Fact: Kition Ocean Holdings is fully prepared to proceed with the Larnaca port and marina project, but there is a massive gap in mutual understanding between the company and the ministry of transport, leading to ongoing delays and disagreements.
Fact: Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis traveled to Guangzhou, China to attend the naming ceremony of the cargo ship ‘AAL Limassol’, owned by AAL Shipping, a subsidiary of Schoeller Holdings.
Delegates attending the inaugural Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting in Cyprus on April 19 have committed to advancing their discussions at upcoming global summits.
Construction work on Larnaca’s marina and port will begin in June. The guarantee for the project must be paid immediately by Kition Ocean Holdings, with a total of €4.2 million paid out of a total expected amount of €10m. The construction license is set to be issued on April 26.
Cyprus is the champion country for Sustainable Aquaculture under the Commonwealth Blue Charter.
– Transport Minister Alexis Vafeadis stated that the contractor company’s guarantee for the unified development of the Larnaca Port and Marina has not been received yet.
– A two-day deadline will be granted for the guarantee to be provided, after which instructions will be sought from the Legal Service.
– The financial guarantee under the contract amounts to €10 million, with the consortium having placed €4.2 million so far.
– The consortium filed a case against the government for causing delays and breaching the contract.
– The guarantee is an essential term of the contract and needs to be submitted for the project to move forward.
– Competent committees require time to review the contractor’s requests, which may take longer than a week.
– Larnaca’s Mayor emphasized the need for timely action to ensure the commencement of construction work on the project.
The Commonwealth and the Republic of Cyprus have signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Commonwealth Blue Charter Centre of Excellence in Larnaca.
The first PopUp Talks event was held at Argaka primary school on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Over 100 participants from the Paphos District village and surrounding areas attended, showing a desire for intellectual stimulation.
Ticket sales for the Daleela passenger and car ferry have increased by 30% compared to last season, with 3,000 passengers booking their journey in the first 24 hours. The ferry will operate from the end of May to early September, with departures on Wednesdays and Sundays from Limassol and Tuesdays and Fridays from Piraeus. Ticket prices have slightly increased, with a subsidy of €5.5 million provided annually. The ferry link between Cyprus and Greece was reinstated in 2022 after 20 years, supported by a state subsidy.
Elementary schools in Cyprus have adopted 1,000 ships in almost two decades as part of an international awareness campaign initiated by the Cyprus Shipping Chamber.