Investments, building conditions and environmental commitments are included in the draft presidential decree of the Thessaloniki port master plan, which is already in the final stretch.
The project for the master plan of the port of Thessaloniki, which is characterized as a port of international interest, has already been signed by the majority of the co-competent ministers, in order to be submitted to the Council of State for approval in the next period.
The port zone
The plan defines the permitted limits of the port zone of land uses, building conditions and restrictions in the land zone, permitted sediments and planned projects that serve passenger commercial tourist and industrial traffic as well as everything necessary for its operation.
According to “Naftemporiki”, Article 4 of the plan defines an 8-meter wide zone within the boundaries of the land area of the Port of Thessaloniki, at the points where it touches the municipal planning (bufferzone).
Building is prohibited in this zone, while the maintenance of existing buildings and facilities, the construction of outposts and control and surveillance buildings of the free zone and the ISPS port facility is permitted. Also, Article 5 amends the approved zoning plan of Thessaloniki on the border with the land zone of the port, in order to remove the relative overlapping of borders and to settle a pending issue since 1920.
Financial obligations
In the same article, it is also clarified that the Organization of the Port of Thessaloniki S.A. undertakes, as the management and exploitation body of the port, the financial obligations of the municipality that arise due to zoning from the town planning of the area.
Upon completion of approval of the draft presidential decree, one of the most important and long-awaited projects of the port, which is the extension of the 6th pier, is expected to be ‘unlocked’. This investment will allow the port to receive mainline container vessels of up to 24,000 TEUs.
Regarding the specific project, there is a commitment from the Greek State, upon signing the contract, which provides for the interconnection of the port with the railway network as well as PATHE motorway and Egnatia Odos, a technically difficult project, which is 25% completed, but blocked due to expropriation problems. The temporary contractor of the “6th Pier, Port Infrastructure expansion” project, following a decision of the board of directors of OLTH S.A., has been the “METKA-TEKAL S.A. joint venture.
