Labor Standards on Cypriot Ships: Myth and Reality

This Article offers a comprehensive comparative analysis of labor and social security standards on Cypriot and Greek ships. Potential cost savings for shipowners who register their ships in one country rather than the other may result from the absence of a given standard in the country of registration, or a lower or more flexible standard in that country than in the other. The authors conclude that the registration of ships in Cyprus does not provide overall advantages (in terms of "inferior" labor standards) over registration in Greece. Broadly speaking, shipowners may gain certain advantages by registering their ships in Cyprus with regard to working hours, manning, repatriation, and social security standards.

However, the authors also show that shipowners registering their ships in Greece may gain advantages with respect to standards concerning repatriation of seamen, crew accommodation, and articles of agreement.