AKTOR Group and ONEX Shipyards & Technologies have signed an exclusive strategic partnership to jointly participate in the upcoming tender for the commercial concession of Elefsina Port, a project expected to become one of Greece’s largest developments in transport, logistics and maritime infrastructure.
The tender is expected to be launched by Greece’s Growthfund, the state holding company that manages public assets and privatization processes.
Under the agreement, AKTOR and ONEX will combine their expertise to submit a joint bid for the concession. AKTOR is expected to focus on the construction and development of port infrastructure, while ONEX will take on the management and operation of port facilities and related maritime activities.
The project could reshape the role of Elefsina — a historic industrial city about 20 kilometers west of Athens — within Greece’s broader maritime and logistics network.
Strategic Role of Elefsina Port
The planned concession marks a shift for Elefsina Port, which has historically operated in the shadow of the nearby Port of Piraeus but is increasingly seen as strategically important infrastructure.
According to Growthfund’s 2025 report, the government has decided to proceed with a tender for the sub-concession of part of the land zone at the Vlycha site of the Elefsina Port Authority. As with similar infrastructure projects, financial, legal and technical advisers will be appointed to prepare and advance the tender process.
The development comes amid growing geopolitical and economic competition in the Eastern Mediterranean, where ports and logistics hubs are gaining importance in global trade and energy supply chains.
U.S. Interest in the Area
The Elefsina area has also attracted interest from the United States, partly because of its proximity to Piraeus and its rail connections to the broader transport network.
U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has said Washington wants to encourage American investment in Greek infrastructure, arguing that it could help balance China’s influence in the region following COSCO’s acquisition of the Port of Piraeus.
Speaking at an event marking a cooperation agreement between ONEX Shipyards & Technologies and Hanwha Power Systems in February, Guilfoyle highlighted a $125 million financing package from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation that supported the privatization and modernization of the Elefsina Shipyards.
She noted that the shipyard is already carrying out maintenance work on LNG carriers transporting American energy to the region.
Against this backdrop, the upcoming tender for Elefsina Port is expected to attract significant interest as Greece seeks to expand its role as a regional shipping, logistics and energy hub.
