We’ve officially made it one week in Cyprus!! It feels like time just flew by but each moment was filled with so many activities, and today was no exception. Today’s itinerary was packed with various company presentations and tours in the realm of shipping, specifically marine shipping. In total we met with representatives from three organizations: DP World, P&O Maritime Logistics, and EUROGATE Container Terminal Limassol. They all share close proximity with each other but each company has a different purpose and individual goals/functions in order to keep everything smooth sailing (get it?). For example, DP World is responsible for four sectors of management: logistics, economic zones, ports and terminals, and marine services. They have a smaller staff of 75 employees, but they tackle all sorts of tasks in their new passenger terminal areas, oil and gas areas, and cargo areas, with each section under its own shareholder and management control. With DP World expecting over 300,000 passengers this year, they strive to keep maintaining a customer-centered attitude and optimize operations by improving customer services and investing in further digitalization.

For P&O, their company focus is more on the actual maintenance and inspection of marine vessels, as well as the well-being of crews aboard them. Services offered by P&O include towing, pilot and captain assistance, emergency response, cargo transport, and more. They offer their services 24/7, and work with around 3500 vessels a year. EUROGATE Limassol, on the other hand, concentrates less on ship maintenance and is almost strictly dedicated to the handling of shipping containers, whether that be their storage or their relocation. They host the only container terminal on the island which has acted as a main commercial port for a total of over 12 million TEU, or Twenty-foot Equivalent Units. With 12 terminals stationed all over the world, EUROGATE makes it a priority to have global outreach while also managing each consumer order with care and attention. For me, I like how all three organizations work together on the same location to support the supply chain of Cyprus; it’s rare to see that kind of camaraderie and teamwork among company rivals in the US which makes me have faith in the people who keep Cyprus afloat on a daily basis.