Cyprus Commissions Study to Attract Maritime Tech and New Shipping Firms
Cyprus has commissioned a study to identify what the shipping industry needs and to design measures and incentives that attract new shipping companies, technology firms and specialised services to the island, Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a conference in Limassol titled “Is maritime technology delivering? From business performance to life at sea,” she said the goal is to strengthen Cyprus’s position as an international shipping centre and make it a place where new maritime technologies are developed, tested and put to use.
Moving beyond ship management
The study will review the full range of shipping services currently offered in Cyprus, pinpoint gaps and challenges, and propose specific new business opportunities. It will concentrate on maritime technology, software development, digital solutions, research and innovation, as Cyprus looks to broaden its shipping sector beyond traditional ship management.
Hadjimanolis added that shipping and maritime transport are one of five economic sectors covered by the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2026-2032, which the Cabinet approved on Tuesday. The strategy aims to deploy AI where it can add genuine value by improving efficiency, safety and competitiveness in business.
Digitalising administration
The deputy ministry is also modernising its own operations through the CYSh1P platform. According to Hadjimanolis, the platform is designed to simplify procedures, reduce bureaucracy, increase transparency and speed up services for shipowners, ship managers and other industry professionals.
She highlighted Cyprus’s strengths, including close cooperation between the shipping administration and industry, a large concentration of shipping companies and ship managers, strong research capabilities and a growing start-up community.
From promise to measurable results
The conversation about maritime technology, she said, should shift from what new systems might achieve in theory to the measurable results they deliver. She identified four key tests: greater operational efficiency, better decision-making, improved safety and resilience, and better working conditions for seafarers.
Technology firms and start-ups must understand the real operational needs of the industry, while shipping companies need access to practical, scalable and commercially viable solutions, she said. The state’s role, she explained, is not to dictate which technologies companies adopt, but to provide a predictable regulatory framework and modern administrative services, and to create opportunities for developing and testing new applications.
Preparing seafarers for the future
As seafarers increasingly serve on more advanced vessels and operate complex digital systems, Hadjimanolis stressed the need for investment in education and continuous training. The green and digital transition must go hand in hand with workforce preparation, she said, so the industry stays attractive to younger generations.
The innovation Cyprus wants to encourage, she concluded, should make shipping more competitive, safe and sustainable, reduce operational complexity, and support the human factor rather than replace it. She also noted Cyprus’s consistent backing at EU level for digitalisation and innovation initiatives that make European shipping more sustainable and resilient.
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