In statements to the press, Minister of Communications and Works Tasos Mitsopoulos said that 2013 was a difficult year for Cypriot commercial shipping, which the Department of Merchant Shipping completed with great success, doing a significant job at an international level. Mitsopoulos expressed the hope that the Cypriot ship registry and the shipping companies based in Cyprus will continue to grow and at the same time Cyprus’ Merchant Shipping will meet the new needs that arise from the recent discoveries of natural gas deposits and possibly oil in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.

He said that the main targets of the government’s new national strategy on Merchant Shipping, is inter alia the computerization, the better staffing, the administrative restructuring of the Department of Merchant Shipping, the upgrading of Cyprus’ presence in international conferences and areas where shipping is promoted and attracting the Greek market. Mitsopoulos expressed satisfaction regarding the upcoming tripartite meeting in Nicosia, with his counterparts from Greece and Malta, saying that the three countries have the largest commercial fleets in the EU. "We want to have a coordination with these countries to promote our common interests and goals," the Minister said, stressing that the Greek Presidency of the Council of Europe is a good opportunity for Cyprus to coordinate with Greece, in order to develop a common approach and promotion of the common interests.

Source: Famagusta Gazette