Cyprus and Bahrain signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) on maritime cooperation, expanding ties across maritime safety, training, search and rescue and innovation following high-level talks in Manama on Sunday.

The agreement was signed during a bilateral meeting between Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis and Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

It covers a broad range of areas, including maritime safety and security, education and training, search and rescue, innovation, as well as the exchange of expertise and best practices.

The two sides also agreed that the signing should be followed by practical steps, including the creation of joint working groups to turn the agreement into specific areas of cooperation.

Hadjimanolis was accompanied at the meeting by Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) president Stavros Stavrou and Cyprus’ ambassador to Bahrain, Andreas Eliades.

Her visit, which runs from September 5 to 8, came at the invitation of the Bahraini minister and follows President Nikos Christodoulides’ official visit to the kingdom in January.

The Shipping Deputy Ministry said the trip was taking place during a particularly difficult period for the wider region, adding that Hadjimanolis’ presence carried a message of solidarity and support for Bahrain while underlining the importance Nicosia places on the relationship.

Sunday’s agreement also builds on the closer Cyprus-Bahrain cooperation developed during Christodoulides’ January visit, when the two countries signed a series of agreements covering areas including defence, higher education, tourism and search and rescue.

That visit also included the first Cyprus-Bahrain Business Forum, bringing companies from the two countries together to explore opportunities in areas ranging from financial services and technology to renewable energy, shipping and marine technology.

The latest talks therefore move the maritime part of the relationship further, with both governments now looking to develop cooperation at institutional and technical level and establish channels for exchanging knowledge between their respective shipping sectors.

For Cyprus, the agreement adds Bahrain to a growing network of bilateral maritime partnerships aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas where shipping administrations increasingly face common challenges, particularly safety, security, training and technology.