Cyprus’ Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis took part in a ministerial panel at the 2nd Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference (SMIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, addressing global leaders on ‘Resilience, Cooperation, and Vision in a Changing World’.

Alongside Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser and other senior officials, Hadjimanolis reaffirmed Cyprus’ commitment to innovation, inclusiveness, and active international engagement.

According to the announcement, she stressed that the country is working to drive efforts toward a resilient, sustainable, and future-ready maritime sector.

She explained that stronger cooperation among nations, particularly within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and other global fora, was essential for improving efficiency, ensuring safer operations, and accelerating innovation.

At the same time, the minister pointed to the importance of investing in people.

She highlighted the need for upskilling and reskilling seafarers, describing them as “the backbone of the maritime industry.”