Greece launches tender to upgrade Piraeus port

Reuters - Monday 11th of February 2008

Greece launched an international tender inviting companies to upgrade and run commercial facilities at its major port in Piraeus (OLP), to boost its role as a regional hub, an OLP official said on Wednesday.

Greece, with two of the largest harbours in the Mediterranean region, wants to modernise outdated port facilities to retain and enlarge its cargo business and prevent freighters from choosing other regional ports.

OLP (OLPr.AT: Quote, Profile, Research) said the tender's outcome will be announced in March. The bidder will have to upgrade and expand two of the port's commercial docks and operate them for up to 35 years.

Greece's Merchant Marine Ministry launched a similar tender for the Thessaloniki port (OLTH) OLTHr.AT in northern Greece, two weeks ago. The investment in the ports will total about 650 million euros ($952.4 million).

Port employees will walk off the job on Feb 13 and join Greek workers in a nationwide 24-hour strike against the government's planned pension reforms. Dockers have said they will continue striking through February against the partial privatisation.

Dockhands have refused to work overtime since the beginning of the year and have staged repeated strikes. They fear the moves will lead to the ports' full privatisation.

The state owns more than 70 percent in each port.

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