Construction of Shipping Center?

[Sodnal]

I read in a magazine that, as more Greek Shipping Firms locate in Athens from London (to reduce costs), a Greek Maritime Shipping Center may be constructed near Pireas. Anybody have any information on that?

[MetroGuardian]

Nice joke.

[prisma]

^^ Actually it is not a joke! This is the well known "Drapetsona project"!

[SouthernEuropean]

Drapetsona project?could you give us some feedback?sound's interesting

[Almopos]

There is a thread that is dedicated to this project. It can be found here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=10040780#post10040780

[gm2263]

Athens Vs London? C'mon guys!!!

However, AThens and Piraeus can become a regional centre of shipping for the Mediterranean. Believe me that now we have TWO connections -one of them direct via the new suburban rail service that connects Piraeus to the airport and in 2012 we will have THREE, with the completion extension of the metro line 3 from Chaidari to Piraeus. So what's missing?

...you guessed it naughty boys and gals!!! :D

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/gm2263/Athens%20Skyscrapers%20and%20Modern%20Architecture%202/DratetsonaProject1.jpg

[Cerises]

I really like this project and concerning the Odyssey magazine I subscribe to it, very informative and well put magazine! And that article does make a point as to why Piraeus has the potential to become a great shipping center on par with a London or New York!

[Arxitektonas]

Athens Vs London? C'mon guys!!!

Why not? I mean Greeks have the biggest commercial fleet in the world and Greek shipping enterprises are the biggest worldwide... however they are located in London....Why? All those bussinessmen should come back to their country and not stay in London....Athens and Pireas is the right place for a shipping centre and not London...So, we should give them a strong motivation to leave London....Stronger even than the "Drapetswna complex"

[DIONGRECO]

Strong motivation should be given to them by greek government and lower taxes. This will help bringing businesses back in greece.

Many greek companies still prefer other countries just because of this.

[Sodnal]

I guess the jokes on you, MetroGardian.

I thank the others for their thoughtful responses.

IMO, Greece needs to parlay her merchant shipping preeminence into all it can be. Why should international shipping be centered only in London? Southern Europe and the Balkans are the growth areas now. And Greece is properly positioned to take advantage of it-if the will is there!

[Sodnal]

Strong motivation should be given to them by greek government and lower taxes. This will help bringing businesses back in greece.


That's the ticket! Someone hit the nail on the head. Tax incentives to bring the businesses "back home". Could be some EU money in it as well, especially with growth projected in the Balkans taxing current infrastructure in Athens and Thessaloniki.

Someone needs to take this ball and run with it. I wonder who'll step forward in the Greek leadership ranks?

[MetroGuardian]

I am sorry Sodnal, I misunderstood what you were talking about. The drapetsona project is a well known one, I assumed you were talking about something else.