Cypriot shipowner Philippos Philis is to take the reins at European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA).

Philis served a single three-year term as head of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber (CSC). He will be replaced by Themis Papadopoulos, chief executive at Interorient Navigation, who has held the post before.

“The mere fact that six months from now Mr Philis will be the first Cypriot president of [ECSA] clearly reflects the recognition the CSC is enjoying among our international and European colleagues,” the chamber's director general, Thomas Kazakos, said on Thursday, during its 32nd annual general meeting.