IN a hotly contested bidding contest between ‘Leptos‘ and ‘Aristo‘ (whose chairman is also the new chairman of the Bank of Cyprus), it appears that ‘Leptos’ has been awarded the contract to construct the new marina at Paphos.
Six marinas are planned at different parts of the island:
- The Paphos Marina will be constructed at “Potima” area in Kissonerga and will have a capacity of 1,000 vessels.
- The Limassol Marina will be built to the west of the old port and will also have a capacity of 1,000 vessels. Contracts for the Limassol Marina were signed in February.
- The Ayios Raphael Marina in Limassol will continue to operate with a capacity of 250 vessels.
- In Larnaca, the existing Marina will be extended so that its current capacity of 450 vessels will expand to 1,000 vessels.
- The Ayia Napa Marina will be constructed at “Loumata” area and will have a capacity of 600 vessels.
- The Paralimni Marina will be built near the fishing shelter and will have a capacity of 250 vessels.
The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism has said that the marinas will help enhance maritime tourism, which will serve strategic goals for enriching the island’s tourist product and improving seasonality.
The marinas of Cyprus are expected to have a comparative advantage over those of Greece, Turkey and Israel, due to the island’s geographic position.