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The Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Islands, Mr. Christos Stylianides, and Shipping Deputy Minister, Mrs. Marina Hadjimanolis, met with delegations from their respective ministries in Limassol to discuss bilateral maritime issues.
According to a report by Andreas Karamitas, Mr. Stylianides emphasized the importance of Cyprus and Greece in maintaining the competitiveness of European shipping, noting both countries' significant roles in the sector. He highlighted the need for European shipping to adopt realistic approaches to the Green Transition and align European and International Maritime Organization (IMO) policies.
Moreover, Mr. Stylianides stressed the importance of addressing future seafarer shortages and enhancing the prestige of the maritime profession to attract more youth, with Greece already declaring 2024 as the year of maritime education.
When asked about the Greek government's support for the Maritime Passenger Connection between Cyprus and Greece, Mr. Stylianides noted the difficulty in overcoming European Commission issues but emphasized the importance of the Cypriot government's continued support to ensure the project's viability.
Shipping Deputy Minister Hadjimanolis described the meeting as productive, stressing that shipping is a crucial economic pillar for both Greece and Cyprus. She underscored the historical ties and common values shared by the two maritime nations. Hadjimanolis highlighted the need for coordination and synergies within the EU and IMO framework to ensure the sustainability of global and national shipping.
The discussions covered several key topics, including preserving European shipping competitiveness, promoting maritime education, exchanging digitalization know-how, and ensuring the sustainable operation of the maritime passenger connection between Cyprus and Greece.
The meeting concluded with an emotional exchange of gifts, reinforcing the commitment to ongoing cooperation between the two countries for the prosperity of their maritime industries.
