Cyprus brought its home-grown maritime technology to an international audience in Hamburg on Wednesday, with local companies presenting tools designed to make ships safer, cleaner and more efficient. 

The Cyprus Maritime Innovation Event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Energy and the Shipping Deputy Ministry as part of SMM Hamburg, which runs from September 1 to 4. 

Around 2,300 exhibitors from as many as 70 countries are taking part in this year’s exhibition, while about 50,000 participants from 120 nations are expected to attend. 

Opening the Cyprus event, trade and industry officer Andri Katomoniatou Iakovou and Cyprus’ deputy chief of mission in Germany George Stavrinou spoke about the longstanding commercial and maritime relationship between the two countries. 

They also emphasised Cyprus’ efforts to bring research, technology and maritime businesses closer together as the shipping industry responds to tighter environmental rules and rapid technological change. 

Christina Patsiou, acting director and senior maritime affairs officer at the Shipping Deputy Ministry, then set out the government’s approach to maritime administration. 

She referred to initiatives supporting fleet decarbonisation, the digitalisation of administrative procedures and incentives aimed at attracting shipping and maritime technology companies to the island. 

From government policy, the focus moved to the technology being developed by Cypriot companies and research organisations to address problems faced during everyday vessel operations. 

Zacharias Siokouros, chief executive of the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute, presented collaborative research projects designed to connect academic work with the requirements of commercial fleets. 

Christos Georgiou, chief product and AI officer at Prevention at Sea, explained how artificial intelligence and digital applications can be used to improve onboard safety and risk management. 

Onetech Services deputy sales manager Stelios Christofi presented marine engineering and technical solutions intended to improve vessel performance, while Supernova Consulting systems integration manager Elsa Markoulidou focused on connecting different enterprise systems used across shipping operations. 

According to the presentations, a more unified digital infrastructure can help shipping companies manage information across their fleets and reduce the fragmentation created by systems that operate separately from one another. 

The afternoon concluded with a panel discussion titled ‘Navigating the Maritime Transition: Innovation, Sustainability and Competitiveness in a Changing World’, moderated by Siokouros. 

The discussion brought together Prevention at Sea chief executive Petros Achtypis, Intellar Innovative Solutions founder George Poullaides and Multimarine Services business development executive Yiannos Lakkotrypes. 

They were joined by Tototheo Global chief commercial officer Vlassis Papapanagis and Dromon Bureau of Shipping environmental manager Marinos Ioannou. 

The panel examined how shipping companies and maritime service providers can meet stricter decarbonisation requirements without weakening operational reliability or allowing compliance costs to become unmanageable. 

The speakers also discussed the pressure created by volatile market conditions and technological change, as companies are asked to invest in new systems while continuing to operate efficiently. 

At the same time, they stressed that technology alone would not be enough. Cooperation between ship operators, technology providers, researchers and regulators, together with investment in skilled employees, would remain necessary for new solutions to be introduced successfully. 

Cyprus’ presence in Hamburg was also intended to present the island’s maritime cluster as more than a flag registry and ship management centre, drawing attention to the technology, research and technical services being developed by companies based in the country.