The state-run company in charge of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal denied on Tuesday claims that the jetty is at risk due to corrosion, and hinted that ulterior motives might be behind the reports.
In a statement, the Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (Etyfa) – the owners of the LNG project at Vasiliko – sought to rubbish media reports that the jetty faces possible structural collapse.
The claim originated in daily Phileleftheros, which said it had got hold of correspondence where Hill International – the previous Owner’s Engineer –warns of structural integrity issues for the jetty caused by corrosion of the piles.
The jetty at Vasiliko is where the floating, storage and regasification unit will dock.
The Owner’s Engineer is otherwise known as the government’s ‘eyes and ears’ on the project – the outfit tasked with monitoring the work of the contractors and sub-contractors.
According to Phileleftheros, although Hill International ceased to be the Owner’s Engineer back in August, it still provides services to Etyfa. The paper did suggest, though, that Hill International may be maneuvering to re-capture the contract.
Hill International has reportedly warned that several of the piles supporting the jetty have been corroded through their exposure to sea water. It told Etyfa in September that, of the 378 piles already installed, 130 have become unstable. As a result, Hill International allegedly said, these piles will likely need replacing, and at considerable cost.
Drawing on the same sources, the newspaper said that the 378 piles account for about half of the number required for the jetty.
The Cyprus Mail reported in August 2023 that of the total 770 piles required to support the jetty, only about 150 piles had been placed by that time.
But responding to Phileleftheros on Tuesday, Etyfa dismissed the reports as misinformation.
For one thing, Etyfa stressed that since the contract with Hill International has expired, it no longer receives any services from the outfit.
In the interim Etyfa is in the process of selecting a Project Manager, who would oversee bids by contractors for the remaining works needed at the Vasiliko terminal.
“News headlines such as ‘The jetty is being destroyed’ are misleading and far removed from reality,” Etyfa asserted.
“Such headlines will not nudge the agency to deviate from the principles of public contracting.”
Etyfa further said it is not in possession of any study relating to corrosion of the jetty’s piles, nor any related cost estimate.
“The situation will be assessed soon, within a matter of months, once the Project Manager is appointed.”
According to the state-run agency, the first piles were placed in early 2023 and up until July of this year – when the Chinese-led consortium terminated the LNG contract – they were under the supervision of the consortium and its subcontractors.
“One legitimately wonders, then, how is it possible for the piles to supposedly begin being ruined from the very next day of the contract’s termination.”
