The Deputy Minister of Shipping of Cyprus, Marina Hadjimanolis, signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Sultanate of Oman during her official visit on February 2-3. The agreements were signed following an official invitation from the Omani Minister of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology.

During the signing ceremony, two MoUs were established to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the maritime sector between Cyprus and Oman. A third MoU was signed for the mutual recognition of certificates of competency for commercial ship officers issued by the relevant authorities of both countries.

“These cooperation agreements reaffirm the mutual commitment of both the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Shipping and the Omani Ministry of Transport, as well as the two governments, to further strengthen their collaboration,” the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Shipping stated in an official announcement.

The ceremony was attended by Oman's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Prior to the signing, Hadjimanolis held a bilateral meeting with her Omani counterpart, where they discussed topics of common interest reflected in the agreements.

Hadjimanolis extended an official invitation to the Omani Minister of Transport to visit Cyprus during the ‘Maritime Cyprus 2025’ conference. The invitation was accepted.

On the initiative of the Omani Minister of Transport, a meeting was also arranged with the Omani Minister of Tourism. Discussions focused on Cyprus' new national strategy to boost cruise tourism, coordinated by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping. Both ministers agreed to collaborate by exchanging best practices, given that cruise tourism is a priority for both nations.

As part of efforts to promote Cypriot shipping, particularly the Cyprus Ship Registry, Hadjimanolis met with the executive team of Asyad, Oman's state-owned shipping company and owner of a significant fleet.

During the meeting, the advantages of the Cyprus Ship Registry and Cyprus' status as a leading ship management hub were presented. The government's plans to further develop the sector through immediate policy implementation aimed at attracting and expanding maritime-related services were also explained. The Omani Deputy Minister of Transport was present at the meeting.

Hadjimanolis also visited Oman’s Maritime Security Center, where she was briefed on its operational framework and ongoing missions. Particular emphasis was placed on the center’s environmental protection operations.

Throughout all engagements, the Deputy Minister was accompanied by the Ambassador of Cyprus to Oman, Agis Loizou.