Eurogate's first year of operation at Limassol port was successfully completed and the next goal of the container terminal manager is to turn the port into a transit center in the Eastern Mediterranean. Eurogate's new policy, with extroversion being a key word, was analyzed by its director, George Pouros. "We are in a search phase for the right formula for setting competitive fees to attract international companies," Mr. Pouros told Entrepreneurial Limassol. Already, he said, two of the world's largest companies, currently operating in other ports in the Eastern Mediterranean, have shown interest in transferring their work to the port of Limassol, a development that the Minister of Finance is aware of.
In the meantime, the setting of new tariffs is expected to begin by the end of the year and this will pave the way for the development of port infrastructure. Moreover, in the framework of the 2nd phase of the company's investments, which will be launched by the beginning of 2020, the expansion of the container stevedoring area is under way in the area currently occupied by two old warehouses, which are to be demolished are and will be demolished so that the number of containers that can be accommodated will increase to 600.000, from 250.000 today. At the same time, an additional two ultra-modern super post panamax cranes are expected to be purchased.
To be noted that two such cranes are already in full operation for the past three months at Limassol port, and 17 new container transport vehicles have been purchased under Eurogate's investment programme. At the same time, three older cranes that were received by the Cyprus Port Authority were repaired. Cyprus, as George Pouros pointed out, is expected to play an important role in the reconstruction of Syria, with Limassol port taking centre stage. In another development, a collective agreement with dock workers was signed recently, which foresees a 7% increase in their pay, which, according to Mr. Pouros, ensures labor peace at the port, at least until the end of 2020.
