Greece rolls out 50+ new PPP infrastructure projects

A major group of tenders for large PPP (Public-Private Partnership) projects is entering its final stage, adding new economic activity to the construction sector. Most of these advanced tenders are in the pre-contract phase and are expected to be signed in the coming months, while there are also tenders with selected contractors, and the process is moving towards completion.

A total of more than 50 PPP project tenders are currently underway in the country, covering a wide range of projects such as infrastructure, dams, buildings, networks, etc., demonstrating the momentum that has developed with this project implementation tool. Among the mature tenders, we can observe that some took a considerable amount of time—even over four years—to reach completion, while others matured in a much shorter period, leading to the selection of contractors.

Among business groups, the highest level of activity and success in securing contracts is seen in the GEK TERNA and INTRAKAT groups, which have accumulated a significant number of projects in the tenders that have progressed. In these tenders, other major construction companies such as ATESE, EKTER, and ERETVO also have a strong presence, with notable successes in PPP project tenders as well.

Which projects are heading towards signing?

On the list of PPP projects heading towards signing, the first in line is the project for 17 schools in Central Macedonia. The contractor is the consortium MYTILINEOS-ATESE. The contract is currently awaiting approval from the Court of Auditors, and if everything proceeds smoothly, the signing is expected by the end of the year. The implementing agency for the project is KTYP.

Two student housing projects are also heading towards signing. The first project, worth €255 million (including VAT), is for the University of Crete, and the second, worth €116 million (including VAT), is for the University of Thessaly. INTRAKAT is the contractor for both projects, and the contracts are expected to be signed once the bureaucratic procedures are completed. Both tenders began in 2020.

Another project where INTRAKAT has been selected as the contractor is the new building for the General Secretariat of Infrastructure on Piraeus Street, valued at nearly €140 million (including VAT). The signing is expected to take place in the early months of 2025. The implementing agency for the project is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

The tender for five police headquarters in Patras, Lefkada, Karditsa, Veria, and Alexandroupoli is also in the pre-contract phase. The selected contractor is the consortium EKTER-TENA-ERETVO, and the project’s cost is estimated at €70 million (including VAT). The implementing agency is KTYP (School Buildings Organization).

There is also a contractor for the Central Macedonia Waste Management Unit, awarded to the consortium GEK TERNA-TITAN. The €250 million project is expected to move forward with the contract signing in the early months of 2025. The implementing agency for this project is the Central Macedonia Waste Management Authority (FODSA).

At the next level, there are tenders for which bids have been submitted, and we are expecting the selection of contractors in the coming period. These projects include:

• The Minagiotiko Dam, valued at €145 million, for which bids were submitted by GEK TERNA – KONSTANTINIDIS, METKA – INTRAKAT – MESOGEIOS, and AKTOR CONCESSIONS – AVAX.
• The Hohlakia Reservoir – Agios Ioannis Dam in Lasithi, worth €69.31 million, with a bid submitted by GEK TERNA.
• The Tavropos irrigation networks, valued at €159.65 million, with a bid from the consortium AKTOR CONCESSIONS – AVAX.
• The water transfer and distribution from the Nestos River to the Xanthi plain, a €210 million project, for which GEK TERNA submitted a bid.
• The irrigation projects in Yperia, Larissa, and Orfana, Karditsa, valued at €132 million, with bids from the MYTILINEOS – MESOGEIOS consortium and GEK TERNA.

For the five projects mentioned above, the implementing agency is the Ministry of Rural Development. It is worth noting that the tenders progressed at a satisfactory pace, with average results achieved faster than the typical timeline for PPP tenders in the country.

Significant projects are also moving towards the bidding phase, such as the student housing at the University of Thrace, a €107 million project, with bids due on November 25.

Ongoing Tenders

Among the ongoing tenders currently in Phase B and moving towards the final stage of bid submission are the road projects Thessaloniki-Edessa and Drama-Amphipolis, the Courthouses in Central Macedonia, Thessaly, and Crete, as well as the new Athens Court of First Instance.

Ongoing tenders also include projects such as the Enipeas Farsalon Dam and the Double Dam of Tavronitis (Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport), as well as waste management units in Rhodes, Attica, and Santorini, and the new Aspropyrgos prison facilities.

Finally, there are newly launched PPP tenders, which include projects such as the government park at PYRKAL, the business park in Fyli, the logistics park at the former Gonos military camp in Thessaloniki, and student housing at the University of Western Macedonia, among others.

In the area of concession projects nearing completion, the tender for the Egnatia Odos highway is progressing with the consortium GEK TERNA-EGIS PROJECTS, as well as the Kalamata Airport project with the consortium FRAPORT-DELTA AIRPORT INVESTMENTS-PHLEAS.

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