“Deputy Ministry of Shipping: Essential for the further development of Cyprus Shipping”.
The Cyprus Shipping Chamber held its 28th Annual General Meeting on Friday, 19 May 2017, at the “Four Seasons” Hotel, in Limassol. The Chamber’s AGM was attended by State and Government dignitaries, Political Party representatives, Members of the House of Representatives, Diplomats, representatives of Professional Organisations and Members of the Chamber.
Addresses at the Meeting were given by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Mr. Marios Demetriades, on behalf of the President of the Republic, Ms. Magda Kopczynska, Director for Waterborne Transport, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission and the President of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, Mr. Themis Papadopoulos.
In his address, read by the Minister of Transport, the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, praised and congratulated the Cyprus Shipping Chamber for its continuous contribution and active involvement in the further development of Cyprus Shipping. He also described Shipping, as an ‘Asset’ for Cyprus’ and reiterated that the Government is committed to providing the necessary political support to the Shipping Industry through the introduction of specific mechanisms, which are considered essential for reinforcing further this sector, such as the creation of a ‘Deputy Ministry of Shipping’. He also expressed the belief that, through the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, Cyprus Shipping, for which the State feels proud of, will be able to continue and further increase its substantial socioeconomic contribution.
The President of the Chamber, Mr. Themis Papadopoulos, made particular reference to the lifting of the Turkish Embargo on Cyprus ships, within the framework of the recent discussions at European level, pertaining to the possible ’revision’ of the current Customs Union between the European Union and Turkey, stating that the lifting of the Turkish Embargo will give a strong impetus in further developing the entire Cyprus Maritime Cluster. In addition, Mr. Papadopoulos expressed the satisfaction of the Cyprus Shipping Industry with regard to the Government’s decision to proceed with the creation of a Deputy Ministry of Shipping and urged the Political Parties to urgently approve the relevant Bill, which has already been submitted in Parliament.
In her address, Ms. Magda Kopczynska, Director for Waterborne Transport, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, presented a general framework of the current Maritime Policy of the European Commission. Ms. Kopczynska, also expressed the European Commission’s position with regard to the need for the urgent lifting of the Turkish Embargo on Cyprus ships, as well as the clear intention of the European Commission to maintain the “EU State Aid Maritime Guidelines for Maritime Transport”.
During the Meeting, elections were also held for the new Board of Directors of the Chamber for the period 2017-2019.