The renovation of the fishing port of Liopetri is scheduled to be completed by 2025.

The renovation of the fishing port of Liopetri will resume.

This was announced on Wednesday 26th March by the Ministry of Interior of Cyprus (MIA), which undertook to complete the project, estimated to cost 8 million euros.

It is recalled that in November 2024, the government announced the cancellation of the contract with Lois Builders Ltd, which carried out repair work at the site. The contractor, in turn, noted that legally the contract had not yet been cancelled.

The site is still in our possession as the contract signed with the state has not been legally cancelled and therefore remains in force,' the company said, adding that it had reported the 'incident' to the police.

Interestingly, this statement contradicts the Ministry's information on the matter.

'Regarding the modernisation of the Liopetri fishing port, we note that the Land Department terminated the contract with the engineer and contractor in November 2024 due to long delays in the implementation of the project and non-compliance with contractual obligations,' the ministry stressed.

The Cyprus Interior Ministry said that it is taking appropriate measures within the limits of the law and after consulting a lawyer, in order to complete the renovation of the important infrastructure facility. According to the new plans, all works in the area are expected to be completed by June 2025.

It should be noted that the main reason for the cancellation of the contracts with the contractor and the engineer was the constant delays in the construction works and the postponement of the completion date of the facility.

The modernisation of the Liopetri fishing pier started in September 2020 and was expected to be completed in March 2023. However, due to the continuous postponement of the work schedule, the deadline was postponed by 22 months, until January 2025. The Court of Auditors pointed out the unreasonable delays and recommended drastic measures against both the contractor and the engineer. The Ministry followed these recommendations and cancelled the earlier contract. The project was only 55% complete when it was cancelled.

It should be noted that the restoration of the Liopetri riverbed was to be one of the largest fisheries projects in Cyprus. The main objective of the local authorities was to transform the jetty into a modern, safe and organised workplace for professional fishermen. The project included the construction of:

1. A bridge to connect the two banks of the Liopetri River;
2. More than 130 platforms and new berths for the safe mooring of boats and launches;
3. A perimeter cycle and pedestrian path;
4. A fisheries training centre;
5. A multi-purpose office building;
6. Fishermen's service area;
7. New car parking;
8. A café-restaurant;
9. A nature observatory;
10. recreation room;
11. A kiosk.

The plans also included the installation of slipways for launching and lifting boats and launches, an outdoor catch sorting area and storage facilities.