Mediterranean nations pledge tighter shipping cooperation at Rome summit

Maritime ministers from Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Malta met on the sidelines of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) summit in Rome and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation on shipping. The participants – Greece’s Vassilis Kikilias, Cyprus’s Marina Hadjimanolis, Italy’s Edoardo Rixi and Malta’s Chris Bonett – described the talks as taking place in a “particularly warm atmosphere” and highlighted the long‑standing tradition of collaboration among the four Mediterranean states, which together lead European shipping.

The meeting was part of the “Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit 2026 – Forging Partnerships for Resilience” and addressed challenges such as geopolitical tensions, regulatory change, supply‑chain pressures and the green transition. The ICS Maritime Barometer released at the summit identified geopolitical instability as the top risk to global shipping, alongside cyber threats, regulatory fragmentation and shifting trade patterns. The ministers said the quadrilateral partnership is already delivering results in a sector critical to their economies and societies.

The summit also saw the election of John Denholm CBE as chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping board, succeeding Emanuele Grimaldi, as the industry faces considerable upheaval and uncertainty.