15th November 2025 –21st November 2025
LOCAL NEWS
1. CUS at the “4th Limassol International Book Fair” – Successful Participation as Silver Sponsor
The Cyprus Union of Shipowners (CUS) successfully concluded its participation in the “4th Limassol International Book Fair”, which took place from 21 to 23 November 2025 at the Carob Mills of Lanitis, Limassol. As Silver Sponsor of this year’s Fair, CUS proudly represented the maritime sector, showcasing the Union’s role in promoting and supporting Cyprus’ shipping industry.
This year’s Fair was honoured by the presence of the President of the House of Representatives, Ms. Annita Demetriou, and the Mayor of Limassol, Mr. Yiannis Armeftis, whose attendance further highlighted the event’s cultural significance and growing impact.
A highlight of our Union's participation was the interview hosted by journalist Mr. Christos Michalaros, featuring Mr. Polys Hajioannou, CUS President, and Mr. George Foustanos, Greek author and maritime historian. The discussion, titled “Cyprus and Shipping: From Past to Future”, attracted a large audience and generated strong interest among attendees. Participants had the opportunity to hear an in-depth analysis of the shipping sector, one of the most important pillars of the Cypriot economy and a critical driver of national and international trade. The conversation highlighted the history, evolution, and future prospects of Cyprus’ maritime ecosystem, emphasizing its contribution not only to economic growth but also to the country’s global standing as a competitive shipping hub.
As a Silver Sponsor, CUS maintained a strong presence with its own stand, informing visitors about its contribution to maritime activity and the importance of shipping in cultural and educational initiatives.
Noteworthy is the reference to the Union's thoughtful gesture of offering children the book “Towards the Sea…” by author Danae Bezantakou, which was warmly received and left an excellent impression on both young visitors and their families.
CUS warmly congratulates the organizers of this year’s Book Fair for its great success and high attendance, reaffirming its commitment to supporting cultural initiatives that highlight the strategic value of Cyprus’ maritime sector.
Photos from the event are attached.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
2. Agenda of the Thirty-fourth regular session of the IMO Assembly for the election of Members of the IMO Council and the approval 2026-2027 work programme and budget.
On the 18th November 2025, IMO announced the agenda for the 34th regular session of its Assembly from 24 November to 3 December 2025, which will convene to elect Members of the IMO Council and approve the Organization’s work programme and budget.
In particular, elects the forty Members of the Council. The Council is the Executive Organ of IMO and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization.
A new 40-Member IMO Council for the 2026-2027 biennium will be elected, including:
Category (a): 10 States with the largest interest in providing international shipping services
Category (b): 10 States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade
Category (c): 20 States not elected under (a) or (b) above, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation, to ensure representation of all major geographic areas of the world.
The candidates for the election are listed here
It should be noted that for the last decades Cyprus has been elected under category C and Greece under category A.
Furthermore, the Assembly is expected to adopt the revised Strategic Plan for the six-year period 2024 to 2029 and the Organization's budget and work programme for 2026 and 2027.
IMO will also host the IMO Awards Ceremony on the evening of the first day of the Assembly, 24 November from 5.00pm, including the presentation of the International Maritime Prize for 2024 and the 2025 IMO Honours for Exceptional Bravery at sea.
Finally, the Assembly will adopt several resolutions on key aspects of the Organization's work, including those covering:
- Procedures for port State control, 2025
- Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC), 2025
- 2025 Non-exhaustive list of obligations under instruments relevant to the IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code)
- Framework and procedures for the IMO Member State Audit Scheme
- Code on Alerts and Indicators, 2025
- Criteria for the provision of mobile satellite communication systems in the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS)
- Charges for distress, urgency and safety communications through recognized mobile satellite services in the GMDSS
- Consolidated Text of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
- Rules of Procedure of the Assembly
- Relations with non-governmental organizations
Related Articles:
IMO Assembly to elect new Council and set strategic directions
PREVIEW: IMO Assembly, 34th session, 24 November – 3 December 2025
IMO Assembly Set to Elect New Council And Approve 2026–2027 Work Programme - mfame.guru
IMO to convene and decide its next steps in upcoming Assembly - SAFETY4SEA
3. COP30 seals uneasy climate deal that sidesteps fossil fuels
Delegates at the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) have failed to reach a deal over the issue of the fossil fuel transition, as a new draft proposal released before dawn on Friday, 21st November 2025, did not include a roadmap to transitioning away from fossil fuels – nor mention the term “fossil fuels” at all.
Prior to that, the European Union had put forward a proposal for a “Mutirão” roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels, after hesitation from Italy and Poland had earlier prevented the bloc from adopting a united position on a key issue at stake in Belém.
The EU wanted COP30 to start a process to fast-track the COP28 pledge to move away from oil, gas and coal that would build on actions set out by countries in their national climate plans, while recognising that the transition will happen at different paces across the world. The EU’s text proposal said the COP30 and COP31 presidencies would oversee the development of the roadmap with the aim of producing an annual report for countries to review and decide on next steps, specifying that the process would also involve “actors and processes for finance”.
While the first draft of the COP30 text, which was publicised on Tuesday 18th November 2025, did contain the option of building a roadmap away from such fuels, major producers and consumers, including China, India, Saudi Arabia and Russia, rejected the proposal, several news outlets reported.
In response to the latest developments, more than 30 other countries from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Pacific co-signed a letter slamming the new draft and saying they “cannot support an outcome that does not include a roadmap for implementing a just, orderly and equitable transition” from nonrenewable energy sources.
Roadmap backers included many European countries such as Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
"We are disappointed with the text currently on the table," EU climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said in a statement, adding it lacked ambition on action to cut emissions.
On the final day of the Conference, Friday, 21st November 2025, the outcome of Brazil's COP30 climate summit was left hanging in the balance, with the European Union refusing to accept a draft deal it said would fail to advance global efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. EU ministers at the COP30 summit were told to check with national capitals whether they would allow a veto of the deal, according to people familiar with the matter. As the clocks struck midnight on the final day of the COP30 conference, negotiators struggled to reach consensus over the wording of a draft agreement that omitted references to transitioning away from fossil fuels.
After tense overnight negotiations, the EU agreed on Saturday, 22nd November 2025, not to block a final deal, but said it did not agree with the conclusion. "We should support the deal because at least it is going in the right direction," the European Union's climate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, said before the deal was sealed.
Therefore, a compromise climate deal was reached that would boost finance for poor nations coping with global warming but that omitted any mention of the fossil fuels driving it.
In particular, the final text addressed efforts to limit global heating to 1.5C above preindustrial levels, in line with the goals of the Paris agreement, but less robustly than vulnerable countries had hoped. Before the conference, countries were supposed to present new national plans on cutting emissions, but they fell short of the commitments needed to maintain the 1.5C limit, which has already been breached but which analysts say could be returned to.
Instead of censuring this failure, the conference agreed to set up an “accelerator” programme to address the shortfall in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which will report back at next year’s Cop, to be held in Turkey but presided over by Australia. The text exhorted countries to “full implementation of NDCs while striving to do better”.
The final deal also recognised the “just transition” that social justice campaigners have been calling for, which means helping workers affected by the move away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy. But key provisions on the exploitation of “critical minerals” – which has been accompanied by soaring human rights abuses in some countries – were blocked by China and Russia.
With respect to the aforementioned recently announced COP31 deal — under which Turkey will host next year's event, but Australia will lead negotiations, Arthur Wyns, research fellow at the University of Melbourne and former adviser to the COP28 presidency, stated that it could be a "diplomatic trainwreck in the making".
Related Articles:
COP30 seals uneasy climate deal that sidesteps fossil fuels | Reuters
Belém COP30 delivers climate finance boost and a pledge to plan fossil fuel transition | UN News
COP30 climate summit set for last-gasp showdown over fossil fuels and finance | Reuters
Fossil fuel phaseout becomes COP30’s biggest talking point. But, will it ever happen? | Euronews
Parliament delegation joins COP30 climate talks | News | European Parliament
EU tables proposal for COP30 fossil fuel roadmap after settling internal rift
Cop30 draft text omits mention of fossil fuel phase-out roadmap | Cop30 | The Guardian
COP30: UN climate summit drops mention of fossil fuels from draft deal
COP30 fire | New COP draft deal | Trump ‘to open’ US waters for drilling - Carbon Brief
EU threatens to block ‘weak’ COP30 deal - POLITICO
The new plan out of U.S. climate talks doesn’t mention fossil fuels - The Washington Post
COP30: UN climate summit drops mention of fossil fuels from draft deal
COP30 climate summit deadlocked as EU rejects draft deal | Reuters
EU Rejects Draft COP30 Deal as Too Weak, Setting Up Overtime Talks - Bloomberg
The two words missing from the world's most important climate conference agreement | SBS News
COP30: Five key takeaways from a deeply divisive climate summit
No agreement reached on new pledges to cut fossil fuels at COP30 in Brazil - BBC News
UN Climate Change Conference - Belém, November 2025 | UNFCCC
4. EU sanctions an additional ten Russian individuals and announces sanctions over militia group’s atrocities in Sudan
On the 20th November 2025, the European Council imposed restrictive measures on ten individuals responsible for serious violations or abuses of human rights and the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Russia.
The new listings target high level officials in the main directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation for the Rostov Oblast, and members of the Russian judiciary who played a key role in the persecution of the activist Alexei Gorinov, a former municipal deputy in the Krasnoselsky district of Moscow, who was sentenced to three years of imprisonment for expressing his opinion on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Lastly, some of the newly listed individuals have been involved in politically motivated prosecutions of journalists and.
Those designated are subject to an asset freeze and EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them.
Furthermore, on Thursday, 20th November 2025, EU diplomat Kaja Kallas issued a statement on behalf of the European Union condemning the ongoing atrocities committed by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group following their seizure of the Sudanese city of El Fasher. She went on to announce sanctions on Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, deputy leader of the RSF, and signaled the EU’s readiness to target other actors destabilizing Sudan. Kallas also called for all parties to resume ceasefire negotiations and ensure humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians.
Related Articles:
Human rights violations in Russia: EU sanctions an additional ten individuals - Consilium
Human rights violations in Russia: EU sanctions additional ten individuals - EU NEIGHBOURS east
EU’s Kallas announces sanctions over militia group’s atrocities in Sudan – POLITICO
EU sanctions RSF's second-in-command for atrocities in Sudan. And calls for halt to arms deliveries
EU sanctions Sudan paramilitary group RSF's 'second in command'
5. BIMCO issues Chinese Special Port Fee Clause for Time Charter Parties
On the 20th November 2025, BIMCO announced that, while China decided to suspend port fees for a period of 12 months, BIMCO has acted proactively by publishing the Chinese Special Port Fee Clause for Time Charter Parties 2025. This clause is designed for incorporation into both new and existing charterparties to help parties manage potential exposure beyond the suspension period or in case of reinstatement.
The clause provides a framework for allocating responsibility for these fees between owners and charterers and is intended for use in both new and existing agreements. It mirrors the structure of the BIMCO USTR Clause for Time Charter Parties 2025 while adapting to the specific features of the Chinese measures.
Owners must declare whether any entities associated with the vessel have a nexus to the United States or whether the vessel was built in the United States and notify charterers of any changes during the charter period. This ensures transparency without requiring disclosure of sensitive organisational details.
Charterers are generally responsible for all fees incurred when the vessel calls at Chinese ports pursuant to their orders, but liability may shift to owners if they fail to provide accurate declarations, make changes to ownership or operational nexus after the declaration, or direct the vessel to call at a Chinese port for solely for their own purposes.
Parties should review their contractual chains carefully when assessing exposure to these fees. Owners should ensure accurate and timely declarations to avoid liability, while charterers should establish clear processes for prompt payment and reimbursement to prevent operational disruptions. The clause does not grant rights to terminate the contract, exercise a lien on cargo, or trigger automatic off-hire; these remedies remain governed by the underlying charterparty terms.
Related Articles:
BIMCO issues Chinese Special Port Fee Clause for Time Charter Parties
Chinese Special Port Fee Clause for Time Charter Parties 2025
6. Oil Shipments Resume At Russia’s Novorossiysk Port After Ukrainian Attack
On Sunday, 16th November 2025, Russia’s Novorossiysk port resumed oil loadings, two days after operations were halted following a Ukrainian missile and drone attack.
The development was confirmed by two industry sources, who shared the information on condition of anonymity, while data from LSEG also showed that tankers had begun taking on cargo again.
Related Articles:
Russia's Novorossiysk Port Resumes Oil Loadings After Ukrainian Attack
Oil Shipments Resume At Russia’s Novorossiysk Port After Ukrainian Attack
7. EU seeks authorization for boarding of shadow-fleet oil tankers
Speaking to reporters are the end of the monthly Foreign Affairs Council session, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, said that the EU is seeking pre-boarding agreements with the flag states that register vessels that would permit EU authorities to board and inspect the shadow-fleet vessels Russia uses to evade sanctions,
The next step is to secure such agreements that will allow legal inspections of foreign-flagged ships, measures that would slow Russia’s oil trade and further erode its revenues.
In response to questions about potential further measures against Russia’s shadow fleet, the EU outlined several steps under consideration. On the proposal for continuous or rolling sanctions, rather than waiting for full sanction packages, most Member States supported moving toward a more agile system.
Related Articles:
EU Says Going After Russia’s Shadow Fleet Remains a Priority
EU seeks authorization for boarding of shadow-fleet oil tankers - SAFETY4SEA
8. A potential US-brokered peace deal between Russia and Ukraine would see Russia reintegrated into the global economy and sanctions relief taken on a case-by-case basis.
On the 21st November 2025, the United States has revealed all 28 points of its proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The potential US-brokered peace deal between Russia and Ukraine would see sanctions relief taken on a case-by-case basis.
The 28-point plan, the result of talks between US and Russian officials proposes that Russia “be reintegrated into the global economy” but includes only one line about sanctions.
In particular the plan states that Russia will be reintegrated into the global economy in the following manner:
- The lifting of sanctions will be discussed and agreed upon in stages and on a case-by-case basis.
- The US will enter into a long-term economic cooperation agreement for mutual development in the areas of energy, natural resources, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, data centres, rare earth metal extraction projects in the Arctic, and other mutually beneficial corporate opportunities.
- Russia will be invited to rejoin the G8.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said: "We are seeing some new elements, but officially we haven't received anything. There has been no substantive discussion of those points."
He added that Russia remained "completely open to peace talks".
Trump has become increasingly frustrated with negotiations with Moscow, culminating in him imposing fresh sanctions on Russia's two biggest oil producers which came into force on Friday.
Related Articles:
Attachment 1: Tradewinds - US-backed plan calls for Russian ‘reintegration’ into global economy
Trump’s 28-point Ukraine plan in full: What it means, could it work? | Conflict News | Al Jazeera
Read Trump’s latest Russia-Ukraine peace plan – POLITICO
Russia says it's not received 'anything official' from US on peace plan
Here's what's in the Trump administration's proposed 28-point Russia-Ukraine peace plan - CBS News
Trump's 28-point Ukraine peace plan in full | World News | Sky News
9. US TREASURY REPORT
The US Treasury Report for all actions reported is hereby attached.
Related Article:
Attachment 2: US Treasury Report for week 15-21/11/2025
10. PIRACY REPORT
The Worldwide Threat to Shipping Report has not been made available this week.
Nothing important to report from the ILO and the House of Representatives.
