The latest hot topic on which Eurogate Limassol is focusing its efforts at the moment is the demolition of a warehouse at its Container Terminal, which will create additional storage space.

As the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Alexandros Demetriades, noted to “Entrepreneurial Limassol”, this move “will give us some breathing room.”

The COO explained that there are two large warehouses within the port that existed prior to the privatization of its services, and that Eurogate received approval from the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works to demolish one of them. Mr. Demetriades estimated that this move will add approximately 10–15,000 square meters to the company’s yard, which will be used for container storage purposes.

In response to a related question, Mr. Demetriades said that the demolition and site preparation process has not yet started, as the necessary permits and approvals have only recently been obtained to allow the company to proceed.

He estimated that, if all goes according to plan, the work will begin in early 2026 and last approximately four months. The project is estimated to cost around €1 million, which will be covered by Eurogate Limassol.

“When this process is completed, I expect that we will increase our storage capacity by 15–20%, which is a significant percentage for the Port of Limassol and the Container Terminal,” concluded the Chief Operating Officer.

Regarding the modernization of the Container Terminal, Mr. Demetriades explained that it is an ongoing effort, which on the island has been delayed due to certain circumstances and parameters.

He added that Eurogate Limassol’s immediate plans include automating the terminal, and that considerable progress has already been made.

Regarding the installation of an automatic gate at the port using X-rays, allowing trucks to enter for cargo pickup or delivery using a code without needing to fill out documents—which will significantly reduce service times—Mr. Demetriades said this is an ongoing project that requires considerable time. This is because carriers must also accept the system, as it requires prior coordination and appointment scheduling by the carriers, the so-called hourly slots, which, with a grace period provided by the company, last about 2 hours.

Bookings must be made the previous day via an application provided by the company. Mr. Demetriades noted that this is not yet accepted by POVEK, in which the Carriers’ Associations participate. However, he added that the positive aspect is that a large number of carriers like the system, as it facilitates their work, and complaints—such as delays and not being served on time—will be eliminated with this system.

According to Mr. Demetriades, a more advanced container and refrigerated cargo management system has been implemented, allowing recipients to track their cargo (via GPS) and monitor temperature—something particularly used by large companies.

Finally, when asked whether the upward trend at the Container Terminal will continue in 2025, Mr. Demetriades said that growth of around 8–9% is expected. It should be noted that port traffic has steadily increased in recent years. “In 2022, 608 ships visited the Port of Limassol with 215,000 containers, compared to 743 ships in 2023 with 215,000 containers. In 2024, over 800 ships visited the port, with container volumes reaching 250,000.”