After an early breakfast, we started Friday with a very short bus ride, as we stayed in the Limassol area all day. With today’s theme being shipping, we ventured to the Limassol Port, which is the main port on the island, and got to here from the two different companies that run it. The first of these companies was DP World, or Dubai Ports World, which was the company that my group researched during our predeparture meetings, so we were excited to be able to hear from a company which we already knew a bit about. Going into this presentation, my group had some concerns about DP World and their philosophy/initiatives. Some of these concerns include the fact that they run a monopoly on the shipping industry, have no tangible sustainability initiatives, are run by the Dubai government, and are a private company that discloses very little information. While I hoped that these concerns could be addressed, unfortunately they did not give us any indication that we’d been unnecessarily worried, as the answers to our questions were not direct. We also experienced some cultural differences with our presenter who explained that the best way for them to get woman onboard their company and help numbers is to have a program where they are mentored by an older man, which I felt perpetuated the stereotype that they need a man for success. Furthermore, after asking about what sports we play, he remarked on how shocking and funny it is for women to play and be good at them. This led to a good conversation amongst the girls of the trip later, where we acknowledged that the US is more progressive in this area in many other countries like Cyprus, which evidently has a long way to go.
We then toured and learned about Eurogate, the cargo terminal. While I had no interest in shipping going into this presentation, I actually found it really cool to see their shipping yard in action. Given Cyprus’s unique position at the center of three continents, it’s interesting to see how much must pass through this important island in order for more mainstream companies to succeed.
After our time at the port, we went to the marina for lunch. There, we were surprised with a group lunch on a boat, where we had some time to chill too. I’m not sure which the group was more excited about: the boat, or not having to pay out of pocket again, but we were definitely excited. After some delicious food and much needed rest, some industry executives boarded the boat for a Q&A session. I found the one presenter especially interesting as his focus is maritime law, and I have always been fascinated by the legal field.
When we were done with the session, it was nice to have only a short walk before we were back at the hotel to get ready for dinner. A couple of us randomly stopped in a store along the way and were greeted by a friendly owner with a 28 year old pet bird who we got to interact with. After spending more time conversing with locals here, I’m definitely understanding why Cypriots are known for their hospitality and friendliness. Today was a long day, but satisfying as a whole.
