Already, the China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) has obtained a 35-year lease to operate the second pier at the port of Piraeus, one of the busiest in the world, for €3.5 billion, and has purchased a truck-loading facility and packaging center in the Piraeus suburbs. The company has also expressed its intention to acquire 23% of Piraeus Port Authority, and is seeking to lease or acquire ports on the island of Crete.
但在长期上看，中国对希腊的支持形式为前者带来的好处显然要远大于后者。事实上，在6月15日英文版中国日报的社论中，希腊被形容为中国进入欧洲的“门户”。中国远洋运输集团已经以35亿美元的价格获得了希腊比雷埃夫斯港——也是世界最繁忙的港口之一——二号码头35年的租约，并在港口郊外购买了一个货车装载设备以及货物包装中心。该集团还希望购买比雷埃夫斯港管理局23%的股份，并试图在克里特岛租赁或者购买一些港口。