BAN ON SAILING FROM 5 BEAUFORT - ARRESTS, FINES AND TWO YEARS IN PRISON FOR VIOLATORS - WHAT THE NEW REGULATIONS PROVIDE FOR - Filenews 27/10 by Andreas Athanasiou
Almost two months after the deadly storm in Cape Greco, which claimed the life of Dimi Mavropoulos, the Deputy Ministry of Shipping has put to public consultation the Regulations for the prohibition of boats sailing in adverse weather conditions.
The draft provides for a ban of five Beaufort for smaller boats, imprisonment of up to two years, a fine of up to €8,500, and even arrests without a warrant for those who violate the ban.
The tragedy of 29 August in Cape Greco forced the Government to speed up the procedures to fill a serious gap in the legislation concerning maritime safety. The Deputy Ministry of Shipping has completed the draft of the "Prohibition of Departure of Vessels due to Adverse Weather and Maritime Conditions Regulations of 2026", which was made public on October 23 and is in public consultation until November 6.
In the introductory report, which accompanies the Regulations, it is characteristically stated that "for private vessels with a gross tonnage of less than 300 units, there is currently no provision for a prohibition of sailing, a gap which is covered by the proposed Regulations".
On the contrary, for ships with a tonnage of 300 units or more, Article 21 of the Merchant Marine (Community Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System) already gives the Deputy Ministry of Shipping the power to take, in the event of particularly unfavourable meteorological or maritime conditions, appropriate measures, which may include the recommendation or prohibition of departure or landing.
The new Regulations will cover Cypriot and foreign vessels with a tonnage of less than 300 units, as well as coastal passenger vessels regardless of tonnage.
From 5 Beaufort the prohibitive
The draft sets specific wind and sea conditions limits, depending on the length of the vessel. For boats up to nine meters in length, sailing will be prohibited when winds of five Beaufort and above and rough seas are predicted.
The prohibition limits in detail:
The draft specifies that "the ban applies when, according to a valid official weather bulletin, both parameters are met", i.e. both the predicted wind intensity and the predicted state of the sea.
The prohibition will apply in the areas for which the specific conditions are provided. It concerns departures from ports or port facilities, fishing shelters, marinas and yacht moorings.
Arrests without warrant and imprisonment
The provisions for those who violate the prohibition are particularly strict. According to the regulations, "a member of the Police may arrest, without an arrest warrant, any person who violates or obstructs the implementation of the travel ban".
Regulation 8 provides that anyone who violates the prohibition of departure or fails to comply with the obligations applicable to vessels already at sea is guilty of a criminal offence.
In case of conviction, there is a "prison sentence not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding €8,500 or both".
The Regulations also include a provision for the imposition of an administrative fine, in accordance with Articles 8 and 8A of the ratifying laws of the international SOLAS Convention.
The monitoring and enforcement of the bans will be undertaken by the Police, in cooperation with the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, the Ports Authority, the Department of Fisheries, the Search and Rescue Coordination Center and the managers of ports and marinas.
Mandatory search for a safe haven
The draft provides for what will happen to the boats that are already at sea at the time the prohibition of sailing comes into force.
According to Regulation 5, a vessel that is outside a port or other berthing "is obliged to remain in a safe place of refuge or to head immediately to the nearest safe port, port facility, fishing shelter, marina or berthing area".
Skippers must also comply with the announcements of the Coastal Station CYPRUS RADIO, the Search and Rescue Coordination Center of the Ministry of Defense and the members of the Police. This provision is included in the provisions for which criminal penalties are provided for in case of non-compliance.
Sailing boats participating in races are excluded
The draft also includes an exemption from the prohibition for sailing boats participating in sporting events.
Also excluded from the scope of the Regulations are warships, vessels owned or used by the Republic, as well as those participating in search and rescue operations following instructions or approval by the competent Center.
How will the prohibition be issued?
The process will start from the Department of Meteorology, which issues the official Marine Bulletin four times a day, covering areas up to eight kilometers from the coast of the Republic.
When conditions that meet the prohibition criteria are foreseen, the Director of the Department of Meteorology will inform the Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping without delay, specifying the affected areas and the period of time for which the specific conditions are expected.
An announcement by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping will follow, in which the areas, the categories of vessels and the start and end time of the ban will be determined.
The announcement will be broadcast through CYPRUS RADIO, by VHF and NAVTEX, while the managers of ports, marinas and fishing shelters will be obliged "to inform without delay the docked and anchored vessels in their areas of responsibility".
At the same time, Regulation 6 stipulates that every pilot or skipper has an obligation "to be informed of the valid official weather report before each departure" and not to endanger the safety of the vessel and its occupants.
Transitional measure until the establishment of the Coast Guard
The Regulations were prepared following the decision of the Council of Ministers of September 4, which instructed to examine the possibility of prohibiting the departure of vessels through the existing legislation, until the establishment and operation of the Cyprus Coast Guard.
According to the introductory report, the Regulations are being promoted "as an immediate transitional arrangement" until the legislative framework for the establishment of the Coast Guard Service of the Republic is implemented.
The Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hatzimanoli, had stated after the meeting of the Cabinet that the ratifying laws of the international SOLAS convention would be used, as the process of issuing Regulations on the basis of existing legislation is considered shorter.
"With the same process, which we consider to be shorter, we will be able to fill this gap that has been created," he said.
The establishment of the Cyprus Coast Guard was preceded by a decision of the Council of Ministers on March 16, 2026.
The draft was prepared by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, after consultation with the Port and Maritime Police, the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, the Department of Meteorology, the Department of Fisheries, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the Cyprus Ports Authority.
