Steps towards modern and competitive ports

The strategic role of Greek ports in the economy, regional development and island connectivity was highlighted by executives from the Regulatory Authority for Ports during the 90th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), while also underscoring the importance of a strong institutional framework.

The Vice-President of the Regulatory Authority for Ports Nikolas Attaliotis focused on the challenges and growth prospects of the national port system, while the Authority’s rapporteur, Dr Panagiotis Agourogianis, presented the spatial and regulatory aspects of concession agreements, noting that port planning affects both its internal operations and its relationship with the urban and social fabric.

Attaliotis: Ports are strategic hubs for Greece

Attaliotis stressed that ports are no longer simply infrastructure for receiving vessels and handling cargo, but critical hubs for national security, energy security, trade connectivity, regional development and geopolitical presence.

As he pointed out, at a time of geopolitical instability, the reconfiguration of supply chains and rising environmental and technological requirements, the competitiveness of Greek shipping depends not only on activities at sea, but also on the quality, organisation and connectivity of the port system.

Against this backdrop, the Regulatory Authority for Ports serves as an institutional pillar for upholding the law and safeguarding balance in the port market. Within the scope of its responsibilities, it protects the public interest and users’ rights, monitors the smooth functioning of the market and contributes to creating a stable and transparent environment for port management bodies, service providers and investors.

He made particular reference to concession and sub-concession agreements, noting that they are not merely tools for asset utilisation but mechanisms for development, provided they are accompanied by clear rules, measurable obligations, effective oversight and a balance between investment incentives and public benefit.

According to the vice-president, the prospects for Greek ports are shaped around three main pillars: harnessing data and new technologies, pursuing the green transition on realistic terms, and further strengthening institutional maturity.

Greece’s geographical position, at the crossroads of three continents and at Europe’s gateway from the Eastern Mediterranean, creates significant opportunities which, as he stressed, can only be leveraged through a modern, reliable and competitive port system.

“Greece’s great opportunity is not simply to become a transit point for ships. It is to evolve into a hub of reliability, connectivity and stability for the entire Eastern Mediterranean,” he said.

Agourogianis: Spatial planning with a development and social impact

Dr Panagiotis Agourogianis focused on the spatial and regulatory aspects of concession agreements, stressing that port planning affects both its internal operations and its relationship with the urban and social fabric.

As he explained, spatial planning must simultaneously serve the development of local communities, strengthen transport competitiveness, attract investment and preserve social and environmental cohesion. At the same time, it must respond to the modern demands arising from the climate crisis, the energy and digital transitions, and tourism development.

A key tool for achieving these objectives is provided by Development Programmes and Management Studies, or Master Plans, which determine land uses, the development terms for port facilities and strategically important projects.

From 2022 to 2026, the Authority participated in 36 meetings of the Ports Planning and Development Committee, issuing opinions on 87 cases concerning, among other things, Master Plans, environmental impact assessments and spatial development plans for major and regional ports.

As a characteristic example, he presented the Master Plan for the Port of Thessaloniki, which was approved by a Presidential Decree published in the Government Gazette.

The development programme includes, among other projects, the expansion of Pier 6, which is expected to increase the port’s capacity to handle containers and bulk cargo and support the operation of a modern logistics hub.

At the same time, the plan provides for the functional separation of activities, designated land uses and buffer zones along the boundaries with the urban area. These provisions seek to balance the port’s development with environmental protection and the city’s day-to-day functioning.

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