We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Vassilios Demetriades as the newly Shipping Deputy Minister from 10th July 2020.
Mr. Demetriades will lead the Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry with a wealth of shipping knowledge and policy development experience from his service at the European Union (EU), aiming to continue Cyprus’ growth as a leading maritime hub and influencer.
Since the SDM’s inception, the Cyprus flag has seen significant growth, and currently ranks as the eleventh largest merchant fleet worldwide and the third largest fleet in the European Union.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Vassilios Demetriades said: “I am honoured to accept the position as Shipping Deputy Minister and to become part of this passionate, intellectual and dynamic ministry. Our ultimate goal is to continue growing Cyprus shipping and further develop our maritime cluster and flag. This will be achieved through the promotion of the Cyprus flag, continuous updating, simplification and modernisation of the relevant legislative framework to address the current and future challenges, quality improvements to the services we provide, and strengthening the collaboration with our stakeholders across the public and private sectors.
The shipping industry faces many challenges on a European and global level. Effective co-operation and collaboration between regulators and the industry lies at the heart of ensuring we are building a better, more sustainable future for shipping. I hope that my experience from previous roles in working with the EU towards enhancing the competitiveness of the sector and in promoting the benefits of a digital and environmentally sustainable future will support Cyprus’ continuing role in shaping progress.”
For the past five years, Mr Demetriades worked in the Directorate General of Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, coordinating the EU maritime transport strategy and its revision as well as the EU’s external maritime transport relations.