Tag: Cyprus

Two Turkish drill ships are continuing operations in the eastern Mediterranean, while another ship is expected to join them this month, said Energy Minister Fatih Donmez, amid an ongoing dispute between Turkey and Cyprus.

As the Natural Gas Public Company of Cyprus stated, it completed the first step of the tender procedure, for the Cyprus LNG Import Terminal, in Vasilikos Bay, which involves all the necessary infrastructure of LNG import into Cyprus.

In light of Turkey’s continuation of illegal drilling activities and a few days after the second Turkish drill ship arrived off Cyprus, the European Council announced some preliminary sanctions against Turkey. Among others. the Council decided to suspend negotiations on the Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement.

Further escalating tensions among the EU and Turkey, the Turkish ship 'Yavuz' arrived Monday night off the island of Cyprus and it is set to drill for oil and gas, triggering a strong protest from Nicosia the EU. This comes less than a month after EU leaders warned Turkey to end its gas drilling in waters around the island.

According to Demirören News Agency, Turkey announced that it will establish naval and air bases in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, aiming to ensure its security in the Eastern Mediterranean. The announcement followed a visit to Northern Cyprus by a team from the Turkish Navy, which held talks with diplomatic and military officials in the north of the island before returning to Ankara.

Greece and Cyprus called on the European Union to take punitive measures against Turkey amid escalating tensions in the eastern Mediterranean over offshore energy reserves. After Ankara announced it would expand exploration for potentially lucrative gas resources in the region, the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, appealed to the EU to unreservedly condemn the illegal actions of Turkey.

The Marine Accident Investigation Committee (MAIC) of Cyprus issued an investigation report on the fatality of the Master of the bulk carrier 'Evnia', after falling into the sea from a rope ladder, while the ship was berthed in Chittagong Port, Bangladesh, in June 2018. 

Following the completion of a feasibility study in 2016, the Government of Cyprus (GoC) decided to proceed with the development of a facility for the import, storage and regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at a location in Vasilikos Bay, near Limassol. The GoC requires the completion of the new LNG Import Terminal by 30 November 2020.

Eurogate Container Terminal Limassol Ltd has finalized the first phase of investments at the Limassol Container Terminal, amounting at a total worth of over €30m. In addition, two new super post panamax cranes that are already operating, along with 17 new straddle carriers have been bought.

Cyprus' Marine Accident Investigation Committee (MAIC) announced that the investigation of the man overboard fatality from the container ship 'Elb Trader' in the Port of Dublin, South Ireland, in January 2018 is still ongoing. France, Cyprus, Italy and Tunisia are jointly involved in the investigation.