Cyprus Mail 3 June 2020 - by Staff Reporter
File photo: Cruise ship
The shipping ministry has announced that Cyprus has been chosen as a location for the layup of six technically advanced cruise ships by one of the world’s leading cruise vessel operators.
The anchorage area will be at Limassol Moni. The ministry did not reveal which operator the vessels belonged to.
According to the ministry, the majority of modern cruise ships feature amongst the most advanced and environmentally friendly vessels ever constructed.
“The design of these high-technology, multi-million dollar vessels and the systems used in their operation are specifically built to meet the most stringent of environmental legislation and requirements and allow the vessels to operate in some of the most environmentally protected waters on our planet, such as Alaska and the Arctic,” the ministry said.
It added that the hosting of the vessels would bring positive financial income to the Cyprus economy, at a time when, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, it is under increasing pressure.
The vessels will be paying fees for anchorage, will be ordering goods and services from local suppliers to support the crews onboard – there are no passengers – and will be utilising local companies to provide technical support and assistance.
Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said: “Cyprus has proved that through close cooperation between the private and government sectors it is possible to work closely together and this has resulted in our country and location being selected over many other European Countries to host these multimillion dollar state of the art vessels.”
Natasa Pilides, Shipping Deputy Minister to the President, added: “The presence of these ships in Cyprus waters allows us to demonstrate the strong support infrastructure that we can provide to operators in the Cruise Industry that will stand us in a good position to develop our relationships for further business in the future.”
