The Ministry of Communications and Works announces that another target related to the image of the Cyprus flag and the Cyprus shipping in general has been achieved since based on the annual report  of the US Coast Guard the Cyprus flag is no longer classified in the high risk flags.

The above success is the outcome of a systematic and intense effort of the Department of Merchant Shipping, for the improvement of the quality of the Cyprus fleet and the image of the Cyprus flag.

Port States which have the right to survey and detent foreign flag ships if are found to divert from the provisions of International Conventions, classify the foreign flags in different categories according to their safety standards. The Cyprus flag exited the Black List of the Tokyo MoU in 2001 and that of Paris MoU in 2005. Recently, the Cyprus flag has been removed from the “List of Targeted Flag States” of the US Coast Guard. The Cyprus flag is considered today among the highest quality flags in the world and consequently is classified in the White List of the above MoUs.

Concluding, the Ministry of Communications and Works notes that the Department of Merchant Shipping will continue its efforts to implement the Government’s shipping policy, whose main target is the continuous improvement of safety and quality standards onboard Cyprus flag ships.