Shipping Deputy Ministry (SDM)

Republic of Cyprus

The Shipping Deputy Ministry was established on the 1st of March 2018 according to the “Establishment of a Shipping Deputy Ministry and Appointment of a Shipping Deputy Minister to the President and Related Matters Law of 2017”. The functions of the Deputy Ministry include, inter alia, the following:
(a) The development of a comprehensive national shipping strategy for the expansion of the Cyprus Register of Ships and the Cyprus shipping cluster,
(b) the coordination and implementation of the national shipping strategy, through the necessary horizontal policies,
(c) the continuous updating and implementation of shipping legislation in all matters relating to the Deputy Ministry’s competencies, including the registration of ships in the Cyprus Register of Ships and the issuing of relevant certificates and licenses,
(d) the promotion and support of investments in shipping, including the development and implementation of incentives,
(e) the promotion of maritime training and education,
(f) the design and implementation of a promotion strategy and related campaigns and activities both in Cyprus and abroad,
(g) the preparation of studies, market research, analysis of current trends in shipping, the management of statistical data, the evaluation of the performance of programs and projects relevant to the shipping sector,
(h) the upgrading and modernization of the structure and procedures of the Deputy Ministry and the continuous upgrading of the quality of the services provided, as well as the promotion of innovation in the shipping sector;
(i) the supervision and regulation of the shipping sector, the cooperation with other supervisory authorities, as well as the provision of support and information to shipping companies on shipping legislation,
(j) the preparation and submission of proposals for reforms, which include, among other, the simplification of procedures for attracting shipping investment, enhancing competitiveness and further developing the shipping industry.

The Cyprus Registry has shown phenomenal growth in the last twenty years, with ranking among the top ten registries worldwide with a merchant fleet exceeding 20 million gross tons.

Before the establisment of the Shipping Deputy Ministry, the Department of Merchant Shipping (DMS) was the entity responsible for the above functions. DMS was established and started functioning as a distinct entity in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, in 1977. The service existed, however since 1963 and functioned under the Department of Ports.