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Ports of Cyprus establish its maritime connections with the rest of the world. Situated in the Mediterranean Sea, ancient records show Cyprus to be one of the oldest maritime trade centers in the world. There were several harbors in the country which served as 'transit ports’ in the ancient times. The island is regarded as an important base for transshipment. Owing to its strategic location Cyprus ports are often the chosen base for multinational companies and international ship management. It features amongst the top five countries with respect to the largest ship registry centers of the world.
The ports of Cyprus are under the jurisdiction of the Cyprus Ports Authority. It is an autonomous body and is responsible for the smooth operation and management of the various ports on the island. Its responsibility entails everything, right from ownership, installation and functional issues.
The maritime traffic of Cyprus is regulated by the highly advanced national port system. The system comprises of a newly built industrial port of Vassiliko, the oil terminals at Dhekelia, Moni and Larnaca and the multipurpose ports of Larnaca and Limassol. All the Cyprus ports are located within an area 40 nautical miles and they adequately complement each other as far as traffic and facilities are concerned. All these ports combined together form one large port. They are used for the loading and unloading of cargo and at the same time manage the load of the traffic in transit like one large port. This effective management has made Cyprus one of the leading maritime centers in the Mediterranean region and ensured its economic prosperity.
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