The relaunching of works and the productive output of the Elefsina Shipyards, in Attica, "means rather a lot, because after so many years we can again secure our work, our salary and the money we thought was lost," accident prevention worker Dimitris Charitos told Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) on Saturday.
Speaking to ANA-MPA on site, Charitos added that "the feelings are those of joy, as we see hope coming for our future."
Describing further, he noted that "the psychology of all colleagues has changed, because we see continuity and a secure future," as "the future looks almost certainly optimistic, because moves have been made by the company putting money down and rebuilding the shipyard from scratch, so we too, in the same mentality, work with greater pleasure."
Approximately 600 people are currently employed at Elefsina shipyards, while owner company ONEX's plan predicts that in the next two years the number of employees will double, and at some point the number of employees may reach or even exceed 2,000.
The vast 300-acre site includes three large tanks, where work is being done to replace a large metal sheet so that one of these can again facilitate the docking of ships. One of the tanks was previously completely submerged in the sea, while a second tank had sunk but has now been lifted out of the waters, and the third tank was completely abandoned and could not support any ship due to the metal sheet's unsuitable condition.
The renaissance of the shipyards is expected to see the return of ships that left Greece and went abroad for repairs and maintenance, eventually allowing for the simultaneous servicing of 15 ships in tanks and docks.