The Cypriot and Greek shipping industries are significant for Europe, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday, noting that he will discuss with the Greek Prime Minister during his trip in Athens, next week, their joint action to upgrade the two countries’ role in EU shipping.
Addressing a ship owners dinner in the context of the Shipping Forum Capital Link hosted in Limassol, Christodoulides said he is ‘proud for the Cypriot shipping’ recalling that shipping’s contribution in the Cypriot GDP amounts to 7%.
He noted that dialogue between the government and shipowners is necessary with a view to tackling difficulties and problems, while stating that ‘we have common targets and challenges can only be addressed through collaboration.’
The President also said that the importance of Cypriot and Greek shipping in the EU should be further highlighted, as ‘when we speak over EU shipping essentially we are speaking of Cypriot and Greek shipping.’
He said that he will discuss with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, when he will visit Athens next week, on possible joint action to further upgrade the EU’s approach to shipping ‘because there are challenges.’
‘These are not just national challenges but challenges on an EU level,’ the President of the Republic stated, adding that ‘we see developments which affect the shipping sector and Athens and Nicosia will jointly raise some issues in the EU because the importance of Cypriot and Greek shipping for Europe is decisive.’
Greece has the second largest commercial fleet in the world and first in the EU as flag registration, while Cyprus enjoys the third largest fleet in the EU, 11th globally, boasting the largest ship management centre in the EU, as more than 20% of the world’s third-party management fleet is managed by companies based in Cyprus.
Source: Cyprus News Agency