Shipping Minister pays Qatar official visit to strengthen ties with Gulf countries

Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hadjimanolis, paid an official visit to Qatar, during which she met with the country’s Minister of Transport as well as the Minister of Transport of Saudi Arabia and other officials.

The visit aimed to enhance bilateral maritime relations between Cyprus and the Gulf countries.

The visit to Doha took place between 4-6 February following an invitation from Qatar’s Minister of Transport, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Thani, a Deputy Ministry of Shipping press release said.

During her stay, Deputy Minister Hadjimanolis engaged in bilateral talks with Qatar's Transport Minister, focusing on enhancing maritime relations and exploring potential areas for deeper cooperation. The discussions emphasised sustainable development and the challenges facing the global shipping sector. Qatar’s Minister highlighted the country's advanced maritime infrastructure and the significant opportunities for collaboration between the two nations.

Hadjimanolis noted Cyprus’ pivotal role in ship management and maritime services, pointing out the presence of a substantial number of companies operating in Cyprus. She also reaffirmed the Cypriot government’s clear political commitment to strengthening its bilateral relations with Qatar through mutually beneficial partnerships, emphasising that maritime cooperation remains a key priority.

Both parties confirmed their excellent collaboration within the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

As part of her visit, Hadjimanolis attended the opening session of the ‘Seatrade Maritime Qatar’ conference. The conference, hosted in Qatar for the first time, featured prominent industry stakeholders, including the Secretary-General of the IMO. Hadjimanolis was the only Minister from the European Union to participate in the event.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Cypriot Deputy Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Minister of Transport of Saudi Arabia. Both sides agreed to advance beneficial maritime cooperation between their countries. Talks are already underway between the relevant Ministries to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will facilitate collaboration in specific areas of shared interest.

Additionally, Hadjimanolis met with Fahad bin Saad Al-Qahtani, CEO of MILAHA Group, one of the leading maritime companies in the Middle East. Their discussion focused on potential areas of cooperation, highlighting the importance of innovation, sustainability in maritime transport, and joint initiatives to support the shipping industries of both nations.

During her visit, Hadjimanolis toured Qatar’s cruise terminal, where she was briefed on the facilities and services provided to cruise tourism. The Deputy Minister noted that Cyprus was in the process of implementing its national strategy for cruise tourism and emphasized the value of exchanging best practices and expertise with Qatar.

(Source: CNA)