On Monday 13^th January the second tripartite meeting between Malta, Greece and Cyprus took place in Nicosia.  The Minister for Transport and the Infrastructure in Malta, Mr. Joe Mizzi and the Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness and Economic Growth in Malta, Dr Edward Zammit Lewis represented Malta at the meeting, whilst the Minister of Shipping and the Aegean in Greece, Mr Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the Cypriot Minister of Communications and Works, Mr. Tasos Mitsopoulos and high level officials from the three ministries represented their respective countries. Present at the meeting was also the President of Cyprus Mr. Nikos Anastasiades.

The meeting was held within the framework of the trilateral co-operation between Malta, Greece and Cyprus on maritime issues in the European Union under the Greek Presidency of the EU Council, aiming at the formulation of a common strategy in shipping which will strengthen the longstanding position of the three countries in the shipping sector. Despite the fact that the maritime registry of the three countries are considered to be in competition it is agreed by all that the formation of a common shipping strategy between the three countries and cooperation on a technocratic and political level is a ultimately beneficial to all and should be a priority.

The Ministers expressed their intention to continue working closely in order to preserve the competitiveness of the shipping industry and made clear their commitment to contributing to its further development.  After all Malta, Greece and Cyprus are the three larger maritime forces not only in Europe but worldwide and their joint effort could benefit the European shipping industry and in general the “Blue Economy”.

The Minister of Malta invited his counterparts to Malta for the third tripartite meeting, which is expected to be held in an around September 2014.