On Friday 9 October 2026, the DP World Terminal in Limassol will host the Italy-Cyprus Maritime Business Forum. Promoted by the Embassy of Italy in Nicosia, the Forum will bring together key players from the maritime and shipping sectors of both countries, with the aim of creating new opportunities for business cooperation.
The Forum is organised in cooperation with ICE – Italian Trade Agency, the Italian-Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEBE), the Cyprus Shipping Chamber, Invest Cyprus, the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cyprus-Italy Business Association, with the support of DP World. It is held under the auspices of the Shipping Deputy Ministry to the President of the Republic of Cyprus and with the support of the Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeftis.
The Forum focuses on trade relations in two sectors of key importance to both economies and of particular relevance in today’s regional geopolitical context: shipping and maritime services.
The maritime sector alone accounts for around 7% of Cyprus’ GDP, rising to approximately 25% when the wider blue economy – from coastal tourism to fisheries and aquaculture – is taken into account. Italy’s figures are equally striking and reflect its long-standing expertise in shipbuilding, insurance and logistics: the country ranks first in the world for its trade surplus in shipbuilding, with exports exceeding €5 billion in 2025, and is the global leader in superyachts, accounting for 56% of worldwide orders by volume and 36% by value.
The Forum is built on the conviction that cooperation between Italy and Cyprus in the blue economy should grow on two fronts. On the business front, the goal is to strengthen ties between the two business communities by connecting shipowners, ship managers, shipyards, port operators, insurers and service providers. On the strategic front, the aim is threefold: to support the development of sustainable ports that are increasingly integrated with their cities, within a European framework and in line with EU green transition rules; to promote best practices and high compliance standards in fleet management, harnessing the most suitable technologies to remain competitive; and to foster international cooperation along strategic maritime corridors, starting with IMEC, in order to attract new investment in ports and terminals.
Alongside the sessions, the Forum will provide networking opportunities designed to encourage direct dialogue and to build new partnerships and synergies between businesses and institutions from both countries. In addition to the Shipping Deputy Minister, Marina Hadjimanolis, and the Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeftis, participants will include the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, who will address the Forum by video message; Vittorio Torbianelli, Head of International Relations at the Port System Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea; and Rona Panteli, IMEC Representative and Head of the Connectivity Unit at the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of leading Italian and Cypriot industry associations and of companies from both countries active in shipping and maritime services will also take part.
“The sea has always connected Italy and Cyprus, and today it can become the engine of an even more ambitious economic partnership,” said the Ambassador of Italy to Cyprus, Antonella Cavallari. “Cyprus is one of the world’s great international shipping hubs, while Italy is a global benchmark in shipbuilding, logistics and green technologies. With this Forum, we want to turn this complementarity into concrete projects: new partnerships between companies, between ports and between port cities, looking ahead to the great trade routes of the future, such as the IMEC corridor. I would like to thank all our Italian and Cypriot partners who have made this initiative possible.”
The Forum will be held in English. More information is available on the event page: https://ambnicosia.esteri.it/en/news/dall_ambasciata/2026/10/forum-italia-cipro-sul-settore-marittimo-e-della-navigazione-9-ottobre-limassol/
The programme of the event is attached.
