Cyprus is one of the world’s leading maritime hubs with an increasingly influential voice on the international stage.
It is home to ship managers running some 3,300 ships or over 20% of the world’s third-party managed fleet, while the Cyprus Ship Registry has the third largest fleet in the EU and the 11th largest globally, with more than 1,000 oceangoing vessels of around 24m gt.
The country is an IMO Council member and strong supporter of the International Maritime Organization’s ambitious decarbonisation plans for shipping. The Shipping Deputy Ministry recently announced a reduction of up to 30% in annual fees of its EU-approved Tonnage Tax System for Cyprus-flagged ships displaying good environmental credentials.
Lloyd’s Register (LR) is proactively helping both Cyprus as a country and Cyprus-based ship managers, owners and operators meet the decarbonisation challenge.
LR’s Global Gas Segment and a team of experts have been closely involved, since its early stages, to the conversion of a 2002-built LNG carrier, the 137,000 m3 Galea, into a floating storage and re- gasification unit to provide an alternative and more environmentally friendly form of electricity generation for the island, providing the path towards a low- or even zero-carbon energy future.
Meanwhile, LR’s Maritime business has been busy over the past couple of years expanding its presence on the island where it now operates a full-time office of three. By combining rich technical expertise and strong commercial commitment it is able to fully meet local clients’ needs and ambitions.
Cypriot national Philip Hadjisoteriou is Client Relations & Business Development Manager. He holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Leeds University and formerly worked as a surveyor for LR Miami, where he spent three years involved with ship surveys and dry docks, especially on cruise ships and yachts, before becoming a Client Manager on the US East Coast.
Working alongside him is Pavlos Kioussis, Lead Client Care Specialist and Lead Surveyor, who is legal representative and first point-of- contact for technical matters and requests for all clients based in Cyprus. He is able to provide technical advice and guidance to ship owners/managers/operators and has considerable experience of ship surveys and newbuildings, especially tankers and bulk carriers, having spent 10 years working in China as a surveyor and then project manager for LR between 2009 and 2018.
Regarding assistance to Cypriot clients with their decarbonisation challenge, Hadjisoteriou explains that LR’s main role at present is centred on the new Energy Efficiency Existing Ships (EEXI) Index and “helping ship managers and owners – either directly or through their managers – have a look at their fleet, identify the lesser performing vessels and provide consultancy services to bring the numbers where they should be.”
Underpinning LR’s support for decarbonisation efforts in Cyprus is the creation of a new Maritime Performance Services (MPS) Hub
in South Europe that was announced in May. Based in Athens, but also covering Cyprus and the rest of the East Med, the Hub will also incorporate activities of LR’s recently launched Decarbonisation Advisory Centre.
A dedicated local team of experts has been assembled at the MPS Hub in Athens, led by Theodosis Stamatellos, LR’s South Europe Marine and Offshore Regional Manager, to provide services ranging from technical advisory, fuel testing and condition assessment pro- grammes to emissions modelling capabilities. This human expertise will be supported by LR cloud-based digital platforms offering valuable insights for fleet management and fleet optimisation, tailored to specific client needs.
A member of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, LR also recently signed up to work with the EU-funded Cyprus Marine & Maritime Institute (CMMI) on its vision to drive sustainable Blue Growth’ on a local, regional and international level.
A Centre of Excellence for marine and maritime research, innovation and technology development, CMMI has 10 Research and Innovation Centres involved in marine observation, marine robotics, maritime digitalisation, maritime engineering, marine and coastal ecosystems, maritime human element, marine cultural heritage, marine and maritime policies and regional cooperation, and under- water and seabed technologies.
“The involvement of all stakeholders in the shipping industry
is essential to ensure its sustainability... [and] CMMI intends to contribute to this effort by being a partner of choice for research and innovation activities within the marine and maritime sectors,” comments its CEO Zacharias Siokouros. “CMMI looks forward to a close collaboration with LR on a broad scope of matters relating to the maritime sector.”
* Client Relations & Business Development Manager at Lloyd’s Register (left photo)
** Lead Client Care Specialist & Lead Surveyor at Lloyd’s Register (right photo)