Shipowners urge Christofias to boost Cyprus maritime fleet

President Demetris Christofias recently met with a delegation from the Cyprus Union of Shipowners, which presented efforts on behalf of the Union to increase the number of ships flying the Cyprus flag.
CUS President George Mouskas told reporters after the meeting that the Union was making efforts, mainly in Greece, to fly the Cyprus flag on routes to Liberia, Panama and Malta, and noted that Cyprus offers better services than most countries.
The delegation told Christofias that growing the island’s merchant fleet should be considered as a matter of national importance, as the wider its reach, the bigger influence or say Cyprus can have at international for a and organisations.
They also urged for greater assistance from the state to promote the Cyprus flag by introducing more competitive measures, similar to the new tax package endorsed by the European Commission.
Mouskas added that in the present economic crisis, shipping is offered as a reliable solution to many problems by attracting more shipowners to register in Cyprus and hoist the Cyprus flag, while the state earnings from increased business will be beneficial to the national economy as well.
The delegation, that included CUS members Tassos Panayides, Polys Vassou Hadjioannou and Andreas Hadjiyiannis, as well as the Union’s Director General Michalis Philippou, is also scheduled to meet with representatives of all the political parties.