Geroskipou: There have been no developments on allowing Cyprus-flagged vessels to call at Turkish ports, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanoli said on Sunday.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Hadjimanoli spoke on the sidelines of a Christmas event in Geroskipou, addressing questions about the status of Turkey’s embargo on Cyprus-flagged ships. This issue has been a point of discussion recently, particularly highlighted by the President of the Republic.
“The President of the Republic always puts on the table the lifting of the embargo on the docking of ships bearing the Cyprus flag in Turkish ports,” Hadjimanoli stated. Yet, she confirmed that there remains “no development on lifting the Turkish embargo,” which continues to impact ship-management companies based in Cyprus.
Hadjimanoli expressed hope for a future resolution to this longstanding issue. Despite the embargo’s challenges, she noted that Cyprus has maintained a significant presence in global shipping. “Our flag is present all over the world,” she remarked.
The Turkish embargo on Cyprus-flagged ships has been in place since 1987. In an effort to resolve the situation, the Cyprus government is anticipated to propose visa-facilitation measures for Turkish businesspeople. This proposal aims to facilitate Cyprus-flagged vessels’ access to Turkish ports and is expected to be formally submitted during Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the EU.