The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) on Friday announced that it organised a business mission to Helsinki earlier this week, held in conjunction with the official visit of president Nikos Christodoulides to Finland.

According to the announcement, the aim of the mission was to “enhance economic relations between Cyprus and Finland“.

During the visit, a business forum was held, along with a series of bilateral business meetings (B2B), focusing on the strategically important sector of shipping and maritime technology.

The chamber stated that the forum “served as a platform for dialogue and networking between Cypriot and Finnish companies, highlighting opportunities for synergies, knowledge exchange, and joint investment prospects”.

The forum was addressed by Deputy Shipping Minister Marina Hadjimanolis. The address focused on the the importance of innovation, green transition, and international cooperation in the shipping sector.

Moreover, the Deputy Minister also praised the importance of this initiative in “strengthening the outward-looking orientation of the Cypriot shipping sector and establishing Cyprus as a reliable maritime centre”.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the mission, Keve secreatary general Philokypros Rousounides held an official meeting with the management of the Finland Chamber of Commerce.

During the meeting, the two sides explored ways to establish institutional cooperation between the two chambers.

The aim, the chamber said, was to “boost dialogue and promote business activity and trade exchange between the two countries“.

Keve also expressed its satisfaction with the results of the mission, saying that there are “positive prospects opening up for the Cypriot business community in the Finnish market”.

Finally, it mentioned that these prospects primarily concern the areas of “innovative maritime technology, sustainable development, and green marine applications“.

What can Cyprus’ maritime sector learn from Finland?

Cyprus stands to gain significantly from Finland’s advanced maritime ecosystem, particularly in the areas of sustainable shipping and maritime technology.

Finland is globally recognised for its leadership in developing autonomous and smart shipping solutions.

The One Sea ecosystem, a Finnish-led alliance, is working to establish fully autonomous maritime operations supported by international regulation.

Such innovations offer valuable lessons for Cyprus as it explores ways to modernise its own maritime infrastructure and boost operational efficiency.

Sustainability is another key area where Finland offers lessons. Finnish shipowners such as Finnlines are investing heavily in hybrid vessels and green technologies.

The recent deployment of three Ro-Pax hybrid ships between Finland and Germany demonstrates how modern fleets can reduce emissions while improving cargo and passenger transport efficiency.

Cyprus, whose maritime fleet remains vital to its economy, can explore similar investments in hybrid and low-emission technologies.

Finland’s maritime cluster is also deeply integrated with national resilience, research, and innovation ecosystems.

Projects such as GYROSCOPE focus on risk management in marine logistics, while organisations like Merikotka and DIMECC foster collaboration between academia, industry, and government to promote sustainable maritime solutions.