Cyprus and Finland are EU partners with strong maritime traditions and a shared interest in the advancement of European and global efforts to ensure that the future of maritime transport will be sustainable, safe, resilient and competitive.

Ahead of the working visit by the President of the Republic of Cyprus to Finland which starts tomorrow (22 May), a maritime forum was held today in Helsinki with the participation of business delegations from the shipping clusters of the two countries. The forum’sdeliberations were jointly opened by the Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of Cyprus, Ms Marina Hadjimanolis, and the Permanent Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ms Minna Kivimäki. The Cypriot delegation also visited offshore patrol vessel Turva hosted by the Finnish Border Guard.

In the margins of the business forum, Shipping Deputy Minister Hadjimanolis and Permanent Secretary Kivimäki held a bilateral meeting, in which they continued the dialogue initiated in March at the European Shipping Summit with the Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications, Ms Lulu Ranne, reviewing progress in the already excellent bilateral cooperation in maritime affairs, also within the framework of relevant international fora.

In light also of the deliberations of the business forum, Shipping Deputy Minister Hadjimanolis and Permanent Secretary Kivimäki identified specific areas of untapped potential, for example in automated and digitalized maritime solutions, ship energy systems, cyber security, new maritime fuels, maritime education, gender equality and equal employment opportunities in the shipping sector, in which the capable maritime clusters of Cyprus and Finland could

further enhance mutually beneficial collaboration, promoting the sustainable growth of the maritime industry. In this context, the next concrete steps in the continuation of the bilateral dialogue were mapped and the commitment of both sides to further strengthening maritime cooperation was reaffirmed.

After the meeting Shipping Deputy Minister Hadjimanolis said:

“International shipping continues to face challenges, while at the same time there is a compelling need to safeguard the competitiveness of the European maritime industry, which is a strategic and economic pillar of the European Union. Cyprus and Finland, both members of the EU with long maritime history and strong maritime clusters, have a critical role to play towards the sustainable growth of international shipping. I am very pleased that Cyprus and Finland share the same values and objectives regarding a safe, secure and environmentally friendly shipping on an international level, ensuring at the same time a level playing field for all”.

“We need stronger European shipping in the world, and a competitive European maritime cluster. As maritime nations Cyprus and Finland are natural champions and allies in this field. I am happy that as one of the largest Flag States in world, Cyprus, understands Finnish concerns about safe and secure shipping also in the harsh ice conditions of the northern Baltic Sea”, said Minna Kivimäki, Permanent Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications.