Entitled ‘Shipping: Yesterday’s World, Tomorrow’s Today’, the conference which has been organised every two years since 1989, is set to take place between 9 and 11 October, at Evagoras Lanitis Centre.

Delegates will be welcomed on the evening of October 8 at a reception during which Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades will present the ‘Maritime Award 2017’, while he is also due to officially open the conference on October 9.

Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Kitack Lim and European Commissioner on Transport Violeta Bulc are expected to address the event.

Acting Director of the Merchant Shipping Department Ioannis Efstratiou said that the presence of high level participants shows the support of the international community towards the maritime community of Cyprus.

He said Cyprus is not just a flag but a maritime community offering a wide range of shipping services.

Cypriot shipping has a very good reputation abroad and this is evident by its participation as a member at the IMO which is equivalent to a membership in the UN Security Council.

Over 1,100 seagoing vessels fly the Cyprus flag.

Cyprus ranks 3rd in Europe and 11th in the world in shipping and is considered one of the greatest hubs for ship management.

General Manager of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber Thomas Kazakos said that the conference is like the Olympic Games of Cyprus shipping, adding that it is unique in its kind and always attracts the interest of the international maritime community.

Kazakos said it is one of the few which take place as a result of public – private cooperation and it includes three days of work with the active participation of hundreds of shipping professionals during which the state of affairs of European and international shipping is reviewed in depth.

Source: InCyprus