HRADF said the two investors qualified to proceed to the next phase of the tender were Spain’s Regasificadora del Noroeste and a consortium of Italy’s Snam, Spain’s Enagas Internacional, Belgium’s Fluxys and Dutch Gasunie.

Greece had received six expressions of interest for DESFA.

The shortlisted investors will carry out a due diligence process and will have access to DESFA’s infrastructure before they submit their binding bids.

Under its bailout-mandated privatisation scheme, Greece must conclude the sale by the end of the year. The country, in its eighth year of economic crisis, is aiming for €2 billion in asset sales this year and €3.5 billion in 2018.