Cosco Piraeus boosts container throughput

Cosco subsidiary Piraeus Container Terminal SA (PCT) has achieved a 26.7% increase in container handling during the first half of this year compared to the same period of 2013.

25 July 2014 0:00 GMT Updated 25 July 2014 0:00 GMT

By Gillian Whittaker Athens

PCT says that in the January-to-June period, 1.47 million containers were handled as against 1.16 million in 2013.

For June, the increase was even greater, reaching 29.8% above the same month last year.

Local reports say the accelerating growth rate of container handling has made Piraeus the eighth-largest European port. In 2013, PCT handled 2.51 million boxes, up 19.5% from 2012.

PCT commenced operations in October 2009 and currently operates terminals II and III in Piraeus.