The Cyprus Shipping Chamber participated at the European Shipping Summit held on 19 and 20 September 2023, in Brussels through its Director General, Mr. Thomas Kazakos, organised by the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and other European shipping stakeholders. The Summit which is considered as one of the most important maritime events in Europe, gathered together shipowners, shipping professionals and policy makers of the European and International Shipping to discuss current shipping matters and stress the importance for both the industry and the policy makers to navigate on the same course.

Cyprus was well highlighted through the active involvement of Mr. Philippos Philis, the President of ECSA, who opened the flagship Conference with a speech, stressing the message that “Shipping is a cornerstone of European food, energy and supply-chain security and that Europe needs a strong maritime sector to maintain its global leadership”. During the working deliberations of the Conference, speeches were given by distinguished guests including the Former President of the European Commission, Mr. José Manuel Barroso and the Director-General of DG MOVE, European Commission, Mrs. Magda Kopczynska, showing the importance attached to the Conference, as well as to European Shipping.

In addition, the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, co-organised within the framework of the European Shipping Summit with other shipowner’s associations a side session, entitled “How to increase the share of maritime transport in Europe’s trade”. The discussion involved sharing best practice cases to shift to more maritime transport.

The official opening ceremony of the working deliberations of the flagship Conference, on Wednesday 20 September, made by Mr. Philis, was preceded by a gala diner earlier on Tuesday, 19 September, at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, during which the European Commission Vice-President, Mr. Margaritis Schinas gave a keynote speech.