President Nikos Christodoulides of Cyprus meets with ICS Secretary General Elect

His Excellency President Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, met with the International Chamber of Shipping’s (ICS) Secretary General Elect, Thomas Kazakos, in Cyprus yesterday to discus some of the key issues in the maritime industry.

Shipping is a key sector for Cyprus, both internationally and nationally, with the Cyprus shipping industry maintaining a steady 7% contribution to the GDP of Cyprus, amounting to approximately EUR 1.2 billion.

At the meeting, Mr Kazakos (left) formally presented his appointment as the new ICS Secretary General to President Christodoulides. Mr Kazakos will officially become Secretary General of ICS in June 2025 and has served the maritime industry as Director General of the Cyprus Chamber of Shipping since 1995.

Thomas Kazakos, ICS Secretary General Elect, commented: “It was a great honour to meet with His Excellency President Christodoulides today and to have the opportunity to discuss the key activities that the International Chamber of Shipping are involved in. I extend my thanks to President Christodoulides and his team for the kind hospitality and productive discussion.

“Our industry is undergoing momentous change with significant challenges ahead. Only by working together – industry, regulators, governments, seafarers, flag States – can we meet these challenges head on and find solutions. Cyprus is an island nation and a thriving maritime cluster with a deep history in shipping that recognises the challenges and opportunities that our great industry provides.

“I have had the pleasure to work with President Christodoulides in my capacity as Director General of the Cyprus Chamber of Shipping, and I look forward to continuing to strengthen this relationship when I take up my new position at the International Chamber of Shipping in June.”