Tuesday, March 21st sales contract shares of the port organization of Igoumenitsa between the Grimaldi group and TAIPED. The goal of the Greek side is to promote the concession agreement for parliament to vote and oversee the financial close of the deal. This is expected to be possible in the coming weeks and in any case before Parliament is dissolved for elections.

It is reminded that Grimaldi group, the parent company of Minoan Lines, offered for 67% of the share capital at a price of 84.17 million, thus forming the value of 100% of the company at 125 million. That is, much higher than the estimate of independent consultants TAIPED, and the price is equivalent to 150 times the operating income of the port Igoumenitsa, which was formed in 2021 at the level of 863,000 euros. The influential person of the group, Emanuele Grimaldi, visited the port of Igoumenitsa a few days ago and held talks with its management, and in the context of the same visit to Greece, he also visited the Heraklion Port Authority, for which he also expressed interest in his area of ​​the corresponding TAIPED competition. Port industry sources explain that since Igoumenitsa is one of the two main ports (the other being Patras) of access to the lines connecting Greece with Italy, and that the port dues paid by it correspond to approximately 60% of the port’s cycle operations. Igoumenitsa, the businessman sought to prevent the acquisition of control by third parties. “We are determined to develop the port and make it a trading gateway for the Balkans and Greece to Central and Western Europe,” leading sources in the Italian group told K.

Their attention is also focused on Egnatia Odos, which is expected to attract additional commercial activity in relation to Italy. The plans of the new major shareholder of the port include the electrification of ships in the port. In addition, the port organization of Igoumenitsa has the prospect of development through regional activities, including the three marinas it controls.