Greece is about to emerge as a strategic logistics hub due to its key geographic location. The construction of the Logistics Park in Thriassion Plain (Western Attica), the rapid development of Piraeus Port, the privatization Thessaloniki Port and the new Logistics Parks that are going to be constructed up next have created an optimistic climate for the market and its future players.
Today, the Logistics industry represents 10.8% of GDP and has a giant margin to expand even further. Today’s scattered warehouses across the country are about to be replaced with large-scale centers such as in Thriassion and Gonos (Thessaloniki), thus claiming a share from the growing market of freight transport.
Thriassion Logistics Park spreads over an area of 148 acres and concerns an investment of 180mln euros over the next decade for the construction of new warehouses and administration buildings of 240,000 square meters in total.
The former army camp in Gonos, where the country’s second Logistics Park will be built, covers an area of 672,000 sq.m. and is in a privileged location as it already has a railway connection to OSE’s Freight Station as well as the Port of Thessaloniki. The privatization of Thessaloniki Port is expected to release its potential, increasing its needs for container handling areas geometrically, charging Gonos site with a very central role.
It is reminded that in Thriassion, a new large-scale PPP project is being prepared by OSE for the utilization of 407 acres, where K1 and K2 warehouses as well as new railway infrastructure are already completed and there is a limited need for additional investments. This project has also a tight schedule as the competition must be completed by the end of March 2019.
There are also plans for the development of new Logistics Parks in other major ports of the country, such as in Igoumenitsa, Volos and Patra. Undoubtedly, the logistics industry seems to be a major power in the making for the country, bringing new investments in the private sector. Vivid examples so far are the powerful presence of multinational companies such as GEFCO, the Italians of FSI Group inTRAINOSE, the Austrians of OBB in Rail Cargo Goldair and the Romanians who have made their presence felt.
Source: Nikos Karagiannis/ypodomes
