Port of Limassol

Port of Limassol
Location
Country Cyprus
Location Limassol
Coordinates 34°39′30″N 33°01′38″E / 34.65841°N 33.0271°E / 34.65841; 33.0271
Details
Opened 1974
Owned by Cyprus Port Authority
Type of harbor Cargo & Passenger
Size of harbor 1.0 sq. km
Land area 1.3 sq. km
Employees 242 (2015)
Port Manager Senior Pilot
Statistics
Vessel arrivals Increase 36,315 sea ships (2000)
Annual cargo tonnage Increase 3,589 million tonnes (2000)
Website
www.cpa.gov.cy

The Port of Limassol is located in the Eastern Mediterranean. With Limassol an established player in the shipping industry, the port has accumulated importance as a center for shipping companies. Most of the island’s cargo importation and exportation is handled Limassol's port. In the year 2000, 3,589,000 tonnes of cargo were handled whilst there were roughly 1 million passenger arrival and departures.[1] In 2016 the port has been privatized to a consortium lead by Germany's Eurogate International for the container terminal, while DP World will be the operator for multipurpose passenger terminal.[2][3]

Role as an International Shipping Hub

Cmdr. John D. Stoner, commanding officer of the USS Ramage (DDG-61), greets Photis Photiou, minister of defense of Cyprus, during a ship visit.
Container handling in Limassol New Port

Although a title held by Port of Famagusta for centuries, Limassol Port has now become the principal seaport in Cyprus. This was largely a direct result of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 leaving the port of Famagusta within occupied territory and inaccessible to Greek Cypriots. The port is the largest and busiest harbour on the island, capable of handling vessels up to 820 ft (250 m) size for berthing in 45 ft (14 m) of water. It is entered through an approach channel which is 49 ft (15 m) deep and 492 ft (150 m) wide between the ends of two breakwaters.[4] Over 50 international cruise liners include Cyprus in their Mediterranean routes resulting in much of that passenger traffic. The port has served as the evacuation point for refugees fleeing conflicts in the Middle East. Most recently hundreds of thousands of EU and other citizens were evacuated from Lebanon.[5][6][7]

Role as an International Military Hub

The port's strategic location in the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa have made it a common facilitator for Naval ships from around the world including regular visits from the United States Navy, the Russian Navy the Israeli Navy the People's Liberation Army Navy and customarily from the Military of the European Union.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Limassol Old Port

What is today known as the Limassol Old Port used to be the main port of Limassol, Cyprus between its construction (in its current form) in 1956 up until the delivery of the Limassol New Port in 1973. Its original foundations were laid during the British rule of the island in the late 19th century. Up to and including 1974, the British RAF 1153 Royal Air Force Marine Branch was stationed in the western part of the harbour. As times moved on, it changed from being a cargo and passenger terminal to its current use as a leisure, fishing boat and coast guard shelter. Following an architectural competition, plans have been drawn up to revamp the area and transform it into a more functional leisure centre.[17] For that reason the Old Port had been officially closed and the project commenced after some delays under the name Limassol Marina in 2010.

Public Transport

Public transport buses [18] are available from the port to Limassol city and to all other cities in Cyprus.

2016 Privatization

In September 2015, the economic minister said in an interview that the privatization of the Limassol port would contribute a comparably small portion of the expected revenue from the government’s entire privatization program, which initially aimed at generating a total of €1.4bn.[19] In 2016 a consortium comprising EuroGate International GmbH, which has the majority holding, Interorient Navigation Company Ltd, and East Med Holdings S.A, is to be granted the concession for the port’s container terminal. A consortium consisting of DP World Limited (majority holder), P&O Maritime and GAP Vassilopoulos Public Ltd was picked to take over the port’s maritime services. The operations of the general cargo terminal were awarded to a joint venture comprising DP World Limited (majority holder) and GAP Vassilopoulos Public Ltd.[20] The container terminal and multi-purpose terminal are both expected to be awarded for 25-30 years with a right to exploit and commercially develop.[21]

See also

References

Coordinates: 34°39′00″N 33°01′00″E / 34.65000°N 33.01667°E / 34.65000; 33.01667

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