CYPPRUS: “Tomorrow’s shipping today” at Maritime conference

More than 800 delegates are expected to attend this year’s “Maritime Cyprus” conference to be held from next Monday to Wednesday (October 9-11) in Limassol.

President Nicos Anastasiades will open the conference, in the presence of International Maritime Organisation Secretary-General Kitack Lim and European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc.

Other European officials, shipowners, managing directors of international shipping companies and organisations are also expected to take part, to discuss the latest developments in the industry.
Transport Minister Marios Demetriades said on Friday, ahead of the conference, that Cyprus is one of the most important shipping centres, with a comprehensive infrastructure across all relevant sectors.
“Cyprus has the 11th biggest fleet in the world and the third biggest in the EU, a fact for which we are particularly proud,” he added. Moreover, he said that the sector is contributing around 6-7% to Cyprus’ GDP, and has created more than 4,000 jobs.

Concerted efforts in the past couple of years to attract new shipping companies to Cyprus are bearing fruit, the Minister added, noting at the same time that “we’re back on the map”.

“We all aim to continue developing and improving Cyprus’ shipping,” Demetriades said, referring to the creation of the Under-secretariat for Shipping. The House recently passed a relevant bill, providing for the formation of the new government office on March 2018, replacing the Department of Merchant Shipping.

“We are certain that the Under-secretariat will contribute decisively to further developing Cyprus’ shipping,” the Minister said, and called at the same time for more flexibility to promote the sector more efficiently.

Alekos Michaelides, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and chairman of the conference organising committee, noted that this year’s conference is held under the title “Shipping: Yesterday’s World, Tomorrow’s Today”. The welcome opening event will be held on Sunday, October 8, in Limassol. In the following three days, the conference, divided in eight sessions, will be held at “Evagoras Lanitis Centre” next to the medieaval castle.

Topics to be discussed include the regulatory framework in shipping, environmental issues, the use of new technology in the sector, as well as geopolitical developments in the Eastern Mediterranean.