The ONEX Shipyards in Elefsis will be used by the US to open their own commercial and energy corridor to Central and Eastern Europe, following recent agreements to upgrade the geopolitical relations of the two countries.
The first official step was made on Tuesday after the meeting of Development Minister, Takis Theodorikakos, with the US Ambassador, Kimberly Guilfoyle, when it was announced that the ONEX Shipyards in Elefsis will also operate as a port.
This is the US response to the “Silk Road” that has been opened from Greece to Europe by the Chinese shipping group Cosco, which owns 67% of the Piraeus Port Authority, with the concession contract lasting until 2052.
What does the agreement mean?
According to information from “N”, investments will be made in the ONEX Shipyards in Elefsis, which already have port infrastructure, so that it can also be used as a port. Particular emphasis will be placed on the sectors of bulk carriers, energy and especially liquefied natural gas (LNG), while maritime transport of special types of cargo will also be served.
The project, as was the case with the shipyards, will be implemented with the participation of the Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The president of the ONEX group, Panos Xenokostas, has recently stated: “Greece can be an alternative corridor for the transport of goods and energy from Attica to the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.”
The relevant investments are aligned with the European goal of energy autonomy and diversification of supply sources, he stressed, adding that the evolution of international competition in the shipbuilding and maritime industry is now taking shape on a global scale, with intense activity in markets such as China and India.
Theodorikakos: “Huge logistics hub”
Speaking to “N”, Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos noted that this is a major development, which is linked to the change in the productive model of the economy, as a huge logistics hub for the commercial, transit, port, energy and defense sectors will operate at the Elefsis Shipyards, in which many businesses and thousands of jobs will be created.
He pointed out that the port will soon be connected to Thriasio, while leaving open the possibility of joint initiatives in the Elefsis Shipyards area, in the defense sector.
Source: Naftemporiki