On 6^th September 2022, the Cyprus Marine Club held an event with a presentation from Mr. Alexandros Josephides, the “IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador for Cyprus”, who presented to our guests the IMOGMA scheme and advised on the activities carried out in Cyprus in promoting marine and maritime professions.

The presentation focussed on the historical inception of the Scheme by the IMO in 2015, the Terms of Reference of the scheme which include the objectives, the selection and appointment of the IMOGMAs, their allowed activities, the follow up and reporting of the IMOGMAs to the IMO, the limitations of the scheme. Following that an extensive presentation was made on the activities of the IMOGMA in Cyprus and consolidated statistics on the total entrants and graduates of Cypriots in the Greek and Cypriot maritime academies were presented.

After the presentation, many burning, questions, were raised by the audience and heated, passionate discussion lasted for at least 30 min.

Being the Cyprus “IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador” for the last seven years, Mr. Josephides, successfully contributes to the IMO Scheme, with his active participation in the continuous and wider efforts to attract young people to marine and maritime professions and promote an attractive image for a Career at Sea, thus ensuring the sustainable staffing and development of the Cyprus Shipping Industry.

Capt. E. Koch welcomed members with a brief update and shared membership numbers (136 on the day) and announced the next events: Wine and Dine Event at Omodos on September 17th, the event organized on the occasion of Maritime Cyprus 2022 with a guest of honor – Mr. Andreas Hadjiyiannis, the President of the Cyprus Union of Shipowners and then on November 24th 2022, the event entitled “The costs of the Green Energy Transition. The Big Picture” by Mr. Thomas Hartwig, Chief Economist, Dohle Group.

During the event a special award of appreciation was handed over by the President to the Ms. Anna Vourgos representing Aphentrica Marine Insurance Brokers Ltd –  the founding member of the Club since 1999!