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New Delhi: An Indian company winning a tender to privatize the port of Haifa, a strategic asset for Israel, is a “wonderful, wonderful signal”, Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon said, noting that the two countries have excellent bilateral relations.
The Adani Group and its Israeli partner Gadot won the tender to privatize the Israeli port of Haifa earlier this year. “…Another element that I am very proud to mention is the fact that Adani has won the port of Haifa. Israel has only two Mediterranean ports and we are in a sense an island. Because our neighborhood is not a friendly neighbor, so our outlet to the Mediterranean Sea is crucial for us,” Gillon said on the Smita Prakash Podcast.
“We have two ports, one of which is in the hands of Adani. It is a strategic asset for Israel. And the fact that it has been placed in the hands of India… it is a wonderful, wonderful signal,” he added.
A consortium of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) and Israel’s Gadot Group won the tender in July to privatize Haifa Port, Israel’s second largest port, amid strong competition from local and global players.
Through the winning bid, the Adani-Gadot consortium secured the rights to purchase 100 percent of Haifa Port Company’s shares. The Haifa Port concession period remains until 2054.
The consortium of APSEZ and Gadot Group was formed with their respective shares of 70 percent and 30 percent. The consortium’s offer was equivalent to USD 1.18 billion.
With the acquisition of Haifa Port, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd has expanded its footprint in the European port sector, which includes the Mediterranean region.
The port of Haifa is located in the north of Israel. It is close to the city of Haifa, the third largest city in Israel. It is also one of the country’s major industrial zones. (ANI)