Eleusis: The new port-counterweight to Piraeus and the American footprint

The plan is accelerating after yesterday's meeting between Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos and US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle, where legislative initiatives and new investment moves were launched with the participation of the US state development bank DFC.

Elefsina is entering the geopolitical game: The plan for a new 400-acre port, with US financial support and rail access, is being launched with a regulation that changes the operating regime of the shipyards and allows for the creation of a commercial, energy and transit hub of strategic importance. For the US, the project functions as a counterweight to the “Chinese” Piraeus and as a crucial link in the energy and defense security architecture of the Eastern Mediterranean.

For the project, according to information, approximately 400 acres of the land zone adjacent to the shipyards will be allocated. An area that can be transformed into a multifunctional port with the potential for cargo flows, bulk cargo, energy facilities and technical-industrial activities. The geographical location of Elefsina, in the center of the Thriasio Plain and next to the largest industrial cluster in the country, makes the project suitable for the creation of a strong logistics hub with access to all the main transport arteries of Western Attica.

The regulation that will be included in the bill of the Ministry of Development for the new Market Supervisory Authority and is expected to be voted on by the end of the month allows ONEX to expand its scope beyond shipbuilding and repair activities and develop commercial, port, energy and defense infrastructure. This is the institutional step required for the project to proceed and transform the shipyards into a multifunctional port facility.

A central element of the plan is the railway connection of the new port with the national network and the Thriasio Pedio. This connection allows the movement of cargo to PATHE and Northern Greece, reduces transport time and strengthens the ability of Elefsina to function as an intermodal hub. ONEX had included the railway dimension in its initial masterplan, emphasizing that it is a critical multiplier of the project's value.

ONEX’s development plan for the Eleusis shipyards had been in place for years and included the creation of a single logistics-energy-technology cluster. This includes LNG infrastructure, facilities for offshore and nearshore energy projects, technical support for offshore wind farms, new propulsion technologies and an integrated logistics system for the Balkans and Eastern Europe. In the context of the previous consolidation, DFC has already financed the shipyards with approximately $125–126 million, creating the foundation for the largest port project currently planned.

On a geopolitical level, the US sees Eleusis as a critical hub that strengthens the energy and defense security architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean. DFC’s participation is part of the strategy to strengthen critical infrastructure and diversify trade and energy routes, with the aim of creating alternative hubs to the Chinese presence in Piraeus. For Washington, the Eleusis project is a key element in a broader network of partnerships with Greece.

The next steps include the passage of the regulation, the finalization of the new port management model and the launch of technical studies for port, energy and railway infrastructure.

The goal is to transform the Eleusis Shipyards and the wider port area into a multifunctional complex: a logistics center, an energy hub, a cargo transit point, and even a naval base.

With a new bill that is expected to be submitted soon, ONEX will be able to operate not only in the shipbuilding industry but also:

• in the commercial and transit sector

• in the port and energy sector

• in the defense sector