Hull Blyth Araouzos

In 1936 the British shipping company HULL BLYTH & CO LTD of London initiated their business activities in Cyprus with the establishment of an office at Famagusta headed by Mr. Heracles Araouzos and assisted by Mr. Costas Economou. In 1956 the Turkish Cypriots set fire to the building in the old city of Famagusta, which was almost completely destroyed and the business was re-established temporarily in an office outside the old city. In 1963 Hull Blyth under its new name Hull Blyth Araouzos Ltd acquired a four floor building, near the port of Famagusta. By 1984, it became a purely local company.

In 1944 Hull Blyth founded the Limassol office. Two years later, in 1946 Hull Blyth established an office in Nicosia. In 1948 Hull Blyth opened an office in Larnaca and shortly afterwards an office in Kyrenia which had been active until 1974. During the same period, Hull Blyth also opened an office in Paphos which run until the end of the fifties.All offices were involved in the ticketing, tour operation and cargo clearing services, with a special expertise service in shipping activities which were offered by the Famagusta, Limassol, Kyrenia and Larnaca offices. Nicosia was the only office that was mainly offering aviation services.

In 1974 the Turkish invading forces occupied the Northern part of Cyprus covering an area of about 40% of the island. As a consequence , about 200.000 of the Greek Cypriot population were displaced and fled to the South, the area controlled by the Cyprus Government. Since then, Famagusta, then main port of Cyprus and Kyrenia, have been under Turkish occupation and Nicosia International Airport became under the control of UNIFICYP. As a result, the company and its Associates have suffered heavy losses and were deprived of their premises in Famagusta, Kyrenia and Nicosia airport. Limassol office became the main office of the company.

The oldest division, the activity for which the original company was established.

Hull Blyth is proud to be one of the oldest shipping companies in Cyprus. As shipping agents, Hull Blyth has been involved in vessel operations, cargo handling, clearing & forwarding, container handling, haulage & road transport, stevedoring, ship chandlery and chartering, thus contributing to the whole spectrum of economic activities in Cyprus. The first and most developed open port in Cyprus in the 19th century was Larnaca; but as later bigger and larger vessels were being built and cargo movements increased, Famagusta natural port which was much more adequate was reconstructed to cope with the international standards and it became one of the most important ports in the Mediterranean.

Later Limassol port followed and became the main port of Cyprus since the Turkish invasion in 1974. Larnaca port has mainly been busy with car carriers, tankers and only recently with container vessels. Hull Blyth represented the majority of the tankers which called at the port of Larnaca.

Vassiliko is a private port owned by the Vassiliko Cement Company for their coal imports. Hull Blyth has acted there as Owners' Protecting Agents.