No “white smoke” emerged from the meeting between Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades and Larnaca’s development committee over land developments at the city’s port and marina, with uncertainty persisting.
Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras voiced dissatisfaction and scepticism after a study by Greece’s Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations, presented to the committee, made no reference to potential land development in the port and marina areas. The study was prepared with input from Dutch experts and analysed future options for both sites.
For the port, three scenarios were outlined: maintaining current operations with equipment upgrades; improvement works mainly on the northern quay and dredging to enhance functionality, estimated to meet needs until 2055; and a more extensive upgrade involving expansion of the turning circle, increased depth and construction of new quays to accommodate larger and more vessels.
Larnaca 'cannot afford another failure'
For the marina, the first option is to retain its current capacity of 340 berths. A second proposes a new basin with improvements to existing areas and floating pontoons, adding 200 berths. A third, more investment-heavy option, envisages extending the northern basin, new quays and additional infrastructure, raising capacity to as many as 700 leisure boats in the coming years.
Vyras stressed that Larnaca residents expect developments that will create jobs and boost the local economy. “I will not accept a solution that excludes land development. This is what the people of Larnaca are asking for,” he said. A new committee meeting will be held soon, with parties and stakeholders invited to submit written positions, followed by a public gathering.
Vafeades said any chosen development model must involve active state participation and public funding. “Larnaca cannot afford another failure,” he said, adding that the aim is a viable, market-driven project with reduced risk.
He also ruled out reviving the unified port–marina development proposal by Prosperity Group, a shareholder in former contractor Kition Ocean Holdings, citing legal reasons.