Cyprus brought together leading figures from the Greek and Cypriot maritime communities in Athens this week to emphasise the growing role of women in shipping and the industry’s long-standing contribution to society.

The event, “Women – Shipping – Social Contribution”, was organised by the Shipping Deputy Ministry ahead of World Maritime Day and held under the auspices of First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides.

Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis, Cyprus Union of Shipowners (CUS) president Polys V. Hajioannou and Cyprus’ ambassador to Greece Stavros Avgoustides attended alongside women from the Greek shipping community.

Hadjimanolis said Cyprus regarded shipping not simply as one of the country’s most important economic sectors, but as a community whose contribution stretched well beyond ships and business.

“The shipping industry is one of the most important pillars of the Cypriot economy and a community with a strong international presence,” she said, adding that “beyond the numbers, the ships and its economic activity, shipping for us is, above all, about people”.

She pointed to a long tradition of social and charitable work by shipping families, shipowners, companies and organisations in both Cyprus and Greece, through foundations, donations, scholarships, sponsorships and other initiatives.

That contribution, she said, has extended across healthcare, education, social welfare, young people, culture and the environment, as well as support for people and families facing difficulties.

The shipping community has also repeatedly stepped in during crises and natural disasters, Hadjimanolis added, when “solidarity and immediate mobilisation can really make a difference”.

Women have played a particularly important part in that tradition, she said, both inside the industry and through wider charitable and social initiatives.

“I am particularly pleased that we have with us today so many women from our shipping family who, in their own way, have been connected with the social contribution of the shipping community,” Hadjimanolis said, adding that their presence gave “particular meaning and weight” to the event.

She also sought to broaden the way women’s role in shipping is viewed, saying that “the woman in shipping is not only the woman who works in the sector”.

“She is the professional, the scientist, the woman of the sea, but also the woman who, through the family, charitable foundations and her personal initiatives, contributes to society,” she said.

The First Lady, meanwhile, said the event was an opportunity both to recognise seafarers and to underline the contribution women make to one of the economy’s most demanding sectors.

“We honour the people of the sea and underline the important contribution of women to this highly demanding but vital sector, not only for the economy but also for society more broadly,” Karsera Christodoulides said.

Hajioannou struck a similar note, saying women were not simply taking part in shipping but helping to shape its future.

“Women in shipping do not simply participate in the industry, they advance it. They do not simply contribute to society, they inspire it. They do not simply continue a tradition, they broaden it,” he said.

Hadjimanolis also thanked the CUS and its members for their long-standing support for the Shipping Deputy Ministry’s initiatives, as well as for their wider social contribution.

She described the First Lady as an example of a woman with a consistent commitment to social contribution and solidarity, while also thanking Avgoustides for his support for the ministry’s work in Greece.

The Athens gathering formed part of activities surrounding World Maritime Day and was held during Hadjimanolis’ three-day working visit to the Greek capital, which also includes meetings with shipping companies and maritime industry representatives.