On May 25th, Cyprus Marine Club gathered its Members for the second non virtual event this spring. This time, CMC had the honor to host H.E. Ms Natasa Pilides, who was appointed as Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry last Summer after serving as Shipping Deputy Minister to the President in the years: 2018-2020.
The President of Cyprus Marine Club, Captain Eberhard Koch, warmly announced the special guest of the evening and advised that he was very happy about the high number of participants at the event, as well as the positive membership development despite COVID crisis and welcomed new members of the Club.
Ms Pilides, Minister for Energy, Commerce and Industry, provided our guests with an update on energy policy and legislation, stressing that the environment is on the top of the agenda and that the ministry has to work hard on meeting certain targets and making those targets actual reality. Ms Pilides added that the Ministry should become more ambitious in setting new challenges, especially considering how much blessed we are with the sun and climate on the island.
“Being ambitious means we need to work hard on some targets” – The Minister stated.
Furthermore, Ms Pilides added that at the level of the Ministry of Energy there are a number of reforms in the pipeline, which will not only simplify the current energy regulatory framework but will also increase competitiveness and reduce pollution.
The Minister mentioned that energy also affects the competitiveness of enterprises in Cyprus and for this reason, the transition to a circular economy and green energy is a crucial element built into all funding programmes for businesses and industry. The Ministry is in the process of designing funding programmes in excess of €450 million for the period 2021-2027 (some of which have already been announced), with more than half those funds devoted to green growth.
The engaging speech of the Minister brought some questions from Members and further fascinating conversations among an enthusiastic audience, who explored interesting topics with Ms Pilides and continued sharing their thoughts during the seated reception.
The CMC Event attracted around 80 people, which is a great result considering many people’s dilemma of social distancing due to Covid Pandemic.
We would like to express our appreciation to PNS Management & Team, as well as all guests for complying with all COVID 19 regulations and taking precautions throughout the event.
The Cyprus Marine Club is a non-profit organization that embraces and encourages a plethora of maritime industry stakeholders for friendly membership. Ship Owners, Ship Managers, Crew Managers, Service Providers & Suppliers, Agents, Terminal Operators, Legal and Financial and more, come together with a focused effort to promote and celebrate the Cyprus maritime industry and share experiences.
