MINISTER of DEVELOPMENT, Adonis Georgiadis statement.

About 10 years ago, the then government of New Democracy guided COSCO to make the great investment at SEMPO (container Terminal) at Piraeus Port.

At that time, Piraeus Port was a rather small port with related low throughput of containers. I was watching the investment as from the beginning since for a short period 2011-2012 I served as Minister of Merchant Shipping and I already had a close cooperation with COSCO at Piraeus Port.

Today it has been completed 10 years’ operation, Piraeus Port has climbed up to 4th place in Europe and 25th place worldwide & it is one of the greatest ports in world.

New big investments up to 600 mil. € are being launched through the Ministry Of Development and Investment (which I have the honor to be the head of), that will give a new point to the investment and the new target for the next decade, Piraeus Port to be the first port in Europe.

We thank your Chinese friends for the trust that they give in Greece and we are here to help to continue this good cooperation, the respect and the friendship of these two Nations’ people.

To conclude, I would like in public to thank President Xi Jinping for the great honor we had ,  to visit Piraeus Port, during his official visit to Athens together with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and thus to show jointly the commitment of  the two peoples and of the two governments for this big investment.

 

MINISTER of FINANCE, Christos Staikouras statement.

The Greek economy, while making a return to full normality with an accelerating pace during the second half of 2019, suddenly it has to face the shock of the pandemic from the beginning of March, like all countries in the world.

The government and the Greek people have faced the health crisis and its social and economic consequences with relative success.

At the same time, the government, showing commitment and despite the adverse conditions, continues to implement its reform program, which is confirmed by the European Commission in its report.

A program that includes the promotion of privatizations and the attraction of foreign direct investment. Investments such as those made in recent years in the port industry and specifically in the port of Piraeus by the Chinese company COSCO and its subsidiary, PCT, which this year completes 10 years of successful operation.

It is recalled that the agreement between PPA and COSCO for the concession of the Piraeus commercial port was signed by the government of New Democracy in November 2008. This emblematic agreement continues to be a point of reference for the country and the region. The investments made significantly upgraded the port services provided and contributed to the creation of more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, further strengthening the strategic position of the port of Piraeus in the Mediterranean region.

I would like to congratulate PCT for the positive course it has taken over the last 10 years and I wish it and its parent company COSCO the continuation of this course for benefit of both countries

MINISTER of SHIPPING, Giannis Plakiotakis statement.

The completion of the 10 years of operation of Piraeus Container terminal, coincides with the new page of the common course of Greece and China in the critical sector of port development, which has been reconfirmed during the formal visit of the President of the People's Republic of China Mr. Xi Jinping.

During these 10 year, PCT who is the first investment of the Chinese group of COSCO in Greece created a new dynamic in the critical sector of port services with high standards, allowing Piraeus port to look to the future with optimism.

The successful operation of PCT in combination with the new investment plan of Piraeus Port Authority S A which as from the first moment adopted and supported by the Government of Kiriakos Mitsotakis, are creating new facts not only in the East Mediterranean but in the whole Europe in the combined transports sector.

I am convinced that as long as PCT will steadily continue in the coming years, the investments that will allow to offer even higher standards offered services, very soon Piraeus will secure a prominent position in the World’s Shipping Industry.

A course that has already started.

With these thoughts I wish to PCT to all its people to continue the good work that they have done already for the benefit of our two Nations,  China and Greece  生日快乐  !!!!
 

MINISTER of STATE, George Gerapetritis statement

It is my great honor to address for the 10 years of COSCO & PCT at Piraeus, an investment of emblematic character, for the town and the country that has contributed a lot to the upgrade of services and the development plan of the country.

On behalf of the P.M. I salute this anniversary. It is important to point out the great investments and especially such a big investment that has brought important benefits in multiple fields. Firstly in the investments field that already this decade we have seen important constructions in Piraeus such as the Pier 3, the development of the rail lines that has increased 4 times the abilities of the Piraeus port. Furthermore we had substantial increase of about 2.300 new working positions, and 3 times increased in working positions connecting with the Piraeus port.

Within this frame we had a very important contribution of COSCO and PCT in the fiscal with an income of 500 million from taxes, social contribution and other indirect payments that helped the country in a difficult period. It is important to point out that in reality this investment took place within the major economic crisis for the Greek State and this gives even bigger value and potential.

In fact this investment declares a social multiplier for Greece and town of Piraeus. It is not a coincidence that after the investment and with the view that we are now in another development path with better stability, new investments are coming around Piraeus Port as the reconstruction of the area of Saint Dionisios and the Tower of Piraeus which a symbol, in cooperation with the mayor of Piraeus.

Concerning all this we have a huge improvement of Piraeus port. Before 10 years we were in 93th place and now we are close the first 30. Everything shows that in few years the Piraeus port will be in the first places globally. Already Piraeus is the 4th port in Europe and the 1st in the Mediterranean. Before 10 years Piraeus was below 1 million in potential and now is over 5,5 million. This huge potential we want to capitalize. I want to wish for these 10 years to have even bigger increase, to emphasize in the new development plan we want to follow with positive environmental footprint in order the port to remain pillar of life, sustainability and ecology for the country and the town of Piraeus and above all the investment to remain with focus to human being.

We should never forget that the investment in sea transports in countries like ours that the water is within our DNA is of great importance.

Many greetings and wishes to investment, all good in development with health and power.