By A. Tsipmplakis
[email protected]
A couple of necessary presidential decrees were issued this week to continue the privatization process for two well-known marinas in Greece, with previous reports that future concessions will include the prospect of new hotels allowed on the sites confirmed.
The announcement affecting the still state-managed marinas in Alimos, in southeast Athens along a long stretch of coastline being billed as the "Athenian riviera", as well as the marina on the eastern Aegean of Hios (Chios), came on Wednesday by Greece's privatization agency, the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), itself a memorandum-mandated obligation to institutional creditors.
The presidential decrees, drafted by the tourism ministry, delineate land uses, licensing terms and the exact boundaries of the two marinas, ahead of an international tender for a long-term lease concession. Including adjoining tracts of land in marina concessions has long been viewed as a major "draw" for would-be international investors.
Other presidential decrees for state-run, and mostly under-performing, marinas, such as the ones in Zakynthos, Cephallonia (Argostoli), Itea, Rhodes, Thessaloniki will follow in the fall. For jet-setting Mykonos' marina, no word has been given as yet if a future tender will include just the littoral facilities or adjoining land tracts as well.
The Alimos marina, based on the presidential decree, occupies 210,000 square meters (the land portion), with a total building co-efficient at 18,520 square meters. Uses include relevant marina-related facilities, retail stores, food & beverage outlets, sports areas, hotels, conference-exhibition halls, vessel parking and warehousing, repair shops, offices etc.
Sea sports facilities are also envisioned in the presidential decree.
Parking lots, green spaces, pedestrian ways and secured entryways for vehicles and pedestrians also specifically cited.
The Alimos marina currently can accommodate up to 1,100 vessels.
Eight investment schemes have been shortlisted by HRADF for the Alimos tender.
The marina on the island of Hios is listed as 35,000 square meters, with 6,900 allocated for building, current and future, and with terms similar to the marina in Alimos, including a hotel and retail center.
