As Cyprus’ shipping sector moved deeper into 2025, the conversation around the industry shifted decisively beyond tonnage and flag rankings, towards questions of sustainability, cooperation and long-term credibility.
A series of interviews published through the year captured how policymakers and industry figures see that transition unfolding, and the pressures shaping the course ahead.
In an interview with Cyprus Mail, Marina Hadjimanolis, Shipping Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic, described shipping as a strategic pillar that must evolve without losing its human core.
She spoke of registry growth and green incentives alongside seafarer welfare, training and gender inclusion, arguing that competitiveness and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
Cyprus, she said, is positioning itself as a reliable maritime partner and a bridge between Europe and the wider region, particularly as it prepares to place shipping high on the agenda of its 2026 EU Council Presidency.
Shipping, he said, is built over decades rather than cycles, with Cyprus’ credibility resting not only on its legal framework and registry but on the people who operate within it.
He pointed to the growing importance of digitalisation and sustainability incentives in keeping Cyprus competitive, while underlining that ease of doing business ultimately depends on confidence and continuity.
Neophytou warned that decarbonisation remains the industry’s most demanding challenge, stressing that progress must be global and achievable if it is not to undermine competitiveness.
He argued that Cyprus’ strength lies in close public-private cooperation and an active presence in international decision-making, ensuring that regulation reflects operational realities.
A fourth interview, focusing on how ESG and innovation are rewriting Eastern Mediterranean shipping, highlighted how sustainability has moved from a compliance exercise to a strategic driver.
Speaking to Cyprus Mail, Demetris Lemesianos said ESG considerations are now shaping investment decisions, operational behaviour and corporate culture across the sector.
While biofuels and digital tools offer near-term solutions, he cautioned that the transition to zero-carbon shipping will depend on policy clarity, cost, and coordinated global action.
Taken together, these conversations framed a year in which Cypriot shipping sought to reconcile environmental ambition with commercial resilience, and regional outreach with global responsibility.
Against this backdrop of transition, pressure and renewed international engagement, Cyprus’ shipping industry recorded institutional milestones, diplomatic outreach and sustained efforts to project influence well beyond the island’s size.
In January, the CSC confirmed that its director general, Thomas Kazakos, had been appointed secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), becoming the first Cypriot to lead the global organisation.
The appointment had been announced on December 18, 2024, with his term set to begin on April 1, 2025. The chamber said Kazakos was selected unanimously by the ICS board from internationally recognised candidates, calling it a milestone for Cyprus given the ICS’ century-long role as a leading voice in global shipping.
In a parallel message of support from the wider business community, Keve issued a congratulatory statement, describing the appointment as a distinguished achievement for Kazakos personally and for Cypriot shipping more broadly.
February brought a clear foreign-policy shipping track. Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis travelled to Doha from February 4 to 6, following an invitation from Qatar’s transport minister, with talks centred on sustainable development, maritime infrastructure and broader cooperation across the sector.
Around the same period, Cyprus also pushed deeper into the Gulf. Hadjimanolis signed two memoranda of understanding in Muscat with Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, covering maritime cooperation and the mutual recognition of certificates of competency for merchant ship officers, while underlining the intention to work together both bilaterally and within international maritime organisations.
By March, the agenda widened to skills, competitiveness and the workforce challenge at European level. At the European Shipping Summit in Brussels on March 19–20, Hadjimanolis took part in a panel on the skills gap, arguing for training programmes and policy initiatives to address expected shortages.
In the same context, she stressed what an official announcement described as the “fundamental role of women in shipping”.
At home, the deputy ministry also sharpened the “inclusivity” side of policy. A press conference at the Presidential Palace, hosted by Hadjimanolis and Gender Equality Commissioner Josie Christodoulou, launched a ‘Women in Shipping’ campaign, aimed at raising awareness and highlighting women’s growing role in the sector.
Hadjimanolis thanked Despina Theodosiou Panayiotou, Elpi Petraki, Natalia Bury Loyal, Pavlina Panayiotou and Veronica Agatha Pupou for appearing in the campaign video, describing them as role models, while linking the initiative to the priorities of President Nikos Christodoulides.
Security and resilience also moved up the list. Cyprus’ Digital Security Authority, working with the Shipping Deputy Ministry and the Israel National Cyber Directorate, hosted a maritime cybersecurity conference titled ‘Charting a New Course: Overcoming Maritime Challenges’, drawing around 70 public and private sector participants.
The event included representation from the US Embassy, the British High Commission, and Mandiant, reflecting how cybersecurity has become a mainstream operational risk in shipping.
April was shaped by Cyprus’ effort to project its shipping “brand” internationally. On April 1, Kazakos’ new term at the ICS came into effect, while the month also saw the 3rd Capital Link Cyprus Business Forum in New York, with President Christodoulides delivering the keynote at the Metropolitan Club and senior ministers, including Hadjimanolis, on the speaker list.
In a related push, Hadjimanolis travelled to New York from April 3 to 5, speaking on April 4 at the forum and promoting Cyprus’ shipping cluster and registry.
She pointed to the competitiveness of the tonnage tax system and described tangible results: an 18 per cent increase in the registry over the past sixteen months and a 15 per cent rise in companies registered under the tonnage tax regime.
Separately, Cyprus’ Ministry of Energy reported it had taken part in Sea Asia 2025 with a Cyprus booth, in cooperation with the Shipping Deputy Ministry and the Cyprus Trade Centre in Beijing, saying the stand attracted significant interest from business executives seeking information about Cyprus as a maritime and business hub.
The same international backdrop fed into a more reflective thread around Kazakos’ transition. In an interview, he spoke about key milestones for Cypriot shipping over three decades, the value of public-private cooperation and the responsibilities of representing more than 80 per cent of the world’s merchant fleet.
He framed the timing as difficult, with decarbonisation and digitisation pressures rising, alongside an increasingly protectionist political climate.
In his own words, after “33 years at the Chamber and 30 as Director General,” he said he had accumulated deep specialist knowledge in maritime policy and the administration of maritime organisations.
May then emphasised the EU policy track and Cyprus’ northern-European outreach. Hadjimanolis travelled to Szczecin, Poland, for a working visit, attending the informal council of EU ministers responsible for shipping under the Polish EU Presidency and delivering a keynote at the 11th International Maritime Congress on May 15–16.
In follow-up reporting, Cyprus said she urged counterparts to safeguard European shipping competitiveness and focus on attracting skilled professionals, as the meeting concluded with the adoption of the Szczecin Declaration, aimed at strengthening EU shipping, shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing capacity under the Industrial Maritime Strategy.
On the sidelines, she held bilateral meetings with Greece’s deputy minister Stefanos Ghikas, Norway’s minister Marianne Sivertsen Naess, and Iceland’s minister Eyjolfur Armannsson.
Later in May, shipping also sat prominently in Cyprus’ expanding bilateral agenda with Finland. Hadjimanolis joined the president’s delegation to Helsinki from May 21 to 23, participating in a business maritime forum and holding a bilateral meeting with Minna Kivimaki, Finland’s director general at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
A joint statement listed cooperation areas spanning digitalisation, alternative fuels, cybersecurity, maritime education and gender equality, including increasing women’s participation.
Keve also reported it organised a business mission to Helsinki in parallel with the president’s visit, with B2B meetings focused on shipping and maritime technology.
The forum was also linked to ongoing dialogue first launched in March at the European Shipping Summit with Finland’s minister Lulu Ranne, while the Cypriot delegation toured Finland’s offshore patrol vessel Turva hosted by the Border Guard.
Early summer brought the “connectivity” story back into focus through the revived Cyprus–Greece ferry link. Figures showed 7,719 passengers had already reserved seats for the 2025 season, with bookings slightly higher from Greece to Cyprus than in the opposite direction.
The Daleela, operated by Scandro Holding Ltd, was reported as close to full across its 22 sailings, marking sustained demand since the route’s return in 2022 after a 21-year hiatus.
When the service resumed with a Limassol departure for Piraeus, Hadjimanolis described the ferry as the only maritime link between the two countries and said demand continued to grow.
The 2025 season had been extended through 2027 by cabinet decision, and she said the route, backed by €5.5 million in annual support as a service of general economic interest, offered an alternative for travellers who struggle with air travel.
The launch sailing carried 187 passengers, 66 vehicles, 36 motorcycles and 8 pets, with more than 6,500 tickets already booked for the season and around 2,000 vehicles registered. August sailings were reported as fully booked, with limited space remaining in June and July and a final trip scheduled for September 2.
Through the middle of the year, Cyprus also pressed on with “cluster building” at home.
The Shipping Deputy Ministry said it had integrated gender equality promotion activities into its operations, aligning with the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goal and supporting campaigns, mentoring and training.
It also pointed to two postgraduate scholarships: one for the MSc in Maritime Affairs at the World Maritime University in Sweden and another for an LL.M in International Maritime Law at the IMLI in Malta.
In a further signal of institutionalising this work, the deputy ministry announced the launch of the second Gender Equality Award in Cypriot Shipping for 2025, following a cabinet decision to make the award an annual institution, presented on behalf of the president around the International Day for Women in Maritime.
At the same time, the “nuts-and-bolts” domestic agenda remained visible. Plans advanced for a new deputy ministry headquarters on the site of the former Nemitsas factory in Limassol, though the timeframe was left uncertain due to required approvals from multiple departments, including development planning and the environment.
Separately, Eurogate Limassol outlined plans to expand container terminal storage capacity by demolishing one of two pre-privatisation warehouses, saying the move would free up 10,000 to 15,000 square metres and raise storage capacity by around 15 to 20 per cent, with works expected to begin in early 2026 and last around four months.
By late summer, Cyprus’ external messaging leaned increasingly into labour standards and seafarer welfare. At events linked to the International Transport Workers’ Federation in Limassol, Hadjimanolis said seafarer welfare was at the top of the ministry’s priorities and that, during Cyprus’ EU Council Presidency in 2026, a declaration is expected on seafarers’ training and strengthening women’s inclusion in the maritime industry.
Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, speaking at the ITF Maritime Roundtable, also framed Cyprus as a leading shipping centre with a modern registry, dynamic ports and a strong logistics network, while calling for cooperation among stakeholders to secure a fair and sustainable industry.
September reinforced the message that Cyprus was building influence well beyond the EU. Hadjimanolis travelled to Jeddah on September 3–4 for the 2nd Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference, where Cyprus said she was the only EU minister on the high-level panel.
The visit, held at the invitation of Saudi Arabia’s transport and supply chain minister, was framed as a sign of Cyprus’ credibility in the Gulf and its commitment to innovation, inclusiveness and international engagement, with emphasis on multilateral cooperation through the IMO and other fora.
In the same period, she also departed for London International Shipping Week 2025, planning to participate in the Capital Link Shipping & Marine Services Forum and to deliver a speech titled “When Women Lead” at an event co-organised by WISTA UK and Seatrade Maritime News, while hosting a reception at the Cyprus High Commission.
Another London working visit focused on bilateral shipping ties with the UK and Cyprus’ campaign for re-election to the IMO Council, including a bilateral meeting with UK Shipping Minister Mike Kane and discussion of joint initiatives under the maritime administrations’ MoU.
October became the year’s centre of gravity for decarbonisation and regulatory politics. Ahead of the IMO’s MEPC Extraordinary Session from October 14 to 17, the European Commission stated that the EU supports ambitious global measures at IMO level to decarbonise shipping and ensure a level playing field internationally, signalling that progress at the IMO could influence how EU policy tools evolve.
Cyprus’ shipping community, however, also showed its internal debate.
The Cyprus Union of Shipowners (CUS) appealed to EU member states and the Cypriot government to vote against the proposed Net-Zero Framework, arguing that more time was needed for consensus and warning of economic and inflationary effects, particularly for SMEs.
At the same time, the CSC backed a joint statement by seven major international maritime organisations urging governments to adopt the Net-Zero Framework, emphasising the split between different parts of the industry on how to balance speed, cost and competitiveness.
Bilateral cooperation with key regional partners also moved forward in October. Cyprus and Egypt held the first meeting of their Joint Maritime Committee in Limassol on October 15–16, activating the Merchant Shipping Agreement signed in 2006.
The committee, co-chaired by Stelios Himonas and Egypt’s Rear Admiral Nihad Shaheen, was presented as a permanent platform for dialogue and coordination on maritime matters and a practical tool to deepen the two countries’ long-term relationship.
The final quarter broadened out again, mixing diplomacy, sector performance data and security worries. Cyprus marked the 65th anniversary of independence with an event in London, where Hadjimanolis spoke about reunification efforts, Cyprus’ regional role and the strategic value of shipping, before an audience that included officials linked to the IMO and diplomatic, business and diaspora representatives.
In Turkmenistan, the deputy ministry also reported Hadjimanolis’ participation at the 3rd UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) in Awaza, where she supported the Awaza Programme of Action and stressed inclusive, human-centred development that benefits women, youth and marginalised groups.
As the year moved on, shipping’s “hard numbers” were put on the table. The Central Bank of Cyprus’ (CBC) ship management survey showed revenues of €978 million in the first half of 2025, equivalent to 5.5 per cent of half-year GDP and 6.7 per cent higher than the second half of 2024.
The data also showed industry concentration: 27 per cent of companies accounted for 85 per cent of total revenues, while the revenue distribution included 31 per cent of firms between €2 million and €20 million and another 31 per cent above €20 million. The CSC welcomed the findings, describing ship management as a dynamic pillar that creates value, jobs and international prestige.
November and December brought the year’s institutional “end notes”.
The IMO confirmed the composition of its next 40-member Council, with Cyprus securing a seat in Category (c). The new Council was set to convene for its 136th session on December 4, when the chair and vice-chair for the 2026–2027 biennium would be chosen.
In the same forward-looking spirit, Hadjimanolis said Limassol would host major maritime events during Cyprus’ EU Council Presidency in 2026, with shipping among the government’s top priorities.
She described Maritime Cyprus as an established institution and said the 2025 edition exceeded expectations, helped by the presence of shipowners, regulators and international organisations, including the IMO secretary general and two EU commissioners.
That wider Maritime Cyprus 2025 story, running through the year’s later months, also framed Cyprus’ effort to position itself as a bridge between regions.
The conference opened in Limassol under the theme “Unlocking the Future of Shipping,” drawing more than 1,000 delegates from 35 countries.
Himonas described the event, held since 1989, as a meeting point for those who govern, regulate, innovate and navigate, where the sector confronts decarbonisation, digitalisation and geopolitical uncertainty collectively.
Hadjimanolis told delegates that the heart of international shipping beats strongly in Cyprus and welcomed ministerial counterparts.
European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, speaking at the conference, said Cyprus’ 2026 EU Presidency would be decisive for transport policy and that Cyprus would help shape the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy, the EU Port Strategy and the Military Mobility Package, while also pointing to an expected European Strategy for Tourism by Easter next year.
In the conference’s high-level ministerial panel, “Winds of Change: Ministers at the Helm of Maritime Transformation,” ministers from Cyprus, Greece, Bahrain and Qatar argued for regional policy alignment and stronger cooperation through platforms such as the IMO.
Alongside the conference programme, the CSC hosted a reception attended by more than 800 guests, where its president Andreas Neophytou described shipping as a cornerstone of the national economy.
At a Presidential Palace dinner marking the start of the conference, President Christodoulides said one of the government’s main goals, qualitative strengthening of the Cypriot registry, had been achieved, citing an increase approaching twenty per cent over the past two years.
He later reinforced the same message at the CSC’s 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Limassol, where House president Annita Demetriou described shipping as a strategic pillar and a source of national pride, while also saying Cyprus’ maritime heritage would only be fully restored when Cypriot-flagged ships sail freely again from Famagusta and Kyrenia.
The AGM was also the setting for a leadership transition, with Andreas Neophytou named CSC president, in late May, and for the government’s wider EU-Presidency framing, as Christodoulides said shipping would be among Cyprus’ key priorities in 2026 and pointed again to registry growth and a 15 per cent increase in the tonnage tax system.
The year ended with shipping’s global challenges looking sharper, not softer. The ICS said it was disappointed after the IMO’s MEPC extraordinary session failed to reach agreement on a Net-Zero Framework, with Kazakos warning the industry needed clarity to make the investments required to decarbonise in line with the IMO GHG strategy and insisting the IMO remains the right body to deliver global rules for a global industry.
Meanwhile, at Seatrade Maritime Crew Connect Global in Manila, Kazakos argued seafarers must be able to perform their duties without risking their lives, describing a global trade landscape “shifting beneath our feet” as protectionism rises and cooperation weakens.
Industry voices also pointed to growing operational threats, including deliberate missile launches, drone attacks and GPS spoofing, and to ongoing work on updated best management practices and real-time intelligence tools.
Even environmental governance at home was pulled into the same “capacity and coordination” debate. Cyprus moved toward tighter oversight of marine pollution in Limassol Bay, with plans for a Pollution Response Supervision and Coordination Unit (PRSCU) under the Shipping Deputy Ministry to become operational in early 2026.
Coordination was expected to be assigned to Theodoulos Mesimeris, with officials pointing to his long experience in environmental regulation, as the state sought a more unified response after years of fragmented oversight.
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