One of the government’s main goals, the qualitative and further strengthening of the Cypriot ship registry, has been achieved, president Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday evening.

Speaking at a dinner at the presidential palace marking the start of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 conference, he stated that the registry recorded an increase approaching twenty per cent over the past two years.

The president welcomed participants, expressing “great pleasure” at hosting the dinner and highlighting the importance of the biennial event, which was first organised in Cyprus in 1989.

He said that the conference has now been “firmly established as a significant institution both in Cyprus and in international maritime affairs and has been substantially upgraded in recent years, both in quality and scale”.

Moreover, he said that he was “confident this year’s event would once again live up to the expectations of all participants from every corner of the world”.

Christodoulides mentioned that the unwavering support of the shipping community was “without a doubt a vote of confidence in Cypriot shipping and in our policies, which are always guided by the sustainable development of the maritime industry”.

Cyprus is set to take centre stage in shaping Europe’s future transport, shipping and tourism policies during its upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, according to European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

Addressing the Maritime Cyprus 2025 conference in Limassol, he said the Cypriot Presidency “will be decisive for Europe and for transport policy,” noting that as a major maritime nation, Cyprus will help define the new EU Maritime Industrial Strategy, the EU Port Strategy and the Military Mobility Package.

He also revealed that the EU’s first-ever European Strategy for Tourism is expected “by Easter next year,” adding that Cyprus will play a key role in its development.

On the sidelines of the conference, Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis met with the commissioner to discuss the ministry’s priorities ahead of the Presidency in 2026 and in light of the forthcoming European Industrial Maritime Strategy.

Cyprus, a country with more than six decades of maritime tradition, reaffirmed its role as a global shipping leader during the opening of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 Conference in Limassol on Monday.

Addressing delegates, Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis welcomed ministers, shipowners and industry figures from around the world, saying it was “a great pleasure to welcome you all to Limassol, the capital of shipping, for Maritime Cyprus Conference 2025.”

She noted that the first Maritime Cyprus Conference was held in 1989, creating “a platform for global dialogue that has endured for decades.”

Today, she said, “the heart of international shipping beats strongly in Cyprus,” describing the event as “a celebration of the spirit, resilience, and enduring excellence of shipping.”

President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday said that one of the key priorities of the Cypriot Presidency of the EU Council is to ensure the competitiveness of European shipping.

He also spoke about the progress achieved by the Cypriot maritime sector, which has recorded robust growth over the past two years.

During his address at the opening of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 Conference in Limassol, the president said that the event’s title, “Unlocking the Future of Shipping”, reflects both today’s intricate challenges and the enduring resilience of the maritime industry.

He added that his presence at the conference demonstrates the importance his government places on the maritime sector.

Cyprus’ shipping sector remains a cornerstone of the national economy, according to the president of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber (CSC) Andreas Neophytou.

Neophytou’s comments were delivered during a reception hosted by the chamber on Sunday, ahead of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 international conference.

An announcement from the chamber said the event brought together more than 800 guests, “underscoring the chamber’s prestige and the respect it commands both locally and internationally”.

Among those attending were ministers, members of parliament, diplomats, senior government officials, representatives of professional organisations, and top executives from the Cypriot and global shipping industry.

In his address, Neophytou welcomed attendees and highlighted the vital role of Cyprus’ shipping industry for the economy and global trade.

A high-level ministerial panel bringing together maritime leaders from Cyprus, Greece, Bahrain, and Qatar took place on Monday, as part of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 Conference.

The first panel discussion, “Winds of Change: Ministers at the Helm of Maritime Transformation,” of the Maritime Cyprus 2025 Conference, took place earlier today.

Ministers of Cyprus, Greece, the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain responsible for maritime affairs shared valuable insights regarding the challenges that global shipping is facing.

They all agreed that by aligning policies regionally and deepening collaboration through multilateral platforms like the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), states can build a more resilient, fair, and sustainable maritime future.

The panel was moderated by Souzana Psara, business and finance reporter at the Cyprus Mail.

The Cyprus Consumers Association on Monday questioned the sincerity of the Consumer Protection Service in genuinely safeguarding consumers against unfair clauses in bank contracts.

The association welcomed the recent imposition of fines on the Bank of Cyprus and Eurobank (formerly Hellenic Bank) for including unfair terms in their mortgage loan agreements, but highlighted long-standing concerns.

“These decisions were issued four years after the new Consumer Rights Law, N.112(I)/2021, came into effect, leaving consumers unprotected for a significant period,” the association said.

Specifically, the Consumer Protection Service announced on September 23 that the Bank of Cyprus will pay €800,000 while Eurobank will pay €600,000 following its review of mortgage contracts.

House prices in the EU and euro area continued their upward trend in the second quarter of 2025, rising by 5.4 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively, while rents in the EU increased by 3.2 per cent compared with the same quarter of 2024.

Compared with the first quarter of 2025, house prices increased by 1.6 per cent in the EU and by 1.7 per cent in the euro area, while rents rose by 0.7 per cent in the EU, Eurostat reported.

Between 2010 and the second quarter of 2025, house prices in the EU surged by 60.5 per cent and rents by 28.8 per cent, with house prices showing a more volatile pattern.

Demetra Holdings Plc on Monday announced that the net asset value of its share as of September 30, 2025 is €2.5683.

The company added that no fully diluted net asset value figure is available for the period.

The announcement was signed by Cleanthis (Athos) Chandriotis, chief executive officer of Demetra Holdings.

Demetra Holdings Plc is listed on a the Cyprus Stock Exchange’s (CSE) regulated market.

In recent months the company has been actively implementing a share buyback programme to bolster shareholder value.

The Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) on Monday released a statement explaining its role as the clearing entity for the island’s competitive electricity market.

The above designation follows an agreement with the Cyprus Transmission System Operator, under which the exchange is responsible for providing financial settlement services for transactions arising from the market’s clearing processes, as well as risk management.

“The exchange has effectively supported preparations for the successful launch of the Competitive Electricity Market, fulfilling its contractual obligations,” the announcement said.

The Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) on Monday urged the public, including users of payment services and holders of electronic money accounts, to verify which institutions are legally authorised to operate in the Republic of Cyprus.

The bank advised the public to visit its official online registries for payment institutions and electronic money institutions to confirm the status of licensed operators.

It said that these registries provide updated information on institutions that are permitted to offer payment and electronic money services in Cyprus.

The CBC also drew attention to the importance of monitoring licence revocations, which are published in the same registries.

Cypriot beverage maker KEO Plc on Monday announced that its board of directors will convene later this month to examine, among other matters, the possibility of paying a dividend.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, October 30.

The announcement was made by the company, which trades on the regulated market of the Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE) under the code ΚΕΟ.

In September, KEO reported a net profit of €3.23 million for the first half of 2025, compared with €3.53 million in the same period of 2024.

The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) on Monday announced its participation in this year’s World Investor Week 2025, joining forces with authorities from 118 countries to promote investor protection and financial education.

Organised by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the global campaign, running from October 6 to October 12, 2025, places particular emphasis on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the risks it poses within the modern digital financial environment.

CySEC said that its involvement forms part of its ongoing efforts to educate and protect the public and investors, through a series of lectures, awareness activities, and the publication of a new Investor Guide.