Cyprus will host an independent, international, scientific and business centre of excellence in marine and maritime activities, the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), driven by the needs of industry and society.
The Institute which will be established under the MaRITeC-X is an EU project funded by the European Commission under the HORIZON 2020 Programme with €15 million and the Cypriot government for an additional €15 million.
“This is a huge success for Cyprus,” Natasa Pilides, Deputy Minister for Shipping said speaking to the media following a Cabinet meeting.
She added that among the projects evaluated, MaRITec-X finished third in Europe and first in Cyprus.
Pilides said the CMMI will have the Deputy Ministry’s and the government’s full backing while the Municipality of Larnaca, the Limassol Chamber of Commerce, Universities and other organisations will join as stakeholders.
The CMMI will promote partnerships, globally, among top academic and research institutions and businesses, helping to address the needs of businesses, countries, and regions in blue economy activities. The CMMI aims to become the partner of choice for all blue economy development activities at the local, regional, European, and global levels.
Furthermore, the Municipality of Larnaca, which will host the CMMI, welcomed the project’s approval, noting the centre will help in creating new jobs, in developing the necessary incentives and the appropriate infrastructure and will provide opportunities for the development of new business activity in cutting-edge technologies and strengthen the Cypriot economy’s competitiveness.
(Cyprus News Agency)
