Cosco’s ambitious plans for Piraeus Port
Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) is not only planning to create four new mooring slots for cruise ships at the southern side of the port that will be able to receive vessels of up to 390 meters in length, but in the medium term it is also preparing the creation of a luxurious hotel and shopping center, as well as entertainment and food service spots.
These plans, aimed at turning Piraeus into a cruise hub in the Eastern Mediterranean, were presented on Tuesday by the new management of Cosco-controlled OLP to the sector’s major international operators in the context of the 4th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum in Athens.
Leading officials of groups such as Royal Caribbean Cruises, Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages heard OLP’s strategic planning and marketing director Theodora Riga expressed the company’s ambition not only to be the home port of foreign operators but also a top destination in itself. She also argued that OLP could evolve into a catalyst for the opening up of the Chinese passenger market for companies active in the Mediterranean.
OLP is seeking a leading role in the region, using the Chinese character that Cosco has brought to the port of Piraeus as an asset to raise the Greek hub’s profile in China too.
