Cyprus is a leading modern international shipping and maritime centre with a proven success story for decades – a number of its characteristics and accreditations include:
- 1st ship management centre in Europe;
- 3rd largest ship management centre in the world, managing more than 20% of the worlds’ third party managed fleet;
- 3rd largest merchant fleet in Europe;
- European Union (EU) Open Registry;
- EU-approved Tonnage Tax System (TTS);
- In the “White list” of Paris and Tokyo MoU’s for safety;
- Prominent role in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) organisations and the EU;
- Deputy Ministry of Shipping; and
- Modern and effective maritime infrastructure.
Shipping in Cyprus started to evolve hundreds of years ago, with the island gaining a lot of expert knowledge in sailing and trading by its many different conquerors such as the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the French, the Venetians and the British.