Evangelos Florakis Naval Base
The Evangelos Florakis Naval Base is a Cyprus Navy base, situated on the island's southern coast adjacent to the Vasilikos industrial area and power plant, near Zygi, between Limassol and Larnaca.
Operations
The base was known for decades as the Mari Naval Base. It was renamed after Lt. General Evangelos Florakis, who was killed in a helicopter crash in July 2002 while serving as the head of the Cypriot National Guard.Prior to 11 July 2011, it was the main location of the Command of the Navy Base and one of the five primary commands of the Navy. It was responsible for overseeing all naval shore installations, facilities and associated personnel. The Command's current status is unclear.
Expansion
In an interview with Phileleftheros, in December 2024, President Nikos Christodoulides detailed the government's €14.7 million initiative to enhance the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos and the Mari naval base. The upgrades are planned to be completed within 18 months and aim to bolster Cyprus' strategic infrastructure while ensuring that both bases remain under Cypriot control.As a component of the EU's joint military development programme, Cyprus designed various upgrades in its defence infrastructure. In 2019 serving Cypriot Defence Minister Savvas Angelides signed a letter of intent with his French counterpart Florence Parly. Speaking at a news conference, he said the expansion of the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base was linked to a military cooperation deal with EU partner states such as France. It was reported that a new docking area was to be built for larger warships.