Limassol: More than one thousand participants from thirty-five countries, including heads of state, ministers, regulators, shipowners, and senior industry figures, participated in the first day of the deliberations of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 Conference that opened on Monday in the coastal town of Limassol.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the conference, with its main theme ‘Unlocking the Future of Shipping’, is organised by the Shipping Deputy Ministry, the Cyprus Union of Shipowners, and the Cyprus Shipping Chamber. A special ministerial panel, ‘Ministers at the Helm of Maritime Transformation,’ expanded the day’s discussions to a regional level, featuring ministers from Bahrain, Greece, Qatar, and Cyprus. The discussion focused on policy coordination, investment in human capital, and innovation as essential drivers of maritime transformation.
The ministers called for stronger regional cooperation on safety, efficiency, and digitalization, agreeing that global challenges such as decarbonization and seafarer shortages can only be addressed through collective action. The day’s first industry panel, ‘Navigating Disruption: Steering the Shipping Industry Through Global Turbulences,’ examined how shipowners and policymakers are responding to shifting market, regulatory, and geopolitical pressures. The final discussion, ‘Navigating Changes: Shipowners’ Insights on Industry Evolution,’ facilitated a candid exchange on the future of shipping between leading shipowners from Greece and Cyprus.
Adding a national policy perspective, George Papanastasiou, Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry of Cyprus, addressed the panel to draw parallels between maritime and energy policy. He noted that Europe’s Green Deal, while well-intentioned, has at times advanced faster than technological capability, impacting competitiveness across industries. Papanastasiou argued that Europe must retain all available energy options to ensure affordability and energy security, warning that transitions made without viable alternatives risk deepening inequality. His remarks were widely welcomed by the panel as a realistic and inclusive approach to the challenges ahead.
Meanwhile, the Cyprus Shipping Chamber organized a high-level panel discussion titled ‘Navigating Disruption: Steering the Shipping Industry Through Global Turbulences’ on the conference’s opening day. Moderated by Thomas A. Kazakos, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the discussion featured distinguished speakers from leading international shipowners’ organisations. The panel focused on the major challenges currently facing the global shipping industry, including the transition to decarbonization, geopolitical uncertainties, and increasing regulatory complexity, with speakers exchanging views on adapting to an evolving landscape while maintaining operational efficiency and competitiveness.