The Municipality of Limassol is planning the repair of the large pier at the Old Port with a budget of €500,000, as well as the improvement of the boat launch ramp at Akti Olympion at a cost of €616,500, aiming to commence both projects before the end of 2025.
According to information received by “Entrepreneurial Limassol”, the restoration procedures for the boat haul-out/launch ramp at Akti Olympion (next to the Crowne Plaza hotel) are more advanced, including the construction of a pier. The designs have already been completed, and the terms of the construction tender are being prepared, which is expected to be announced between April and May 2025.
The Environmental Authority has given a conditional approval for the project, which also includes dredging the marine area around the pier, covering an area of 34x34 meters. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Cyprus Ports Authority, which is the licensing authority.
The restoration of the ramp is deemed necessary to reduce the slipperiness of its inclined section and to address the subsidence it has suffered. The pier will serve as a temporary mooring area for small boats. The project is of great importance to boat owners, as the ramp is used daily for the safe launching and hauling of vessels.
The ramp improvement plan includes the installation of precast anti-slip slabs with ridges, following the demolition of the existing inclined section. The pier, which will be 15 meters long and 2 meters wide, will be positioned west of the existing ramp. It will be constructed 1.5 meters west of the ramp and will consist of metal piles driven into the seabed, a wooden deck supported by metal beams, fenders, mooring cleats, and a railing 1.10 meters high with chains for safe passage. The pier will also feature solar-powered lighting poles, while the dredging of the area will extend 1.5 meters to the west.
Regarding the second boat launch ramp, which has been planned next to the new port as part of the design for the Aktaia Odos Road, procedures have not yet progressed. The Municipality of Kourion has initiated discussions with the British Bases Authorities regarding the construction of a slipway in the surrounding marine area, as stated to “Entrepreneurial Limassol” by Mayor Mr. Pantelis Georgiou. Developments on this matter are expected in the coming months.
At the same time, the Municipality of Limassol is preparing to reissue a tender for the repair of the large pier at the Old Port, for which a budget of €500,000 has been allocated in the 2025 budget. It is estimated that the tender will be announced within six months.
It is worth noting that a contract for the repair of the pier had been awarded in November 2021 but was canceled due to delays in the commencement of works by the contractor. At the time, funding came from the Maritime and Fisheries Fund, with an estimated expenditure of €700,000 for the restoration of the vessel Lambousa and €650,000 for the repair of the pier. However, the Central Committee for Changes and Requirements of the Treasury of the Republic of Cyprus informed the Municipality of Limassol that the contract would not be renewed, leading to the need to secure new funding.
