The shipping ministries of the UK and Cyprus have vowed to boost ties across a wide range of maritime issues, including decarbonisation, sanctions implementation and the fight against piracy and fraudulent ship registration.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to that effect was signed on 21 February by British and Cypriot government officials in Limassol, Cyprus’ shipping capital.
Cyprus, a member of the European Union and a former UK colony, is Europe’s top ship management hub and one of the continent’s biggest flag states. Cyprus, a member of the EU and a former UK colony, is Europe’s top ship management hub and one of the continent’s biggest flag states.
The UK used to be the world’s dominant shipping nation and remains its foremost provider of shipping services — from broking to legal to insurance to finance.
“The agreement includes a range of commitments designed to address current challenges faced by the sector,” the two sides said in a statement.
A full text of the agreement could not be obtained at the time of writing.
A senior official at Cyprus’ deputy shipping ministry, however, assured TradeWinds that its scope is all-encompassing.
“What we can share is that it covers all aspects pertaining to shipping (safety, security, piracy, protection of the marine environment, seafarers living and working conditions, training decarbonisation, digitalisation, research and innovation, [and] implementation of sanctions),” the official said in an email.
“There is a clear commitment from both sides to cooperate at bilateral level and within the framework of [the] IMO, exchange best-practice knowledge and explore synergies and opportunities for the benefit of our respective shipping industries,” he added.
According to a press release issued by Cyprus’ deputy shipping ministry, a main area of cooperation will be to “drive progress in shipping’s response to climate change” through a series of joint scientific and technical workshops, conferences, training programmes, seminars and courses.
Other burning issues will be touched upon as well.
“The two states are also committing to jointly address issues around piracy, fraudulent ship registrations, seafarer welfare and training, and the implementation of transport-related sanctions that impact the sector,” the statement said.
Shifting sand
The initiative for the MoU came from Cyprus, which regards shipping as one of its key, strategic industries and has adopted an extrovert “SEA Change 2030” policy to attract more shipping companies and vessels under its flag.
Cyprus’ deputy minister in charge of shipping Vassilis Demetriades first broached the idea in a bilateral meeting with his UK counterpart Robert Courts in December 2021, on the margins of elections at the International Maritime Organization in London.
These efforts seem to have acquired new urgency in 2022, as the UK continues struggling to weave new trade relationships after Brexit and Cyprus saw Russian companies and ships decamp as a result of EU sanctions against Moscow.
“This agreement marks a new chapter in relations between Cyprus and the UK, both of which have long and rich seafaring histories,” said Irfan Siddiq — British High Commissioner to Cyprus, who was representing UK maritime minister Baroness Charlotte Vere of Norbiton.
“Collaboration has always been a cornerstone of Cyprus’ vision,” said Demetriades.
