MoU Signed Between FIO and CMMI
From June 19th to 21st, a delegation led by Director General LI Tiegang visited the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI). During the visit, Director General LI Tiegang, on behalf of FIO, and Zacharias Siokouros, CEO of CMMI, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The two parties will focus on key areas, including ocean observation, marine and climate forecasting, marine ecological protection and restoration, and the blue economy, engaging in in-depth and practical scientific and technological cooperation to promote joint technological development and capacity building. Counselor LIU Kai from the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus and Deputy Secretary-General LI Jinguo of the Qingdao Municipal Party Committee jointly attended the signing ceremony.
MoU Signing
In his address, Deputy Secretary-General LI Jinguo of the Qingdao Municipal Party Committee highlighted that Qingdao possesses unique marine resources and nationally leading marine scientific research capabilities. He noted that FIO, as a national-level marine research institute based in Qingdao, signing this MoU with CMMI is both a significant achievement for Qingdao in deepening international openness and cooperation, and a vivid practice of promoting scientific, technological, and talent exchanges between the two sides.
Counselor LIU Kai from the Chinese Embassy in Cyprus spoke highly of the signing of this MoU. He emphasized that Cyprus is an important partner for China in the Mediterranean region, with a long-standing and enduring traditional friendship between the two countries. The cooperation between FIO and CMMI not only opens up new avenues for collaboration in marine science and technology but will also inject new vitality into practical cooperation between China and Cyprus, and even between China and Europe.
Director LI Tiegang of FIO stated that the institute has long been committed to translating marine scientific and technological research results into practical solutions serving global blue sustainable development, and deeply participating in global ocean governance with its own core technologies. The signing of this MoU further expands FIO's marine sci-tech cooperation in the Mediterranean region, laying a solid foundation for sharing achievements and complementing capabilities in key areas such as ocean observation, operational forecasting, and marine ecological restoration between the two parties.
Established in 2019 with joint investment from the EU's "Horizon 2020" program and the Cypriot government, CMMI is located in Larnaca, a major port city in Cyprus. As Cyprus' flagship institution for promoting technological innovation in the marine and maritime sectors, CMMI focuses on cutting-edge directions such as digitalization, green and low-carbon development, and ecological protection, and is dedicated to effectively bridging scientific research outcomes with industry needs. In recent years, CMMI has made breakthrough progress in areas including marine robotics, smart shipping, zero-carbon shipping, and AI-powered ocean observation systems. It successfully launched Cyprus' first zero-carbon vessel and led the development of the world's first permanent autonomous underwater vehicle cluster system, EONIOS.
CEO Zacharias Siokouros of CMMI stated at the signing ceremony that CMMI consistently adheres to the research philosophy of "addressing challenges and solving problems," actively building collaborative platforms for the deep integration of research and industry to help Cyprus become a global maritime innovation hub. He noted that FIO is the first Chinese research institute to sign an MoU with CMMI. The establishment of this long-term cooperation mechanism reflects the deep consensus between the two sides in industry-oriented, problem-solving marine science and technology, and will further promote the positive development of their collaboration.
In the future, FIO and CMMI will take the signing of this MoU as a new starting point. The two sides will deepen the joint construction of scientific research platforms, accelerate the application and transformation of scientific and technological achievements, strengthen the joint cultivation of high-level talents, and jointly explore innovative pathways to serve marine sustainable development and the transition to a blue economy, injecting more scientific and technological momentum into building a maritime community with a shared future.
Group Photo