The Top-20 infrastructure projects in tender in Greece at the moment – Only one private sector project on the list

The major projects being tendered in the country have attracted the attention of the public and there is a lot of activity in the construction industry. Already in several of the projects that have passed the tender’s gate, alliances have been formed between the major groups. What appears to be a trend is that allies change depending on the type, cost and importance of the competition.

We have seen in major competitions groups come down autonomously and claim a project and in the next tender the same group comes down in an alliance to increase their chances. The particularly interesting part in the field of major tenders is how they attract the interest of the entire construction market with a 7th grade degree.

The contests that continue to attract interest are now many. A dozen railway projects, numerous road and building projects, new PPP categories with dams, water supply networks, etc. create an image of euphoria in the construction industry that we have entered the “Spring of construction”.

Today we have collected and singled out the 20 largest projects under tender that exceed 10.6 billion euros in value and we will see which alliances have been formed in them (of those that have been formed).

20. Western Sector Waste Unit of Central Macedonia Region 250 million euros

It is one of the largest works of its kind at tender. It is carried out by FODSA of Central Macedonia and has been ongoing since the Fall of 2021. The continuation of the competition is expected. AVAX-MOTOR OIL RENEWABLE ENERGY-THALIS, TITAN-TERNA ENERGY, MYTILINEOS-MESOGEOIS, INTRAKAT-WATT, ACTOR CONCESSIONS-ELEKTOR participated in the competition. The schemes passed to phase B.

19. Student Residences of the University of Crete 255 million euros

It is also the largest university PPP project under tender in the country. Contracting Authority the University of Crete. At the expression of interest in 2020, 7 schemes were present.

18. Bralos-Amfissa 285 million euros

The project was announced at the end of the project. The tender started last year and we are now in the phase of signing the contract. It concerns the upgrading of a part of the diagonal axis Lamia-Itea-Antirrio. It is an important project that will improve road safety and significantly reduce the required times. The contractor is AVAX, while the Contracting Authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

17. Kalamata-Methoni 310 million euros

A major project that will upgrade the area of Messinia and its tourism product in particular. The new axis will give life and new growth opportunities. The competition started in 2019 and at the end of 2021 the offers were given. Now we are waiting for the signatures with the form AKTOR CONCESSIONS-INTRAKAT. The Contracting Authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

16. Vouliagmenis Mall 350 million euros

It is the only private project on the list. It belongs to the A`phase projects of the Hellinikon investment. Lamda Development’s tender is ongoing and the aim is to have Vouliagmenis Mall operational in 2026 along with the rest of the project group. It will have a total area of 130,000 sq.m. with approximately 72,000 sq.m. of leasable spaces and will be 20% larger than Lamda’s The Mall Athens in Marousi, making it the largest shopping center in Greece. It will be built on Vouliagmeni Avenue at the height of Hellinikon.

15. Extension of Kymi Avenue 352 million euros

The tender concerns the first extension of the Attiki Odos in 18 years. Kymis Avenue with this project will reach Lykovrysi at the uneven Kalyftakis junction. A large part of the project is underground and will particularly serve the areas of Marousi, Pefki and will decongest the section of Attiki Odos from Metamorfosi to Doukissis Plakentia. The competition started last year in January and signatures are awaited. The Contracting Authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the contractor is the TERNA-AKTOR-INTRAKAT scheme.

14. Schisto Waste Unit 372 million euros

Tender for another WTU in Attica. Specifically, the processing capacity of the Unit in Schisto has been estimated at 250,000 tons per year of residual compounds and pre-selected bio-waste. It will cover the needs of the Municipalities of Piraeus and some of the Municipalities of the Western Suburbs. In the tender of September 2021, 5 consortiums participated. The Contracting Authority is ESDNA.

13. Supply of 770 buses 384 million euros

The long-awaited tender of €383.4 million (amount including VAT) has mobilized the largest city bus manufacturing industries in Europe and China and the tedner is particularly high. It is divided into 5 sections and a large number of the new buses are expected to be electric. Completion of the tender is awaited. The Contracting Authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

12. Railway Line Airport-Rafina 384 million euros

The project concerns the double connection of Rafina from El. Venizelos airport and from Gerakas. It is an extension of the Athens Suburban Railway network. It will satisfy the movement requirements of many thousands of residents of the areas of Gerakas, Pikermio, Spata, Artemisa and of course Rafina. The schemes that entered the tender are: AKTOR with Mytileneos, TERNA with INTRAKAT and AVAX with Alstom. Final funding from the NSRF 2021-2027 is also expected. The contracting authority is ERGOSE.

11. Salamina Undersea link 400 million euros

The eternal tender. It started in 2016 and continues. Now we are waiting for the approval of the environmental conditions that will give the project flesh and bones. It concerns the underwater link between Salamina and Perama via Schistos Avenue. The project will give Salamina a direct connection to Attica and create development opportunities. The Contracting Authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

10. Road Axis Thessaloniki-Edessa 444 million euros

It is still a PPP road project. The tender started in December 2022 and attracted the interest of the big five groups. With its completion, an important vertical axis will be created on Egnatia Odos and road transport from/to Thessaloniki will be facilitated. The contracting authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure.

9. Koropi-Lavrio Railway Line 484 million euros

This is another railway project concerning the extension of the Suburban Railway to the port of Lavrio. The new line will start from the Koropi junction (shortly after the KOROPI suburban station) and is expected to be 32 kilometers long. The line with a total cost of 484 million euros will be double and will include the construction of 2 new Railway Stations and 7 new Railway Stations. The tender started in January 2022. The schemes TERNA-INTRAKAT, AKTOR-MYTILINEOS, AVAX-ALSTOM are participating. The final funding from the NSRF 2021-2027 is expected. The contracting authority is ERGOSE

8. Phyli Waste Unit 570 million euros

The competition for WTU Phylis is the largest in the country. The Waste Treatment Unit (WTU) of the Central Park of the Circular Economy of Attica that will be built in the area of Phyli has a budget of 571 million euros. While the capacity of the Unit in Phyli has been estimated at 450,000 tons/year of residual co-mixes and pre-selected bio-waste. In the tender that started in September 2021, the following schemes are participating: TERNA ENERGY-TITAN, MORE – AVAX – THALIS, MYTILINEOS – MESOGEOS, INTRAKAT, HELEKTOR – AKTOR CONCESSIONS. The Contracting Authority is ESDNA.

7. Rio-Limenas Patras Railway Line 591 million euros

The project concerns the completion of the Athens-Patra railway line. The longest length of the project is underground and meets the request of the local bodies. The tender started in January 2022. Funding is largely secured. The contracting authority is ERGOSE. The schemes TERNA-INDRAKAT, AKTOR-MYTILINEOS, AVAX-ALSTOM participate.

6. Extension of Metro Line 2 to Ilion 682 million euros

It is the latest addition to the list of top works up for tender. This is the 4 km northward extension of line 2 of the Athens Metro that will provide access to the Western Suburbs of Ilion, Agios Anargyros and Kamatero in the capital’s transport system. It will add 3 new stations: PALATIANI, ILION, AGIOS NIKOLAOS and 51,000 new passengers. The tender is scheduled to start on February 28 and is expected to arouse the interest of all the major groups in the country. The contracting authority is Attiko Metro.

5. Railway Line Alexandroupoli-Ormenio 1.33 billion euros

It’s a surprise project. It concerns the conversion of the line into a double, high-speed electrified one. It is a project of strategic importance for the country because it opens the door to freight transport between Greece and Bulgaria. The final financing of the project is awaited. The contracting authority is ERGOSE. This project essentially seeks to maximize the country’s effort as a major freight hub in South-Eastern Europe. The schemes TERNA-INDRAKAT, AKTOR-MYTILINEOS, AVAX-ALSTOM participate.

4. Egnatia Odos 1.5 billion euros

The Egnatia Odos concession tender is one of the longest in the country’s construction history. After many extensions, objections and appeals, the GEK TERNA-EGIS PROJECTS scheme was selected as the contractor. We are now in the pre-contractual period and it is expected that the State’s pending matters will be closed in order to proceed with the signing of the contract, probably towards the end of 2023. The Contracting Authority is HRADF.

3. VOAK (3 tenders) 1.8 billion euros

The second largest project under tender in the country is subdivided into 3 contracts. The first concerns the Chania-Hersonissos section in the amount of 1.3 billion euros, the second the Hersonissos-Neapoli section in the amount of 360 million euros and the third the Neapolis-Agios Nikolaos section in the amount of 186 million euros. The first tender (the concession) is heading towards the bidding phase, the second (the PPP) is awaiting signatures (GEK TERNA-AKTOR PAR.-INDRAKAT) and the third (the public project) has already entered construction pace as the contract was signed last September with AKTOR as contractor. The Contracting Authority is the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.

2. Thessaloniki-Xanthi Railway Line 2.09 billion euros

It is currently the largest public project under tender in the country. The fact that it is a work of records is remarkable. It is the largest railway contract ever, the first time a railway project has surpassed all other types of projects in the country. It also breaks the record of Metro Line 4 and becomes the largest public project not only at this time but in the modern history of the country. The schemes TERNA-INDRAKAT, AKTOR-MYTILINEOS, AVAX-ALSTOM participate. The contracting authority is ERGOSE.

The amount of the budget including VAT reaches 2.09 billion euros. The competition is due to start on Friday 21 January 2022 and alliances have already been formed to take it on. Its final funding is awaited.

1. New Attiki Odos concession period

The HRADF tender for the new concession period of Attiki Odos is currently considered the leading project under tender. It’s not exactly a “project” as it doesn’t include a construction object, but it’s that project that everyone ardently desires. Because it is the most commercially successful concession in the history of the country, because its prospects look even better and because the one who will take it over for the next (from the end of 2024) 25 years will raise the level of the construction industry inside and outside the borders.

Eight schemes are vying for the new concession period with all the big Greek names in the technical field and many funds who will undertake to put their hands deep in their pockets to acquire the asset called Attiki Odos.