Larnaca Cruise Port may end up with a Hydro Carbon operation instead

For the best part of a decade now, the residents of Larnaca have been dreaming of a Cruise Ship port and Marina that promised to transform the city with luxurious housing, public parks, waterside restaurants, bars and cafes, desirable recreational space, yet more shops and other attractive facilities. Artist drawings of proposed infrastructure promise so much and oh yes we have all seen those rather sexy-curvy apartments at the waters edge!

Originally the goal was to convert the port of Larnaca into the biggest and most notable Cruise passenger terminal in Cyprus, with a highly attractive and extended marina to match. The winning consortium’s (Zenon) credible and grandioso plans in 2012 to the tune of approx. 700 million were stopped in their tracks by the economic crisis of Cyprus, which resulted in a lack of funding. The months turned into a year and alas at the end of March 2014 it appeared to be the end of the road. The Zenon consortium is still claiming to be seeking financing elsewhere for the initial marina component of the project, however the information is sketchy.

Now enter the oil-rig service center idea, catering to the new hydro-carbons industry of Cyprus. It now transpires that these companies have received permits to set up operations at the Larnaca port, which has generated outrage among local residents and even the business community.

We understand that the authorities recently approved 2 energy companies, namely...

1. Noble Energy
2. ENI

Both have permits to set-up within in the port, located directly adjacent to the marina.

What’s even more interesting is that our Government it appears have closed a deal with the US oil services giant Halliburton (heavy involved in the Iraq conspiracy) to use Cyprus as a base for operations in the region.

The Government now has the audacity to attempt to assure the people of Larnaca that the energy companies will not be there forever, but forever is a long time! The local Larnaca population are mad to say the least and mindful of how long the smelling tankers have been present on the Dhekalia road with numerous promises to take them away, who can blame them.

Local residents have genuine concerns about their health, their pockets/finances and of course the capability of the city to become a tourist destination.

Then came along the Communications and Works Minister “Marios Demetriades” who recently stated to the press that on the 23rd of May, he is holding a meeting with the stakeholders involved, including the Larnaca mayor and representatives of the Zenon consortium to discuss the whole issue once more.

To date only storage space has been approved for Noble Energy, which has moved its shore base from Limassol to Larnaca. They have deposited some pipes on the site, however so far nothing more.

Now Demetriades is making statement meant to calm things, but just making it worse like “If Noble Energy wants to install a mud plant on the site it must first submit an environmental impact study”. So now we are talking about mud plants!

As a reaction, the Larnaca municipality decided to commission its own environmental study for the seafront. Naturally, as the port is so close to the city (ideal for cruise ships), this development is alarming and one would think that the port of Limassol (far from the city) is more suitable for industrial developments.

The Maltese company Medserv (subcontractor for the Italian oil company ENI) plans to carry out exploratory drilling within the areas of one of their offshore licenses during the second half of the year. Medserv’s permit was granted back in September 2013 (expires sometime in August 2016). The local authorities of Larnaca were apparently kept in the dark and as one can imagine they a absolutely livid about the matter. The Larnaca mayor “Andreas Louroutziatis” did indicate however that the municipality is completely against oil field installation services and logistics facilities, on the

1. No one seems to have all the facts.
2. No one asked the local residents if they wanted the energy companies close to home.
3. There is a great deal of anger among the local residents in Larnaca.

Even if the industrial activity is somewhat limited, the smoke and noise pollution so close to numerous residential properties, Stratigou Timagiou Avenue and the seafront’s hotels, bars and cafés, it makes for unpleasant thinking at the very least.

So in summary oh what tangled webs the Government weave! Once again the fortunes of Larnaca becoming an appealing Cruise port destination are on the rocks or in the mud!