Twenty Cyprus-based shipping companies received recognition for participating in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) programme at a ceremony in Limassol on Thursday.
The event, organised by the International Propeller Club of Limassol in cooperation with local shipping organisations and under the auspices of the Shipping Deputy Ministry and U.S. Embassy, celebrated the companies’ contributions to maritime safety.
Cyprus ranked fifth globally for AMVER participation, with 310 ships enrolled in the programme.
U.S. Ambassador Julie Davis Fisher, who presented the awards, praised Cyprus’s growing support for the voluntary rescue system. “Cyprus continues to make vital contributions to the AMVER program”, she said. “We know that the vibrant Cypriot shipping sector makes a difference in supporting this life-saving program and delivers valuable contributions to the Cypriot economy”.
MSC Shipmanagement Ltd. led the honorees with 172 awards, followed by Safe Bulkers Management Ltd. with 28 awards and FML Ship Management with 26 awards.
The AMVER system, which celebrated its 66th year in 2023, helped save 771 lives and assisted 240 people at sea through 170 rescue operations. The programme maintains a daily average of 6,345 ships available for emergency response worldwide.
Ships participating in AMVER submit their sailing plans to a central computer system, allowing rescue coordinators to direct the nearest vessel to assist in emergencies at sea.
