The government and Larnaca stakeholders have agreed on the future development of the city’s port and marina following a Tuesday morning meeting at the Presidential Palace.
The agreement, which aims to accelerate investment implementation in both facilities and the terrestrial area, resolves previous disagreements over temporary private management of the infrastructure.
Under the new arrangement, the Cyprus Ports Authority will continue managing the port for at least the next six months, whilst the marina will be managed by the Centre of Excellence for Marine and Maritime Research (CMMI), meeting local stakeholders’ preferences.
The Transport Minister announced that alongside immediate improvements, including marina dredging, landscaping and the construction of a nautical club building, Cyprus will enter into an interstate agreement with Greece for a Ports Development Authority to conduct an infrastructure feasibility study. The study will be assigned to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED).
The minister said the interstate agreement would significantly reduce implementation timeframes by eliminating the need for international expert tenders. He added that local stakeholders would be involved in the consultation process, with the study expected to complete within six months.
The mayor of Larnaca expressed satisfaction with the meeting’s outcome, noting that the municipality would proceed with tenders for the nautical club and marina landscaping. “Our main request to focus on a permanent solution has been accepted”, he said, adding that the study would not exclude any development possibilities, whether from private investors or the Ports Authority.
The Cyprus Ports Authority will oversee port operations during the six-month study period, whilst CMMI will manage the marina, as requested by local stakeholders.
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