Shipping Deputy Ministry extends payment deadlines due to COVID-19

In order to support shipping companies and owners of Cyprus-flagged ships and mitigate the difficulties arising from the COVID-19 outbreak, the Shipping Deputy Ministry has extended the deadline for paying:

• tonnage tax for Cyprus-flagged ships; and
• the Register of Cyprus Ships annual maintenance fee.

The relevant notification informing all interested parties that the deadline for the 2020 tax year (normally 31 March 2020) has been extended to 31 May 2020 is expected to be published in the Official Gazette.

The Shipping Deputy Ministry has also introduced special arrangements to protect public health and limit the spread of the virus. For this reason, under Circular 6/2020 of 17 March 2020 the public have been advised to submit all requests and enquiries electronically. Circular 6/2020 provides, among other things, that all documents regarding transactions in the Register of Cyprus Ships or the Special Book of Parallel Registration should be emailed to 'shipregistry@dms.gov.cy'. Original documents should be filed in the special postbox at the entrance of the main building of the Shipping Deputy Ministry between 9:00am and 2:00pm.

Notably, Circular 6/2020 contains additional email addresses for:

• the Tonnage Tax System Unit;
• the Port State Contract and Security Unit;
• the Marine Environment Unit;
• the Marine Surveillance and Anti-pollution Unit;
• the Coastal Navigation Unit;
• the Seafarer and Maritime Labour Unit;
• the Maritime Safety Unit;
• the Flag State Control Unit;
• the Civil Liability Certification Unit; and
• the Small Vessel Unit.

Further, the circular sets out the account details for payment transactions.

For further information on this topic please contact Costas Stamatiou or Vasileios Psyrras at Elias Neocleous & Co LLC by telephone (+357 25 110 110) or email (costas.stamatiou@neo.law or vassilis.psyrras@neocleous.com). The Elias Neocleous & Co LLC website can be accessed at www.neo.law.