**Cyprus Takes Shipping Competitiveness Push to Brussels**
Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis is set to embark on a significant trip to Brussels from September 28 to 30, where she will engage in high-level discussions concerning the future of European shipping and port operations. This visit follows an official invitation from European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, to attend the Connecting Europe Days 2026 event.
The Connecting Europe Days, which runs from September 28 to October 1, is a flagship event organized by the European Commission focused on mobility and transport. It aims to bring together policymakers, financial institutions, industry representatives, and transport stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for creating a competitive, resilient, safe, and sustainable transport sector across Europe.
During her time in Brussels, Hadjimanolis will participate in a high-level plenary session titled “Gateways to Europe and the world: ports and the maritime sector in transition,” scheduled for September 29 from 4:45 PM to 6:30 PM. This session will delve into the priorities outlined in the Industrial Maritime Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy, exploring their implications for Europe’s maritime value chains and infrastructure.
Key topics on the agenda include enhancing the competitiveness of the European shipping sector, addressing geopolitical pressures, fleet renewal, and decarbonisation efforts. The discussions will also focus on strengthening Europe’s maritime industrial capacity and aligning these strategies with climate objectives and the bloc's economic and security interests.
Hadjimanolis is expected to engage in a fireside discussion with Irish Minister of State Timmy Dooley, while an industry panel will feature prominent figures, including Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri, Andonis Lemos, co-chair of ENESEL Group, Niels den Nijs, CEO of Titan Clean Fuels, and Ansis Zeltiņš, CEO of the Freeport of Riga Authority.
The Brussels meetings follow the European Commission's adoption of two new maritime strategies in March, which focus on ports, shipping, and shipbuilding. These strategies aim to bolster competitiveness, sustainability, security, and resilience within the maritime sector. Under the Industrial Maritime Strategy, the European Commission has proposed measures to enhance European shipbuilding, shipping, maritime technology, and industrial capacity while supporting the sector's transition towards clean and digital practices. A notable initiative is the establishment of an EU Industrial Maritime Value Chains Alliance.
European shipping currently accounts for over one-third of global shipping tonnage, while European ports manage approximately 74% of the EU's external trade, handling around 3.4 billion tonnes of goods annually and nearly 395 million passengers. The Ports Strategy specifically addresses the competitiveness, resilience, security, and sustainability of these facilities as they expand their roles in trade, energy, industry, and security. Additionally, the strategy emphasizes the need for increased capacity, digitalization, and decarbonisation within the sector.
This trip to Brussels also follows a recent maritime conference held in Limassol on September 9, where representatives from Cyprus, Greece, and Malta, along with Italy, discussed challenges facing international shipping, the competitiveness of European shipping, and advancements in maritime decarbonisation at both the EU and International Maritime Organisation levels. The meeting concluded with a joint declaration reaffirming the commitment to enhance cooperation and coordination on maritime issues in anticipation of further discussions within the EU and IMO.
Hadjimanolis' participation in the Brussels discussions is part of Cyprus' broader engagement in shaping and implementing Europe’s new maritime policy framework, which encompasses vital measures related to fleet renewal, infrastructure development, alternative fuels, industrial capacity, and regulatory frameworks.
As the shipping industry faces evolving challenges and opportunities, Cyprus is positioning itself as an active participant in the dialogue aimed at fostering a competitive and sustainable maritime environment in Europe.