Piraeus Chosen As Distribution Center By Hewlett-Packard

The Development Ministry recently announced a provisional agreement between American IT firm Hewlett-Packard (HP), Chinese shipping giant Cosco and Greek state railway Trainose for the use of Dock II in Piraeus Port.

Dock II is planned to be used as a transport hub for HP products destined for Central Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.

According to the ministry, HP products will be distributed by sea from Cosco’s Dock II in Piraeus and by land via Greek state railway Trainose. Until now HP had a contract with the port of Rotterdam.

The ministry has estimated that the new contract deal could boost local cargo business at Piraeus by 50 percent, create hundreds of jobs and increase economic growth.

The deal is expected to attract future investments, press reports said.

When commenting on the agreement, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping said benefits would be multiple as apart from the transit project, light manufacturing and assembly businesses would be created throughout the area and offer more jobs to Greeks.

The agreement is expected to come into effect by the end of 2012.