Turkey does not allow Cypriot ships to the “Grain Initiative”

Cyprus cannot join the “Grain Initiative” – Turkey refuses to let ships under the Cypriot flag into its ports.

Cypriot shipping faced another Turkish embargo. Thus, vessels flying the Cypriot flag cannot transport Ukrainian grain in accordance with the Black Sea Initiative. This was announced by the Minister of Shipping Marina Hadzhimanolis.

In 1987, Turkey already prohibited the mooring of vessels under the Cypriot flag in its ports. The ban also applies to vessels operated by Cypriot companies.

As a result of the restrictions, the Cypriot fleet was reduced to 1,663 ships with a total capacity of 22 million tons. For comparison, in July 2021, the number of vessels registered in Cyprus was 1,752 units. The total capacity was 25 million tons.