Second Thriasio tender on way
The government is preparing a second privatization of land in Thriasio, west of Athens, after receiving a binding offer last week for an area of 59 hectares, which will be used to construct a rail freight hub.
The second plot of land that will be made available to investors is much larger, at 145 hectares, and is owned by the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE). The smaller parcel was the subject of a single bid, from a Greek consortium formed by Goldair and ETBA, a subsidiary of Piraeus Bank. However, the next privatization, known as Thriasio 2, is expected to attract the interest of Chinese giant Cosco, as well as others.
Sources said that the Infrastructure Ministry aims to launch the tender for the second plot before the end of the year and is looking to a secure a public-private partnership that will help complete the work needed to create a logistics hub, which will include a customs house and offices for officials.
The investor that wins the tender will also be responsible for installing the equipment needed, such as large cranes for loading and unloading shipping containers from trains. Cosco is thought to see the project as a useful addition to its presence at the port of Piraeus and for its plans to make Greece a hub for shipping Asian goods to Europe.
