President Nicos Anastasiades and Polys Hajioannou, Chairman and CEO of NYSE-listed Safe Bulkers Inc. rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, marking the week-long events in the US city to promote investments in Cyprus, shipping and energy.
Accompanying them on the balcony of the Exchange were Transport, Finance and Energy Ministers Marios Demetriades, Harris Georgiades and Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, as well as other officials taking part in the “Capital Link Invest in Cyprus Forum” on Wednesday at the Metropolitan Club in New York City.
Welcoming remarks were given by John Tuttle, NYSE Global Head of Listings and the event was broadcast live on major news stations in the U.S. and abroad.
In his speech, Polys V. Hajioannou said “it has been almost nine years since we rang the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange, after our IPO in May 2008.
“Safe Bulkers Inc., a substantially smaller company of 11 dry-bulk vessels in the water then, entered the most prestigious stock exchange, carrying the shipping experience of my family built over the last sixty-years.
“It was in 1955 when my late father, Vassos Hajioannou, left from Cyprus to work abroad, initially in Saudi Arabia and then in London in order to support his family, as Cyprus could not offer the opportunities he was looking for at that time. It was the perfect example of a self-made man who worked hard in his life and was happy to see his children continue in his steps, gradually expanding the shipping business he had first started in 1958.
“Today, almost nine years since our IPO we are back for the Closing Bell ceremony celebrating at the same time the Capital Link Invest in Cyprus Forum.
“We, in Safe Bulkers are proud of our achievements in the last years despite the extremely adverse market conditions. We now own 38 modern bulk carriers, with average age 6.6 years, transporting dry-bulk cargoes, mainly grain, coal and iron ore for the world’s largest consumers of marine dry-bulk transportation services and flying on 36 of them the Cyprus flag around the globe. In addition, another 13 modern bulk carriers, with average age of 3 years, owned by my immediate family, are all flying the Cyprus flag as well, despite the Turkish embargo.
“Sixty years after the departure of my father from Cyprus, I returned back in 2015 to a completely different country, to establish in Cyprus Safe Bulkers Management Ltd and to run a large part of our public and private fleet, efficiently, from the Shipping Center of Limassol.
“The safe multicultural environment, the infrastructure of the shipping cluster along with the high level of education and services can support any type of business. In addition, new opportunities arise not only in the energy sector with the offshore natural gas exploration, but also in the broader services sector including finance, fund management, tourism, health and education signalling a new era of Cyprus economy,” Hajioannou concluded.
Upon arrival in New York on Monday evening, President Anastasiades said that he would highlight to the UN Secretary General, in an impartial manner and without entering a blame game, the need to have a substantive dialogue, in the context of the UN-led peace effort to reunite Cyprus.
He said he will seek to explain the problems the peace process is facing to Antonio Guterres and to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, when they meet in New York.
“We did not leave the negotiating table,” he said, adding that his goal is to continue the negotiations.
Asked what he expects from Guterres, the President repeated the need for substantive talks, stressing his determination to work hard towards a political settlement.
Anastasiades will be the keynote speaker at the investment conference hosted by Capital Link.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides met on Monday at the State Department with Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon, in the presence of Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Jonathan Cohen.
A diplomatic source was quoted by CNA as saying that Shannon expressed US readiness to offer its help towards the resumption of the Cyprus talks and their successful completion.
In statements to the press, Kasoulides said that Shannon heard with particular interest what he had to say with regard to the assistance Cyprus offers to the US in the fight against terrorism and regional threats, underlining the role which the island plays in the eastern Mediterranean.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister explained the reasons the Cyprus talks are suspended, outlined the Greek Cypriot side’s positions on the chapter of security, referred to Turkish demands relating to EU matters and to ways a settlement could function.
“We have offered them (Turkish Cypriots) participation in the country’s governance, with political equality, in the framework of a bizonal, bicommunal federation and what they (the Turkish side) have to offer us is the withdrawal of their troops as part of a settlement,” he said.
He also referred to US potential for investments in Cyprus in fields beyond energy, in which they already do business.
Kasoulides and Shannon discussed issues related to hydrocarbons and energy prospects in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone. Shannon accepted an invitation to visit Cyprus in the coming months.
According to US sources, Shannon will accompany US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his visit to Ankara at the end of March and will return to the region in April.
Kasoulides was scheduled to attend on Tuesday and on Wednesday a ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to counter ISIL organised by Tillerson at the State Department, with the participation of 68 states and international organisations which are members of the Coalition.
