On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the creation of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, the Deputy Minister of Shipping under the President, Mr. Vassilis Demetriades, in the context of a press conference and an event that followed in the presence of the entire shipping industry of Cyprus, presented the work that has been achieved in the Deputy Ministry, particularly during the last 2.5 years that he has been at the helm of the Deputy Ministry.
The Deputy Minister of Shipping's presentation consisted of 15 sections, reflecting the following main achievements and actions that have been implemented, which contribute to the further development of Cyprus Shipping:
[*]Formulation of the National Strategy "SEA Change 2030" which includes 35 sustainable actions with a timetable for planning and implementation, aiming to make our shipping industry crisis-resistant and competitive, with Cyprus as a leading player in the international maritime scene. 23 of the 35 actions have already been implemented. The Strategy also introduces a new philosophy in the way Cyprus approaches shipping. [*]Creation of a one-stop-shipping-shop framework with the adoption of the Shipping Limited Liability Company legislative framework and the digitisation of all services of the Ministry of State, which is currently underway. By early 2024, all services of the Ministry of State will be provided digitally in a paperless environment. Within the next few days, the mobile phone application (MobileApp) of the Ministry of State "CYSh1P" will be available with its digital services accessible to all users from their mobile phones. [*]Significant increase in the number of companies subject to the Special Tax System governing Cyprus Shipping. In particular, in the last 10 years the number of shipping companies has tripled, from 97 companies in 2012 to 302 companies in 2022, with the largest increase occurring in the last 5 years with the creation of the Deputy Ministry. A significant increase was also recorded in the revenues of the State Department. From 11.57 million euros recorded in 2017, revenues in 2022 amounted to 15.6 million euros. Regarding the Cypriot flagged fleet, and despite the implementation of the EU sanctions against Russia, which resulted in deletions amounting to 2 million gross tonnage, the Cypriot registry proved to be resilient, as a result of a significant number of registrations, with the total tonnage standing at 23.8 million. [*]Creating conditions of stability and credibility for shipping companies operating or planning to operate in Cyprus and/or registering ships in the Cyprus register with the re-approval of the Cyprus Shipping Tax Regime by the European Commission, as well as providing further attractive incentives to enhance the competitiveness of Cyprus Shipping. Create prospects for further development of the national maritime cluster by developing a framework for Cyprus to become a Centre for Arbitration and Mediation of Maritime Disputes. [*]The Cyprus-Greece Maritime Passenger Link became a reality after 21 years, as a result of the successful renegotiation of the terms of the approval secured from the European Commission for a state subsidy. [*]Effective and immediate response to crises. During the two years of the pandemic Cyprus took the lead in facilitating crew changes and the repatriation of over 65000 seafarers, while a national programme of vaccination coverage for 40000 seafarers was adopted and successfully implemented. For its support to the seafarers, Cyprus received praise from the global shipping industry, while turning the crisis into an opportunity, with world-class cruise ships including Cyprus in their itineraries with huge benefits for the local economy. [*]Constructive negotiation of the successive packages of sanctions proposed by the European Commission that have affected the shipping industry. Through a sound assessment of the impact of the sanctions and the wealth of expertise of the Ministry of State's staff, the need for sanctions to be effectively enforced and to maintain, as far as possible, a level playing field was communicated. At the initiative of Cyprus, the European Commission was committed to the need for supportive measures for European shipping which will be presented within the next few weeks, with Cyprus submitting specific proposals for measures. In addition, the Deputy Ministry provided guidance and immediate recommendations and clarifications to the shipping industry on how to implement the sanctions and facilitated affected seafarers to open bank accounts to access their wages. [*]Substantial contribution to the green transformation of shipping by providing green tax incentives and active participation in discussions on the formulation of a legislative framework that will substantially reduce the environmental footprint of shipping while taking into account the specificities of shipping. Taking initiatives by organising productive workshops at global level to analyse the potential for the development and use of new alternative fuels, with a recent example being the live SWOT analysis. [*]Cultivating a culture of research and innovation in shipping through a productive partnership with the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIEK) on the basis of which we have created the "RISE" (Research Innovation Shipping Environment) Programme through which RIEK has already allocated more than €10 million to research and innovation projects supporting the green and digital transformation of shipping. A call for interest for strategic infrastructure projects in the shipping sector worth €2.5 million is currently underway. [*]Supporting the Coastal Shipping sector to offer better quality services in maritime tourism by upgrading the fleet of coastal vessels through a targeted State aid scheme (de minimis) with a grant of €0.6 million so far. [*]A prominent presence at regional, European and international level with the re-election of Cyprus as a member of the Council of the International Maritime Organisation in the last two elections, and the conclusion of Memoranda of Understanding with major partners. An initiative was taken at the regional level to enhance the levels of safety and protection of the marine environment in the Mediterranean, while a policy on the sustainable use of the oceans by Commonwealth member states will be formulated with a proposal from Cyprus, with the intention for Cyprus to host a Ministerial Conference in 2023. [*]Development of Cyprus' Blue Economy through the formulation of Marine Spatial Planning, which will contribute decisively to maximising the development potential of our seas in a sustainable manner. Cyprus has been selected by the European Commission to host the European Maritime Day in 2026 which will attract the entire blue ecosystem of Europe to visit Cyprus which will promote Cyprus' maritime activities and create prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation. [*]Enhancing the safety and security levels of ships under the Cypriot flag through preventive actions and a continuous education and training programme for the Ship Inspectors of the Ministry of State. [*]In the last two years the Ministry of State has invested heavily in the new generation. With innovative actions and the institutionalization of the Full Day Experience "THALASSA", for the first time the right dimension and perspective of shipping was highlighted to schools, children, parents and civil society at large with the creation of a Steering Group of young and young scientists active in the industry from various academic backgrounds, highlighting the multidimensional nature of shipping. With regard to the Merchant Navy Academies, the Ministry of State supports students with scholarships and grants for on-board training. In particular, grants totalling EUR 1.36 million were awarded to 883 cadets and scholarships of EUR 165000 to 55 students of Maritime Academies. A Committee for the Promotion of Maritime Studies and Professions was set up, composed of the entire maritime industry (State Ministry of Shipping, Cyprus Chamber of Shipping, Cyprus Shipowners' Association, Cyprus Institute for Sea and Shipping) to evaluate and make recommendations to Academic Institutions for updating curricula to meet the current needs and challenges of the shipping industry. [*]Initiatives have been taken to break down gender stereotypes in the maritime industry through tangible actions. Of the 16-member steering group, 10 of the appointed members are women working in maritime and land-based professions. In addition, we introduced the term "WOMANNING SHIPPING" as a sign of appreciation and recognition of the role of women in shipping, which we forwarded to the International Maritime Organization for inclusion in international shipping terminology.
The Deputy Ministry of Shipping thanks all the organised groups that make up the maritime ecosystem of Cyprus, as well as all the Public Services that have supported and continue to support the work of the Deputy Ministry and the efforts made to further develop shipping and the blue economy of Cyprus.
For the presentation of the Deputy Minister of Shipping in Greek, click here.
For the presentation of the Deputy Minister of Shipping in English, click here.
(NΓ)
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