{"id":3623,"date":"2026-05-02T10:13:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/?p=3623"},"modified":"2026-05-02T10:13:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:13:00","slug":"port-hub-of-hundreds-of-millions-at-the-heart-of-drilling-in-the-ionian-sea-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/?p=3623","title":{"rendered":"Port hub of hundreds of millions at the heart of drilling in the Ionian Sea (video)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The choice of a port base<\/strong> for drilling in the Ionian Sea is becoming a critical factor, beyond the mining itself. <\/p>\n

Three cities of Western Greece, namely Patra<\/strong>, Igoumenitsa<\/strong> and Astakos<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

The value of this project is not limited to energy. Much of the economic activity involves services that accompany the drilling. It is a network that includes logistics<\/strong>, technical operations, maintenance and transport of personnel. <\/p>\n

An offshore installation needs ongoing support. This includes dredging<\/strong>, dredging services<\/strong>, security, material storage and employee accommodation. The selected port will essentially serve as a operational center<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

According to industry players, in projects approaching \u20ac1 billion, up to \u20ac400 million<\/strong> is being directed to port and support activities. Thus, much of the value is transferred to the supply chain. <\/p>\n

In these circumstances, the choice of base becomes strategic<\/strong> for the region hosting the project. <\/p>\n

Patras: Port acquires role of energy hub<\/h3>\n

PPA CEO and ELIME chairman Panagiotis Anastasopoulos stresses the benefits for the port of Patras<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

The activity generates steady revenue from high-value services. These include the servicing of specialised vessels and the management of energy equipment. At the same time, cargo handling is being strengthened. <\/p>\n

The port is becoming an energy hub<\/strong>, which increases its attractiveness for investment. <\/p>\n

Especially important is employment<\/strong>. Hundreds of direct jobs and even more indirect jobs are expected. The needs range from technical services to transport and warehousing. <\/p>\n

The local economy can be boosted as small and medium-sized enterprises participate in the new value chains. <\/p>\n

He also points to the role of the city’s academic potential<\/strong>. The presence of university institutions helps develop specialized skills. <\/p>\n

However, to support this activity requires investment in infrastructure<\/strong>, security and environmental protection. <\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Igoumenitsa: From transport gateway to energy hub<\/h3>\n

OLEG CEO Thanasis Porphyris describes the transformation of Igoumenitsa<\/strong> into a hub for mining. <\/p>\n

Geographical proximity to Block 2<\/strong> is a key advantage. The contract for exploratory drilling in April 2026 accelerates developments. <\/p>\n

The new Master Plan<\/strong> leads the port into multifunctional development with a focus on logistics and industrial activities. <\/p>\n

Completion of projects within 2026 will free up space for equipment storage and shipyard development. <\/p>\n

The port is also incorporating “green” practices, such as providing shore-side electricity to ships. <\/p>\n

A connection to the Egnatia Highway<\/strong> enhances the transportation of equipment. At the same time, investments in gas networks and digital infrastructure are expected. <\/p>\n

On a financial level, revenues are projected for the City and Region from hydrocarbon activity. <\/p>\n

Astakos: The alternative and its spatial advantages <\/h3>\n

Astakos<\/strong> and the area of Platygiali are also candidate bases. <\/p>\n

According to Akarport S.A. vice president Dimitris Kolonia, the area has available land and functional isolation from residential areas. <\/p>\n

The technical characteristics of this port allow it to handle large ships. The existing infrastructure can support demanding operations. <\/p>\n

Of particular interest is the corporate structure<\/strong>, as banking institutions are involved. This influences decisions on future development. <\/p>\n

Support vessels play a crucial role<\/h3>\n

The president of the Association of Towboat Owners, Pavlos Xiradakis, highlights the importance of support vessels<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

The so-called supply vessels<\/strong> carry fuel, equipment and supplies to the platforms. Without them, drilling operations are not possible. <\/p>\n

They are also involved in rig placement and safety operations. <\/p>\n

Greek shipping has experience from international projects, which creates prospects for active participation in Ionian projects. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n The choice of the port base for drilling in the Ionian Sea becomes a crucial factor, beyond the drilling itself.<\/p>\n

At the heart…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3624,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3623"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3623\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3624"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.tomanifesto.gr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}