The agreement between the respective governments of the Republic of Cyprus and the State of Israel on Merchant Shipping, which was signed in Nicosia on 13 January 2010 and published in the Official Gazette on 29 January 2010, enters into effect on 23 March 2011. Its main provisions are summarised below.

• Article 7 commits both countries to adopt, within the limits of their respective laws and regulations, all appropriate measures to reduce unnecessary delays to vessels in their ports and to simplify the performance of administrative, customs and sanitary formalities to the greatest extent possible.
• Articles 9 and 10 provide for mutual recognition of identity documents for nationals of the two countries employed aboard vessels and permit shore leave in and around ports without the need for a visa.
• Article 13 allows for shipowners of one country to employ qualified nationals of the other on terms approved by the appropriate authorities of the seamen´s country, and commits both countries to use best efforts to ensure compliance with the agreed terms of employment.
• Article 16 commits each country to treat any vessel (including cargo, crew and passengers) of the other country which is shipwrecked, runs aground, is cast ashore, or suffers any other casualty off its coast in the same way as it would treat its national vessels and their cargo, crew and passengers.