Today we went to the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute to learn about their work. The CMMI’s goal is to make human interactions with the sea, such as shipping, greener in hopes of maintaining and improving the ocean’s water. One major route they are taking to achieve this goal deals with shipping. Through their Project ZEST, CMMI is currently attempting to design a zero-emissions cargo ship to reduce or entirely remove the shipping industry’s carbon footprint.

Applying what we learned in our pre-departure meeting about supply chains, we can figure out where CMMI lies in the supply chain. CMMI has a unique place in the supply chain because it holds two spots, consumers and suppliers. CMMI is a consumer because they must use other sites’ laboratories to have a functioning research facility. However, this will be brief because they are in the works of designing their building which will be able to house all the necessary laboratory equipment they need. They are also a supplier because once they finish their projects, they supply private companies or the government with the completed designs of a specific piece of equipment that could help clean up and improve human interaction with the ocean.

CMMI does not follow some of the typical business practices of Cyprus. The common procedures they follow are prioritizing the environment and well-being of people on the island. However, since CMMI is a not-for-profit company acquires funding differently. Since they are a not-for-profit company, they get funding from the government of Cyprus and the European Union. To get this funding, they propose an idea, and it is judged by legislative bodies if it is worth funding. If it is, CMMI sets up key objectives to accomplish and then reports back to these legislative bodies to maintain their funding. CMMI differs from most American businesses in that it is a not-for-profit organization, while most American companies operate on a for-profit model.