Shipping Deputy Minister holds succesful meetings in Poland (pics)

Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hadjimanolis participated in the Informal Council of European Union Ministers responsible for Shipping, organised by the Polish Presidency in Szczecin, Poland.

During the 15 May Council, the Deputy Minister underlined the importance of maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of the European Union's shipping industry, mentioning specific actions and activities to attract appropriately trained human resources to the European shipping sector.

As noted in an announceemnt from the Deputy Ministry, the Council adopted Declaration of Szczecin on 'Enhancing the global competitiveness and resilience of Europe's shipping, shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing sector and the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy'.

On the sidelines of the council, the Deputy Minister of Shipping had bilateral meetings with Greece's Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, Stefanos Gkikas , the Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy of Norway, Marianne Sivertsen Naess and the Minister of Transport and Local Government of Iceland, Eyjólfur Ármannsson, where they discussed issues of common interest. They also talked about the challenges facing European and global shipping, as well as the actions and initiatives of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, during the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. They also agreed to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries on maritime transport issues.

The Deputy Minister also participated as a keynote speaker at the 11th International Maritime Congress in Szczecin , Poland, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk. During her speech, the Deputy Minister of Shipping, among other things, emphasised the need for sustainable development of global shipping and called on all stakeholders to take collective action in this direction.

In addition, during the visit, Hadjimanolis held meetings with shipowners of shipping companies based in Szczecin , Poland. During the meetings, the prospects for registering ships of the companies' fleet under the Cyprus flag were discussed, with the companies showing particular interest in positively considering strengthening their cooperation with the Deputy Ministry of Shipping.