The bilateral agreement between Cyprus and Israel on merchant shipping, which was signed in Nicosia on January 13 2010 and published in the Official Gazette on January 29 2010, entered into effect on March 23 2011. Its main provisions are as follows:
- Article 7 commits both countries to adopt, within the limits of their respective laws and regulations, all appropriate measures to reduce unnecessary delays to vessels in their ports and to simplify the performance of administrative, customs and sanitary formalities as far as possible.
- Articles 9 and 10 provide for mutual recognition of identity documents for nationals of the two countries who are employed aboard vessels, and permit shore leave in and around ports without the need for a visa.
- Article 13 allows shipowners of one country to employ qualified nationals of the other country on terms approved by the appropriate authorities of the crew member's country, and commits both countries to use best efforts to ensure compliance with the agreed terms of employment.
- Article 16 commits each country to treat any vessel (including cargo, crew and passengers) of the other country which is shipwrecked, runs aground, is cast ashore or suffers any other casualty off its coast in the same manner as it would treat its national vessels and their cargo, crew and passengers.
For further information on this topic please contact Costas Stamatiou at Andreas Neocleous & Co LLC by telephone (+357 25 110 000), fax (+357 25 110 001) or email ([email protected]).