An official dinner for the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Cyprus Register was hosted on Monday, December 18, 2023, by the Shipping Deputy Ministry, in the presence of the President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides and the shipping industry.

The Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanoli, welcomed the attendees in her address, and referred to the 60 years of continuous efforts, planning and decisions, and as she said “difficult routes, with unpredictable and complex challenges, with the sole aim always of promoting the Republic of Cyprus, through a strong shipping, in a leading role”.

Ms. Hadjimanoli referred to the milestones that determined the evolutionary path of Cyprus shipping, which include the establishment of the Merchant Shipping Department in 1977, the election of Cyprus to the Council of the International Maritime Organization in 1987 and with its recent re-election, the accession of Cyprus to the European Union in 2004, which led to the modernisation of maritime legislation, harmonisation with the European acquis and the adoption of an attractive tax system for shipping, and the establishment of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping in March 2018.

“It would be an oversight of me not to mention”, stressed the Deputy Minister, “the political will of all Governments for strong support of Cyprus shipping and of course the fact that Cyprus shipping remains outside the framework of any political confrontations, an important parameter, for which I feel the debt and the obligation to underline, confirming that collectively we can achieve a lot”.

In closing, the Deputy Minister referred to the most valuable and strongest component of Cyprus shipping which, as she said, “is its people, you, the industry professionals, are its protagonists and ambassadors. In this journey of 60 years, we remember and honor all those people who paved the way and contributed in any way to the creation of the Cyprus Register”.

She expressed special thanks to the close partners of the Shipping Deputy Ministry over the years, the Cyprus Union of Shipowners and the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, who, as she said, “stand as helpers and guardians of our efforts, for further strengthening and continuous improvement of the maritime industry”.

Subsequently, the President of the Republic, in his address, underlined that shipping is one of the most important pillars that over time contribute decisively to the development of our country’s economy and that the domestic shipping industry is today stronger than ever, proving in practice the trust of in the Cyprus Registry, in the broader shipping sector and in the economy of Cyprus in general. “Attracting foreign investment to our island through shipping,” he said, “is a primary goal for the goverment and it is precisely within this framework that we support practically every initiative in this direction.”

Mr. Christodoulides emphasised the importance that he personally and the government as a whole attach to shipping and assured that the said support will not only continue, but the aim is to strengthen it with specific actions, as a result of the continuous dialogue with the maritime community.

Concluding, the President of the Republic congratulated all those who have worked over time and are working until today so that Cyprus shipping enjoys this elite position on the global shipping map. “The achievements of the past 60 years are the starting point for our future successes. Successes, the achievement of which is both for the State and for all of you, a bet that we will win.”

At the end of the addresses, followed a historical moving look back at the 60 years of the Cypriot Register, with the participation of musicians, actors and children from the children’s choir of St. Tychonas. For the 60th anniversary of the Cyprus Register, an anniversary Album was published, looking back on the course of Cyprus shipping, dedicated to its visionaries and pioneers.