by Fanis Zois

 

 

China's contribution to the reshaping of the port-centric freight sector in Greece is significant, with the gradual development of modern freight hubs, which may have direct access to port, rail and road infrastructure.

 

In Attica, the focus is the port of Piraeus and the wider area, mainly Aspropyrgos: Cosco and PPA have focused on the development of Project I, II and III, having implemented adjacent warehouses, combined with the future creation of a new logistics center.

 

In this logistics center, PPA and Cosco plan to build warehouses of 45,000 square meters, which will be served by an underground closed road connection of the commercial port with Aspropyrgos ODDY area, spatially expanding the free zone. This project is planned to operate in addition to the logistics spaces that PPA already has, such as the container station that houses the red warehouse of Cosco's subsidiary, Piraeus Consolidation & Distribution Center (PCDC).

 

With the two logistics centers, the PPA is set to gain additional vital space to accommodate the increase in cargo from Piers I, II and III and the car terminal.

 

The Chinese side, on the rail side, cooperates with Pearl, which has taken over the rail transport of its cargo from the port of Iconio, to central Europe.

 

According to ICAP estimates and the forecasts of companies in the sector, in 2021 the 3PL services market returned to a growth trajectory of 3.8%, compared to the previous year, while according to ELSTAT, the storage industry has seen a big rise in 2022.

 

Accordingly, another "pole" is the “ETVA VIPE – Goldair” joint venture, which will operate the freight center in Thriassio, which has a 240,000 square meter commercial center on a total area of 2,000 acres. With dry and refrigerated cargo warehouses, office spaces, customs areas and car and truck parking.

 

In Aspropyrgos, too, HIG Capital is planning the construction of a 250,000 sq.m. logistics center, at the facilities of Halivourgia Greece, with a perspective of completion in 2025.

 

HIG Capital claims that it aspires to "protagonize" the next day of freight transport in Greece, having acquired the companies "Orfeus Veinoglou", Makios Logistics and "Olympias-Kandylis".

 

Furthermore, in Aspropyrgos, other investments are underway or about to be launched, while real estate management companies also have a strong presence.

 

Finally, the market expects, in 2023, the announcement of the big tender for the relocation of the forwarders from Eleonas to Fyli.

 

Further north, in Thessaloniki, which has perhaps the most organized cargo terminal, in Sindos, there is a cargo center at the former Gonou camp. The Gonou development project (consists of an area of 672 acres) has been included in the "Contracts of Strategic Importance" program, by decision of the relevant Government Committee, which designated TAIPED as the maturity body for the acceleration of the relevant procedures, while the owner of the property is GAIOSE.