The signing of the share purchase agreement for the acquisition of a majority stake of 67% in the share capital of the Igoumenitsa Port Organization (OLIG S.A.) for a total price of 84.17 million euros was carried out today, between TAIPED and the consortium consisting of the companies GRIMALDI EUROMED SpA- MINOIKES GRAMMES A.N.E.- INVESTITIKI CONSTRUCTION COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL S.A.

The share purchase agreement is signed after the approval of the tender process by the Audit Court, while the ratification of the concession agreement between the State and OLIG S.A. is imminent in the near future. from the Parliament. According to the Fund, with the signing of the share purchase agreement, the utilization of another asset managed by TAIPED is nearing completion, marking a new era for the port of Igoumenitsa and the development prospects of the region as a whole.

The signing ceremony held at the TAIPED facilities was attended by, among others, the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Yannis Plakiotakis, the Secretary General of Ports and Port Policy Evangelos Kyriazopoulos, the managing director of TAIPED Dimitris Politis, the president and CEO of Grimaldi Euromed SpA Emanuele Grimaldi, the managing director of the Superfund Grigoris D. Dimitriadis, the Corporate Short Sea Commercial Director of the Grimaldi group Guido Grimaldi, the managing director of Minoan Lines Loukas Sigalas, the president and managing director of the company “Investment Construction Commercial and Industrial SA .” Athanasios Koulouris, Paul Kyprianou the president and managing director of the Igoumenitsa Port Holdings SA, the managing director of OLIG SA. Athanasios Porphyris, the deputy of Thesprotia Vasilios Yogiakas and the mayor of Igoumenitsa Ioannis Lolos.

After the signing of the contract there were the following statements:

– Christos Staikouras, Minister of Finance: “I hope that today’s agreement will contribute to the full highlighting of the potential and the competitive position of the Port of Igoumenitsa for the benefit of the local community and the Greek economy as a whole. This is an agreement that confirms the effectiveness of the government’s strategic planning for the utilization of the country’s ports and proves in practice the confidence of important investment schemes in Greece’s prospects. With this investment, it is not only possible to secure a significant financial return, but at the same time it is expected to consolidate the port of Igoumenitsa as a port of international scope”.

– Yiannis Plakiotakis, Minister of Shipping and Island Policy: “The signing of the contract, for a particularly high price, marks another important stage in the course of implementing the strategic planning of the government of New Democracy for the utilization of our country’s ports, to benefit of the Greek economy and local communities. For the port of Igoumenitsa, a course of investment, development and upgrading begins today. This course leads to strengthening the economic footprint of the port, new jobs, an increase in commercial and passenger traffic, ultimately, to multiple benefits for the economy and society of the city of Igoumenitsa and the wider region”.

– Dimitris Politis, managing director of TAIPED: “The signing of today’s agreement marks the start of a new era for the Igoumenitsa Port Authority. The utilization of the port with the participation of an investment scheme of international scope with extensive experience in the operation and management of port infrastructures, will contribute to the stimulation of the economic activity of the wider region and to the establishment of Igoumenitsa as a key transport and communication hub with Southern and Central Europe. TAIPED, with its positive experience in the implementation of demanding projects and the know-how it possesses as a Port Planning Authority, will assist the new main shareholder of OLIG S.A. for the development of the port which will have significant benefits for the local community, the businesses of the region and the national economy in general”.

– Emanuele Grimaldi, president and authorized advisor of Grimaldi Euromed SpA: “We are ready and particularly proud to start a new page in the history of the Igoumenitsa Port Authority. The goal is for the port of Igoumenitsa to fully exploit its potential for the benefit of all parties involved, from shipping, transport and tourism operators to the local community. The investments we will implement will facilitate the development of the port and at the same time the development of key European trade routes, for which Igoumenitsa is the main hub. In the meantime, we will remain true to our usual commitment to provide frequent and efficient scheduled services for the transport of goods and passengers between Igoumenitsa and the Adriatic coast of Italy, which are necessary for traffic between Greece, Italy, Turkey and the entire Balkan peninsula. Overall, the upgrade of services in Igoumenitsa will result in attracting more tourists, more commercial flows, the development of more local businesses and more jobs.”

– Grigoris D. Dimitriadis, managing director of the Superfund: “With the agreement signed today with Grimaldi Euromed – Minoan Lines, new perspectives are opened for the port of Igoumenitsa and its importance in maritime transport and the connection with Europe. The upgrading of the port will contribute significantly to the economy of the city and the prefecture of Thesprotia, but also to the development of Epirus in general. With the same criteria, public interest and regional development, the utilization of the other ports that have come under the Superfund group will be done.”

-Vasilios Yogiakas, Member of Parliament for Thesprotia: “We are optimistic that, with the entry of the investment scheme, both the port of Igoumenitsa and the smaller ports belonging to the Organization will enter a new phase of development. A development that also translates into an upgrade of the tourist product of Igoumenitsa, an increase in the tourist flow in the wider area, the creation of new businesses and new jobs. We look forward to seeing the Organization proceed with all those steps that will open new horizons for the well-being of our country.”