Elefsina, the small port west of Athens with a history dating back to archaic antiquity and once home to industrial infrastructure that experienced years of glory, has once again come into focus—this time within the framework of the geopolitical competition between the United States and China.

President Donald Trump, re-elected in 2024 and back in the White House since January 2025, is seeking to curb Chinese influence over critical infrastructure, turning this ancient city into an alternative freight hub to the dominant port of Piraeus, which is controlled by COSCO, Bloomberg reports.

The article paints an accurate picture of Elefsina today, with abandoned factories and ships effectively left to decay—reminders, however, that the city once played a leading role in Greece’s industrial development. Today, the city—sacred in antiquity as the site of the Eleusinian Mysteries—is overshadowed by the expansion of Athens and Piraeus, the fifth-largest container port in Europe.

The U.S.–China–Piraeus Triangle

COSCO, the Chinese shipping giant, acquired 67% of the Piraeus Port Authority in 2016 for €368.5 million, capitalizing on Greece’s debt crisis. Since then, port revenues have doubled, reaching €231 million in 2024, driven by investments and increased cruise ship and ferry traffic, Bloomberg notes.

Much has changed since the turbulent years of Greece’s economic crisis. Washington, strengthening its presence in Greece through energy projects, now views Elefsina as a counterbalance to Piraeus. The new U.S. ambassador to Athens, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who assumed her post in November 2025, described the Chinese acquisition of Piraeus as “unfortunate” and is actively promoting American investment. “Many are interested in infrastructure here, in order to balance Chinese influence,” Guilfoyle has stated.

The plan foresees the transfer of part of Elefsina’s area to a private investor, with a new freight terminal connected to rail and road networks. The existing port, currently handling bulk cargo, would be transformed into a yacht marina.

China’s Reaction

These American plans were met with strong opposition from China. The Chinese embassy in Athens accused the United States of having a “Cold War mentality,” exploiting Greece, and attacking legitimate investments. “This reveals insidious intentions driven by geopolitical interests,” the embassy said in a social media post.

Greece Attempts to Balance

Caught in the middle, Greece is attempting to balance between the two rival powers, Bloomberg notes. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized in a November 2025 interview with Bloomberg: “We respect the agreements of previous governments, but we welcome American capital.”

With the economy recovering—outperforming European averages and with unemployment declining—the government is seeking to inspire investor confidence. This effort was reinforced when the finance minister was elected president of the Eurogroup in December 2025.

However, the plan for Elefsina has a longer history. In 2023, the U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) provided a $125 million loan for the rehabilitation of the local shipyard.

Now, the tender will open to both domestic and international investors. Still, as Bloomberg reports, experts such as Constantine Filis, director of the Institute of Global Affairs at Deree College, caution: “Elefsina has advantages, but implementation will take years due to technical and legal obstacles. It will not easily compete with Piraeus.”

Bloomberg’s report underscores that Greece has long been a theater of geopolitical confrontation, recalling Allied intervention after World War II to prevent a communist takeover, as well as the continued operation of the strategically important U.S. naval and air base at Souda Bay in Crete.

As then, so now Greece is being called upon to manage competition between superpowers—this time between the United States and China.

Trump, through policies such as the imposition of tariffs and the recent arrest of Venezuela’s president, is effectively reshaping the global order. At the same time, energy agreements are strengthening Athens’ ties with Washington. In November 2025, Atlantic See (a DEPA subsidiary) signed a 20-year LNG contract with Venture Global, starting in 2030, while DEPA will also supply Ukraine, Bloomberg notes.

Elefsina as a Sustainable Hub

Beyond all this, the article concludes, Elefsina—European Capital of Culture in 2023—shows signs of potential regeneration, alongside significant challenges that must be addressed if it is to become a sustainable hub. Monocle has described the city as a model for “post-industrial regions,” highlighting its cultural revival through exhibitions and festivals that attracted international attention.

Local residents, however, express serious concerns about existing congestion. Situated along a critical road axis linking Athens to western and southern Greece, the city already faces heavy pressure from freight traffic.

Redevelopment will require detailed studies on environmental impact, noise, pollution, and social acceptance. Meanwhile, similar developments are underway at other ports: a private investor for Lavrio, near Athens, is expected to be announced soon, with a focus on smaller cargo volumes and tourism; and Alexandroupolis, in the northeastern Aegean, is being prioritized through an international tender due to its proximity to energy projects such as natural gas pipelines and NATO bases, strengthening its geostrategic role.

Elefsina within the Framework of Strategic Development

Economically, the move concerning Elefsina is fully aligned with the national strategy for utilizing port infrastructure, aiming to strengthen logistics, exports, and the competitiveness of the Greek economy at a European level. With investments in new infrastructure—such as rail and road connections, the creation of bulk and general cargo terminals, and the conversion of the existing port into a marina—Greece can increase its freight capacity without relying exclusively on Piraeus, attracting logistics companies, shipping firms, and industrial players, Bloomberg notes.

Details of the final plan, including transport network connections, environmental approvals, and mitigation of impacts on residents, are expected in the coming months through an open tender to domestic and international investors. Greece, carefully balancing between the United States and China, is aiming for a “win-win” scenario: respect for existing agreements with COSCO, openness to American capital, and maximization of economic benefits.

In an era of intensifying geoeconomic tensions, Elefsina could evolve into a symbol of balanced and sustainable development—provided that technical, legal, and social challenges are overcome through transparency and dialogue, Bloomberg concludes.