Cyprus welcomed the training vessel AIDA IV to Limassol port on Saturday, with Deputy Shipping Minister Marina Hadjimanolis stressing its arrival reflects the strength of the partnership between Cyprus and Bahrain, Egypt and the wider Arab world.

It is also an example of the shared commitment to advancing maritime education and cooperation, she added.

In her address at a joint event with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport onboard the AIDA IV, Hadjimanolis said the vessel, operated by the academy is a symbol of maritime excellence, innovation and cooperation across the region.

Bahrain’s transport minister was onboard, which she said underlines the importance of the strong and enduring ties between Cyprus and the Arab region.

“This joint event marks another important step in our collaboration with the Arab Academy, following the memorandum of understanding we signed last October in Alexandria during my official visit to Egypt,” she said.

“We are confident that this partnership will open the way to many more concrete initiatives in maritime education, training and sustainability”.

Hadjimanolis also said that the reception is an opportunity to celebrate this partnership, but also to strengthen the ties between Cyprus, Egypt, and the wider Arab world. “The presence of so many distinguished leaders from the shipping community highlights the importance of working together to build a sustainable and innovative future for global shipping,” she concluded.