By Socrates Joachim
Photos: Theodora Iakovou
Source: Economy Today
In an interview with Economy Today, the CEO of Paralimni Marina, Anthoulis Kountouris, presents his vision for the project, which will cost a total of € 110 million and will bring multiple benefits to the Cypriot economy. He also reveals the project implementation schedule and when the pre-sales of apartments and villas will start and explains why he is not worried about the proximity to Ayia Napa Marina.
What role do you aspire that Marina Paralimniou will play in the Cypriot economy?
Paralimni Marina is an important infrastructure project for the area of free Famagusta. Protaras, a coastal front of the Municipality of Paralimni, with its beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters, is a favorite destination of yacht owners during the summer months. These boats anchor or spend the night outdoors, since there is no organized shelter with the required hospitality services. At the Marina, guests will anchor safely and with all the amenities and supplies they need. Together with the other activities and the housing units of the project, Paralimni Marina is expected to bring great financial benefit to the area. However, the biggest benefit for free Famagusta, but also for our country in general, is the offer of a high quality tourist product, with the promotion of maritime tourism. The Marina, with the range of services it will offer, will be in full operation 365 days a year! Our goal and aspiration, the Marina of Paralimni to be a point of reference throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.
What stage is the project at today and what will it include?
The basic design and the relevant studies and measurements are almost completed and we proceed with the details in the rest of the project, always with due attention to the protection of the environment. The project will include 300 berths, with all the necessary support services, such as electricity and water supply, litter area, fuel, reception area for boat owners and crews, yacht club, boat lifting / launching ramp, special boat equipment store, as well as and police, customs and foreigners and immigration service, since it will be an official point of entry into the Republic of Cyprus. For the owners and guests of the 123 apartments and villas, a careful selection of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants has been designed to blend in harmoniously with the environment.
What do you think will be the comparative advantage of Paralimni Marina compared to the other marinas?
Marina Paralimniou aspires to fill a big gap that has existed for 40 years. The type and small size of the development make it completely manageable, as it will not depend exclusively on the interest of foreign investors and the attraction of very large boats.
Are you worried that there will be another marina in a relatively short distance?
Ayia Napa Marina, just 15 nautical miles away, will be a possible, daily destination for the users of our marina. Each will have its own, special features and will act as alternative proposals for those interested. High level maritime tourism requires a network where the traveler can dock for recreational or other reasons. We wish Larnaca and Paphos to proceed by completing a complete network of marinas, a fact that will put us on the map of world navigation.
What will be the construction cost of the Marina and what are the main factors for the implementation of the project?
The project is in the order of € 110 million and in addition to the owner company PMV Maritime Holdings Ltd, partners in the project are J&P, Marina Projects Ltd, as well as Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company Ltd. The architects of the project are the British house Harper Downie Creative Architecture in collaboration with Kythreotis Architects and for the landscape art the house Camlins.
When are the construction projects expected to start and what is the time horizon for the implementation of the project?
As I mentioned above, the basic design has been completed and the studies for the required licenses will be submitted soon. The construction of the Marina will begin. Our goal is the completion of the project in three years.
Is there any interest so far from foreign and Cypriot investors? Has the pre-sale of apartments and houses started?
The interest that arises and the dynamics that the project presents, from the day of its award, in May 2017, is impressive, a fact that fills us with confidence and gives us the strength to cope with the responsibility of its creation. The development includes 119 luxury apartments, all with unobstructed views of the marina and the sea, all with their special character. Also, 4 villas with private gardens and a beach park, with paths leading to the beaches of Protaras. The first residential floor is located 16 meters above sea level, overlooking the project up to the eastern line of the horizon. The pre-sale is expected to start soon, but the list of interest is already long, from Cyprus and abroad.
Do you have roadshows planned abroad in 2019?
Our intention is to exhaust all the margins for the sale of our housing units in the domestic market, since the interest shown is great. The distribution will be done through professional offices and we are sure that the interest from foreigners, especially for the high cost units, will be finalized. Relevant presentations of the project will be organized after the start of the construction works.
WHO IS WHO
Anthoulis Kountouris was born in Nicosia in 1976. He is married to Sofia Malekou, with whom he had a daughter. He studied civil engineering at Kingston University in the United Kingdom. In 2001 he joined the family business of Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company Ltd, holding a managerial position.
The company, since its founding in 1977, deals with the design, construction and assembly of metal structures, as well as the production of cold forming products (trapezoidal sheets, metal tiles, metal slats and trowels), thermal insulation polyurethane products and heat-insulating cement mortars. In 2003 he created the company Full Circle Developments, which was initially active in construction and development projects and then in the import and marketing of equipment and decoration of buildings.
In 2010, it incorporated the company into the group of companies of Nicolaides & Kountouris Metal Company Ltd and created a permanent exhibition / commercial space (area of 3.500 sq.m.), which houses more than 40 representations of equipment and decoration of building facilities (furniture, garden furniture, exterior cladding of buildings, automation, etc.) under the brand name Nicosia Design Center (NDC), of which he remains general manager.
His training in construction, his experience in construction and project management and in the decoration and equipment of large projects (hotels, office facilities, etc.) and the management of delegations with yachts, led him to inspire the creation of Marina Paralimni. Forming a team of researchers from Cyprus and abroad, he claimed (2015) and won (2017) the competition announced by the Ministry of Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism, which concerned the development of the Paralimni Marina. The project belongs to the company PMV Maritime Holdings Ltd, of which he is the founder and director.
Source: Economy Today