.M.G.

– INTERNATIONAL PORT INVESTMENTS KAVALA JOINT VENTURE, which consists of the companies BLACK SUMMIT FINANCIAL GROUP – EFA GROUP and GEK TERNA

– Port Authority of Thessaloniki SA.

Original Source: Capital.gr

Adaptation/Summary: Kiki Athanasiadis