Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’ shipping deputy ministry said on Thursday that 19 Cypriot-flagged ships remain in the Arabian Gulf region near the Strait of Hormuz and that both the vessels and their crews are safe.
Ships in the region and operational status
The shipping deputy ministry said there are currently 19 ships under the Cypriot flag in the Arabian Gulf region. It said the majority of the ships operate on a permanent basis in the region under the Cypriot flag and mainly provide specialised or auxiliary maritime services.
The ministry added that only one Cypriot ship is loaded with cargo and is waiting to depart from the region when conditions permit.
Passage through the Strait of Hormuz
Asked whether Cypriot ships have the right to cross the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said that safe passage through the strait is not guaranteed at this time.
The question followed reports that Greek-flagged fuel tankers have crossed the strait in recent days, including a Bloomberg report that the Suezmax Pola, which was in the Persian Gulf on March 10, was spotted in the Indian Ocean near Indonesia on Monday.
Diplomatic contacts and Cyprus’ position
The ministry’s comments came a day after Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos took part in an international teleconference on the strait convened by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. During the teleconference, Kombos said Cyprus is in favour of maintaining freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The report also said that while there have been reports that the governments of France and Italy have been engaged in talks with Iran to secure passage through the strait, Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis told the Cyprus Mail that Cyprus is not involved in negotiations with the Iranian government on the issue.
Hadjimanolis said Cyprus is closely monitoring developments and working to find avenues for common action with partners in the European Union, citing Cyprus’ position as the holder of the presidency of the Council of the European Union and as an EU member state.
How could the lack of guaranteed safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz affect Cypriot-flagged shipping operations?
