sea freight cyprus

20 foot container dimensions

The standard 20-foot container or “dry van” is one of the most commonly-used containers for the shipment of goods in ocean freight along with the 40-foot container.

Dimensions of the 20-foot container

The 20-foot container’s dimensions are usually measured using the imperial system (feet) and specifies both the exterior dimensions and the interior (usable) dimensions.

The dimensions of a 20-foot container are:

  • Exterior Dimensions (in meters): 6.10m long x 2.44m wide x 2.59m high
  • Internal Dimensions (in meters): 5.898m long x 2.352m wide x 2.393m high
  • Usable Capacity: 32.6m3
Ayia Napa Marina

Ayia Napa Marina Nearing Completion

The flagship Ayia Napa Marina project is now in the final phase of its construction, gearing up to the start of operations, with the main infrastructure building works nearing completion. This marks a milestone for the iconic project, promoting development and projecting the power of Cypriot entrepreneurship, which will, upon completion, contribute significantly to showcasing Cyprus’ high tourism profile.

Administration offices, buildings housing government services (port, police, customs, medical services, veterinary services), maintenance facilities, as well as boat storage, have already been delivered, having obtained the required certifications from the Cyprus Electricity Authority. At the same time, coastal works have been completed; most importantly, the breakwater, which acts as the main defence mechanism for the marina’s protection, as well as its residential and commercial areas. The floating docks are also ready, with their assembly completed, as well as the bridge leading to the Island Villas, while works relating to the provision of boat services are progressing rapidly.

Roadworks are ongoing on the west and north side of the development, with the vast majority completed, with only the final asphalt pending.

Works on the multilevel parking have reached 95% completion, with lift installation and aluminium constructions underway. In the Marina’s Commercial Village, works are also continuing at a fast pace, including the completion of electromechanical installations, plasterboard work and exterior stone cladding. Works relating to the Marina Event Centre and Yacht Club are also at a similar stage.

In the East Tower, reinforcement works on the ground floor continue, alongside foundation works in the West Tower. Works for the development and landscaping of the surrounding area are also at an advanced stage.

“At the pace with which works are proceeding, the Ayia Napa Marina will soon become a reality for the daily lives of both residents and visitors, promoting an upgraded and modern way of life close to the sea, combined with functionality, comfort and luxury. We are proud to see construction works underway at such a fast pace, as our vision becomes reality, day by day,” declares M.M Makronisos Marina Ltd CEO, Stavros Caramondanis, with great satisfaction, adding that «we are sure that this development will substantially contribute to the revitalization of Ayia Napa, transforming it into a jewel of the Eastern Mediterranean. »

The entrance and berthing of the first boat on Monday, January 27 2020, significantly marked the beginning of the marina’s pilot operations.

Source: Gold News

eni total drilling

ENI and Total drillings officially on hold for one year

Energy companies ENI and Total have notified the government they are postponing their scheduled gas drilling operations off Cyprus for approximately one year.

Government spokesman Kyriacos Koushios confirmed to the Cyprus Mail that they recently received word of the delay from the two companies.

Drilling will be postponed until March or April 2021.

The ‘good news’, Koushios added, is that the companies are not canceling the capital expenditures allocated to the drills.

ENI and Total had planned to carry out exploratory drilling at a site dubbed Kronos in block 6 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone.

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, work had been due to start in early February, but was delayed owing to technical issues faced by the drillship, the Tungsten Explorer, while it was operating in Egyptian waters. The drillship then headed to Lebanese waters.

In mid-April, ExxonMobil had likewise informed the government they would be postponing a planned drill in their block 10 concession.

ExxonMobil said they pushed back to September 2021 an appraisal (or follow-up) well at the Glafcos site in block 10.

The Glafcos reservoir, bearing an estimated 5 to 8 trillion cubic feet of gas, is the largest gas discovery to date off Cyprus. The appraisal drilling there – initially scheduled for this summer – would have helped the company with its commercialisation decision.

Source: Cyprus Mail

Paralimni Marina gets eco ‘green light’

Paralimni will have its very own €100 mln marina within the next 4 years after the Environment Department has given the green light to the leisure project.

Paralimni marina will the second one in the Famagusta region, and the island’s fifth after Limassol marina, Saint Raphael, Larnaca and the Ayia Napa Marina which is soon to open.

It will have the capacity to host up to 300 yachts and is expected to be completed within 34 months while mix-use amenities surrounding the berthing facilities will be completed within 4 years.

According to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study, submitted with the authorities, the project will include residential and commercial developments.

A number of small villas and some 120 luxury apartments, as well as shops, restaurants, cafes, are included in the development plan.

As stated in the EIA, the aim is to deliver a high-standard marina, with safe and easy access for yachts, combined with high-quality facilities and services, to attract visitors and tourist all year round.

As the marina will be an official point of entry of the Republic of Cyprus, buildings hosting the relative facilities are also to be added to the project such as customs and other government facilities.

The marina is to be built some 5 km northeast from the centre of Paralimni, and north of Cape Greco between the Sirena Bay and the Golden Coast Hotel, covering an area of 29,000 sqm.

The multi-million euro project which is financed entirely by Cypriot investors, PMV Maritime Holdings Ltd.

Source: Financial Mirror

First glimpse of planned Larnaca marina and port project

The proposed €1b joint Larnaca port and marina project, the first designs of which were released to the media on Friday, will bring radical changes to the area.

Highlights of the proposal include hotels and residential towers at the marina, while the port will be expanded to be able to serve large cruise ships.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos announced the agreement between the government and the Cyprus-Israeli consortium Kition Ocean Holdings that is behind the project at a meeting with mayors of Larnaca district on Thursday.

Karousos described the deal as historic and said contracts will be signed in 10 days.

Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras welcomed the long-anticipated agreement which he said marked a new era for the town, the district as well as the economy more generally.

The project provides for port infrastructure, a marina, redevelopment of the land, a road network, green areas, parks and pedestrian areas as well as residential units and catering and recreation establishments over a period of 10 to 15 years.

Kition Ocean Holdings is proposing expanding the current marina so that it can berth 650 boats of between five and 150 metres.

The new marina will have catering venues, recreation and green areas, children’s play areas, shops, hotels, luxury villas and an educational and medical centre that can host students to study and train in hotel management, medical studies and marine studies.

At about €1b it is considered the biggest investment in Cyprus to date and on completion will create 2500 new jobs and create considerable revenue for the state.

Vyras told Phileleftheros that according to the briefing given by officials, the investment is within the framework sought by the town.

  • commercial use of the new port
  • tourist activity that will include deepening and expanding the port so that large cruise ships can dock there
  • hotels and luxury hotel suites, residential units for permanent residents, recreation areas, green areas etc

“We are talking about a project which is much bigger than the Ayia Napa marina project which is a very large project for Cyprus,” he said.

Vyras said work may start at soon as later this year.

Based on the Finance Ministry’s study the investment will lead to a €120m annual increase in Cyprus’ GDP.

Combined with the relocation of petrol facilities and the freeing and development of that section of the coastal front, the new project will give further momentum to Larnaca’s growth.

Source: In Cyprus

Deal to develop LNG infrastructure and supply in Cyprus reached

An agreement to sign a contract on developing the necessary infrastructure and the supply of liquified natural gas (LNG) in Cyprus has been finalised.

The goal is to be able to use LNG in the market for electricity purposes by the end of 2021.

The deal follows lengthy negotiations between the Natural Gas Infrastructure Company (Etyfa), the Natural Gas Public Company (Defa) and the joint venture JV China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd and Metron SA, which will carry out the project.

The government gave the go-ahead to finalise the deal on November 22 during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in which President Anastasiades made it clear that Defa must go ahead with the procedures for the provision of natural gas in Cyprus.

The final process of examining and signing the complex agreement will take place this week.

The joint venture will also include Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Management Limited, vital for the conversion and transport at sea of the gas and will be based in the Vasilikos facilities in Larnaca.

LNG tanker carrier Galea, which will operate from 2021 to 2046, will be used as the Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU).

The total cost for the installation and the deployment of the floating unit is estimated at around €260 million, of which €101 million will be covered by European Union funds.

Source: Cyprus Mail

What is an EUR1 certificate?

What is an EUR1 certificate?

If you’re considering exporting or importing from/to the Cyprus with a country that has a trade agreement with the EU, you need to know about the EUR1. The EUR1 is a movement certificate (a certificate of origin) that you need to claim a preferential rate of duty (usually zero) when moving goods between the EU and the countries on the agreement list.

Why do I need an EUR1 Certificate?

The EUR1 forms part of the required customs documentation. It must be presented to the customs office at the receiving country to benefit from a reduced rate of duty. Failure to produce will result in a bill for the normal customs tariff.

What sort of goods are covered?

To qualify the goods have to originate in the Cyprus or the EU or have been manufactured in a country with a trade agreement with the EU. You may be required to provide proof of this such as documentation relating to the manufacturing of the goods and the origin of materials.

Which countries have a trade agreement with the EU?

The countries with a current trade agreement with the EU include Albania, Algeria, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Ceuta and Melilla, Chile, Columbia, Egypt, Faroe Islands, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, West Bank/Gaza Strip.

How do I get an EUR1 Certificate?

You can obtain an EUR1 certificate from the Chamber of Commerce.  For imports your supplier should obtain the EUR1 from the country’s customs authority.

You’ll need to present supporting documents with your EUR1 application. These include a commercial invoice and evidence of the information given on the form – a packing list or shipping document, for example.

Lakkotrypis: another milestone in Cyprus’ energy programme

Cyprus on Thursday granted the first hydrocarbon exploitation licence to the consortium that owns the Aphrodite concession, with a view to pipe gas to Egypt and export it in the form of LNG.

The licence, granted to Noble Energy, Shell, and Delek, is for 25 years.

It is based on a production and development program agreed between the government and the companies.

The plan provides for the gas to be piped to a liquefaction facility in Idku, Egypt and later exported to Europe and elsewhere in the form of LNG.

Shell, operators of the Idku facility, in which they also have a 35 per cent stake, will be the buyer of the gas.

“I believe that today’s development is yet another milestone in Cyprus’ energy program, demonstrating that, despite all the difficulties, our program is proceeding as planned,” said energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis at the signing ceremony.

Production from Aphrodite is slated to begin in 2025.

But several steps will precede actual production. The first is drilling a second appraisal well at the gas reserve, followed by a FrontEnd Engineering Design and, lastly, a final investment decision by the concessionaires.

Lakkotypis said the companies intend to drill a second appraisal well over the next 18 months.

Once production begins, Cyprus estimates to generate approximately $9.3bn (€8.4bn) over an 18-year time frame – or some $500m a year.

The estimated revenues are based on a revised production sharing agreement (PSA), also signed Thursday in tandem with the concession agreement.

The Aphrodite prospect holds 4.1 trillion cubic feet of gas.

The $9.3bn in revenues for the Republic are derived from a scenario forecasting an average of $70 per barrel of Brent oil in 2022.

The revised PSA is the outcome of year-long talks between the government and the companies.

Under it, the companies’ share of revenues rises when oil/gas prices are low; conversely, the share of the Cypriot state goes up when oil prices are high.

Lakkotrypis said the government agreed to this formula in exchange for iron-clad commitments from the concession holders.

The companies are contractually bound to adhere to strict development timetables, facing sanctions if they do not, including termination of the contract.

Overall, the companies will be spending approximately €7bn on well infrastructure, borehole drilling and maintenance and operation costs.

The signing ceremony at the ministry of energy was attended by the ambassadors of the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel.

“Cyprus is poised to become a natural gas producer and an alternative source of energy supply to the EU,” Lakkotrypis said later.

“At the same time, one more decisive step has been taken toward realizing the shared vision of countries in our region to create a Mediterranean natural gas corridor to Europe.”

The benefits to Cyprus would be manifold: gas sales revenues, job creation, the acquisition of technical know-how and, last but not least, strengthened relations with the countries involved in the project – Egypt, the United States, Britain and Israel.

Regarding Israeli claims to the Aphrodite prospect, Lakkotrypis said talks are ongoing with Tel Aviv, but that their outcome would not affect the reserve’s development.

A part of Aphrodite’s gas lies within Israel’s exclusive economic zone. Since the gas in the neighboring Yishai prospect, on the Israeli side, is part of a single geological reservoir, its production depends on agreements between the two countries.

Israel and Cyprus signed a delineation agreement in 2010 but haven’t agreed so far on how to develop gas reservoirs straddling both economic zones.

Source: Cyprus Mail