On November 20, 2024, Estonian Maritime Academy (EMERA) had the honor of hosting Dr. Nicodemos Damianou, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy of Cyprus, alongside the Ambassador of Cyprus to Estonia, Demetris Samuel. The Ambassador, a familiar guest at our Academy, reiterated the significant potential for collaboration between Estonia and Cyprus in maritime and digital sectors.
The visit's primary focus was the meeting with Academy's Center for Maritime Cybersecurity (MariCybERA ERA Chair), where critical issues surrounding maritime cybersecurity were discussed. Dr. Damianou expressed his interest in advancing these topics with the Cyprus government, signaling a promising step toward strengthening our partnership.
During the visit, the delegation toured the ship's bridge simulators and reviewed the activities of the Academy's research groups. Kristel Toom, EMERA’s Research and Development Director guided the visit, while Sanja Bauk, Head of the Centre for Maritime Cybersecurity, provided an in-depth overview of global maritime cyber threats, cyberattacks, and the center's research directions.
Additionally, Muhammed Erbas, an early-stage researcher in the MariCybERA project, focused on the cybersecurity challenges associated with autonomous vessels, threat modeling, and risk assessments in this evolving domain.
Dr. Damianou's visit followed his participation in the Tallinn Digital Summit 2024, where he contributed to the panel discussion, “What Does ‘Winning’ in AI Look Like?” . The Minister's engagements in Estonia also included high-level meetings on digital governance and visits to cutting-edge technology companies like Auve Tech, underscoring the alignment of innovation goals between Estonia and Cyprus.
We are excited to build on this visit and explore future collaborations in maritime cybersecurity and digital innovation.