The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), a member of GROWTHFUND – The National Fund of Greece, announces that the Alternate Minister of Finance, Theodoros Skylakakis, has approved the induction in the Recovery and Resilience Fund of a 24 million euros project for the upgrading of the infrastructure of the Alexandroupolis Port Authority (APA S.A.), according to HRADF's release.
The project will be funded by the EU – NextGenerationEU recovery package. HRADF has undertaken the maturation of the project with the preparation of the relevant studies, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport will carry out the tendering process and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy acts as the funding body. The infrastructure upgrade will enhance the competitiveness of the port and contribute to its establishment as a geostrategic, energy and transit hub in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans.
It involves two distinct projects:
- The restoration of depths (dredging) in the port basin and the shipping channel by removing the silting that has accumulated since the end of 2015.
- The connection of the new commercial pier of the port with the new Ring Road of Alexandroupolis which is already under construction.
The project involves the construction of a road of 1.5 kilometers within the land zone of the port, according to the technical characteristics in the approved Master Plan. The construction of this infrastructure is a priority as it will allow the diversion of commercial traffic of the port to the Egnatia Odos Motorway, through the Alexandroupolis Ring Road, bypassing urban fabric.
In the near future, APA S.A. will launch a tender for the enhancement of lighting in the port, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.
Within the next month, the ongoing tender launched by HRADF for the appointment of a Strategic & Business Development Adviser is expected to be completed.
The Adviser will assist HRADF and APA S.A. in the elaboration of a Business Plan and will examine the development potential of the Port Authority. The Business Plan will determine decisions for the implementation of investments, such as the procurement of loading and unloading equipment and the further upgrading of the port infrastructure.
The Strategic & Business Development Adviser will also examine the possibility of cooperation between APA S.A. and new users and will also assist in the implementation of the new Business Plan if necessary.
Furthermore, negotiations with two of the largest industrial companies in the country, Titan Cement Group and Gastrade are at an advanced stage for the long-term lease of land within the port to host significant capex investments.