Cyprus Ports Authority All port facilities of the island are under the jurisdiction of the Cyprus Ports Authority (CPA), a statutory body set up in 1973. The role of CPA is to implement and promote government policy but it also has the obligation to be commercially oriented as it has to be self financed. It is practically the only investor in ports and it carries out part of the port operations mainly pilotage, cranage and store keeping. However, the bulk of the activity, stevedoring and shore operations are in the hands of the private sector. This has enabled Cyprus ports to reach high standards of productivity and the private sector to develop an integrated package of services to cater for customer needs. These services extend beyond the boundaries of ports and indeed overseas, to cover logistical support, warehousing, distribution and feedering services to a wide international region. The Cyprus Ports - Cyprus, being a small island state, relies entirely on ports for its connection to other countries as far as cargo movement is concerned. In addition Cyprus ports also play a major role in the movement of passengers, mostly cruise passengers thus enhancing the very important tourist sector of the island. Indeed Cyprus is a well-established cruise hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. Limassol port, CyprusΆ major port, is one of the leading cruise ports of the Mediterranean and the home port of several cruise operators, including one of the industry's major players and is included in the itinerary of international cruisers plying the region. Also until recently, Cyprus ports were important transshipment centers in the region offering cost-effective services to international trade and making a substantial contribution to the economy of Cyprus. With accession Cyprus has become the outpost of EU in its south-eastern corner. Sea-borne traffic is serviced in Cyprus by a modern and highly integrated national port system composed of the multipurpose ports of Limassol and Larnaka, the industrial port of Vassiliko and four specialized oil terminals at Larnaka, Dekeleia, Moni and Vassiliko. Limassol port serves the country's external trade and sea-borne passenger traffic, acting also as a transshipment centre for the region. With a quay length of 2030 meters and dredged depth to 14 meters, it is equipped with post panamax cranes to serve even 4th generation container vessels. It offers the full complement of services required during a ship's call in port which include ship repair, container repair, bunkering, ship-chandling etc. Larnaka port, with a quay length of 666 meters and dredged depth to 12 meters, serves some specialized trade and is scheduled for redevelopment into specialized state of the art passenger/leisure port. The smaller ports of Pafos, Latchi, Zygi and the Limassol Old Port are currently used as marinas and fishing shelters. The ports of Famagusta, Keryneia, Karavostassi and Xeros are in the area occupied by Turkish troops since 1974 and have been declared by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus closed to shipping and navigation and as prohibited ports of entry and exit. During 2003, Cyprus ports served about 7.5 million tons of cargo, 0.5 million passengers and 4.700 ship calls.