Larnaca port and marina could face a temporary closure due to a planned protest by the association of docked boat owners who said on Tuesday they were unhappy over the system of fees they say are “unfair and poorly managed”.

The date of the protest was not announced. 

In a statement, the association criticised Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades for his handling of the issue, calling his remarks on marina fees “highly concerning, vague, and inconsistent.”

Vafeades on Monday met the Larnaca mayor and the town’s ad hoc development committee, where he said that decisions about docking fees would now involve the new marina operator and the committee.

The Larnaca stakeholders expressed concern at the government’s surprise decision to hire a private company to temporarily operate the port and marina, but also frustration at having been kept in the dark about the move.

Speaking to the media later, Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras said various stakeholders complained to the minister as they had not been given a heads-up on the cabinet’s decision regarding the port and marina.

Vyras also voiced concern regarding the substance of the issue.

He was alluding to the government’s decision to issue a new tender for the operation and upkeep of both the port and marina. The successful bidder would gain the right to operate and maintain the marina for a period of five years, or until the process of finding a new investor to upgrade the marina’s infrastructure was completed.

The cabinet also authorised the transport ministry to continue operating the marina and carrying out necessary maintenance works until either December 31, 2025, or the date on which a private operator is found, whichever is earlier.

Seeking to assuage any worries, the transport minister said the temporary operator – a private company – would not become a permanent fixture. Neither would the operator get in the way of planned construction works at the marina.

“The operator will not act as an investor, nor will they play an important role at the marina…,” he said.

The boat owners are demanding an immediate reinstatement of the state docking fees, and further investment in the infrastructure.

“Initially, we were told the investor would decide, then parliament, and now the ad hoc committee and the operator. The marina law is clear: the decision-maker is the minister of transport—no one else,” the association said.

They also insist on being included in future discussions about changes to fees, particularly after the last negotiation with investors resulted in over 50 per cent rise in charges, they said.

The association also slammed the lack of clarity and direction, warning that entrusting decisions to an operator not yet decided could yield unpredictable outcomes.

As a first step, the association announced a protest involving the shutdown, though the exact date was not disclosed.

The protest aims to highlight growing frustration among marina users, who claim their concerns are being ignored. “We demand transparency and a voice in decisions that directly impact us,” the association said.

Plans for major development at the marina and port were scrapped last May, when the government terminated its contract with Kition Ocean Holdings, the company it had initially entrusted with a combined project worth a reported €1.2 billion.

The contract was terminated after the government accused Kition of refusing to pay a requisite financial guarantee for the project’s operation and maintenance.