key role for transportation Greece, but also part of the Balkan Peninsula, due to its geographical location and proximity to existing and developing road and rail infrastructure, could potentially play port of Volos. It is for this reason that investment interest in the relevant tender TAIPED for the sale of a controlling stake in the amount of at least 67% of the authorized capital of Volos Port Organization SA (OLB SA) attracted applicants from Malta, Bulgaria, the Persian Gulf and, of course, Greece.

Located halfway between Piraeus and Thessaloniki, close to important industrial and agricultural areas and has an extensive earth zone (where, with appropriate investment, a number of activities can be developed, including logistics, and existing ones, such as dry cargo, can be expanded), is guaranteed to be an international gateway, import and export trade center, sources in the port industry explain. But the port of Volos is also important military and energy roleas evidenced by previous consultations with a view to keeping the Greek Armed Forces part of the land zone for its own use, as well as plans for the development of a gasification plant liquefied natural gas (ARGO FSRU) that have been filed with the relevant regulatory authorities in Greece. Because Volos is also close to the central gas pipeline that transports natural gas from Northern Greece.

Also, given its rail link, it is considered in the wider geopolitical planning to be the second port after Alexandroupolis that could function as an allied gateway (NATO) defense equipment and personnel for Eastern Europe.

OLV SA has the right to use and operate the port of Volos, the offshore facilities of the fishing shelter located in the eastern part of the city embankment, the port facilities of Almiros and Agria. The concession is designed for 60 years from the date of its signing and expires in 2062. The main activities of the company currently include freight and container transportation, steel and scrap, bulk and liquid cargo, as well as passenger transportation, including ferries to the Sporades, as well as cruise transportation. activity.

It is expected that the final stage of the tender will end with the submission of mandatory bids after the summer.

The competitive role it can play with respect to the Port of Thessaloniki is also the reason that among the eight candidate schemes that have qualified in the current final stage of the competition (which is expected to conclude with mandatory bids after the summer) is Thessaloniki Port Organization, the largest part of which is controlled by companies representing the interests of the Ivan Savvidis family. Volos’ function as a gateway to the Balkans has attracted Bulgaria’s Advance Properties, interests of the Domuschiev shipping family, with investments in 107 subsidiaries and four associated companies in 26 countries and activities in the fields of pharmaceuticals, shipping (Navibulgar), port management (two port terminals in Burgas), as well as real estate and the media. Qatari QTerminals, the government arm that facilitates Qatar’s imports and exports, is also bidding for the port of Volos.

In the market, their participation is associated with the prospect of developing a terminal for the gasification of liquefied natural gas in Volos. Another foreign company participating in the tender is the Maltese company Mariner Capital, owned by the Healy family, which operates medium-sized ports (Albania, Latvia, Italy), as well as shipping and logistics. The above four groups juxtapose four schemes of interest to Greece: GEK TERNA, a consortium of Goldair subsidiaries, a consortium of Intrakat and TEKAL, and a joint venture between Israel Shipyards and Hellenic Steel. This is the branch of interests of the Manezis family, which operates a steel plant in Velestino and uses the port both for the import of raw materials (scrap) and for the export of steel.

The turnover of the port of Volos, based on the last published balance sheet (2021), was 5.2 million, while the gross operating income was 2.03 million and the net profit was 522,000 euros.

According to independent financial observers, “these numbers can multiply many times over if the right investments are made.”