Race against time for Greece’s biggest port infrastructure project in Thessaloniki

OLTH S.A. is fighting against time. for the launch of the flagship expansion project of the 6th pier of the city’s port. The decision of the CoE last Spring regarding the large port project being carried out in the port of Piraeus, that in order for the project to proceed it requires an EIA and a master plan, changed the implementation plan of the large project.

According to information during this period, OLTH S.A. in order to satisfy the new conditions that have arisen, he proceeded to prepare the SESI and the master plan and now the goal is to submit both for approval around mid-December.

The Strategic Environmental Impact Study should be approved by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, while ESAL also has an advisory role. The master plan will be submitted to PPDC (esal) for approval.

As long as there are no delays, approvals are expected until Spring 2023. With the end of the approvals, ThPA will have a reasonable time to call the subcontractor and sign the construction contract. It should be clarified that it is not required to send the contract to the Court of Auditors or to present it to Parliament as it is a 100% private project with 100% private funding.

The contractor and the project

The MYTILINEOS-ROVER MARITIME scheme is undertaking the projects, as it prevailed in the relevant tender that started on February 5, 2020, while the bids were submitted on February 5, 2021. For Mytilineos it is the first major port project that it will carry out, while in the city of Thessaloniki it will implement still in shape with AVAX the flyover of Regional Thessaloniki.

The completion of the 6th pier of the Port of Thessaloniki is the largest port infrastructure project in the country with a cost of 170 million euros including VAT. Independent engineers on the project are the consortium SALFO-AECOM-SAMARAS AND ASSOCIATES.

It is the main project of the compulsory investments of OLTH SA. after its privatization and is expected to change the image not only of the port but also of the entire city. The duration of the works is set at 30 months and if there are no delays it will be able to be completed at the beginning of 2026. With the operation of the upgraded pier the container handling capacity will be doubled.

Thessaloniki has the main advantage of easy access to the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, which gives it great potential for development.

The project includes the construction of a new additional quay wall, as a direct extension of the already existing one, 440 meters long, the construction of an additional land area, at least 300 meters wide and the execution of all the additional infrastructure works required for the full operation of the new quay wall and of the corresponding land area. The land port zone of the port of Thessaloniki covers an area of ​​approximately 1,550,000 square meters and extends to a length of approximately 3,500 meters.