In brief, HELMEPA is a historic and impactful non-governmental organization, founded by the Greek shipping community in 1982 to protect the marine environment, promote safety at sea, and advance sustainable development.

Today, HELMEPA unites 373 shipping companies and organizations in Greece and abroad, 2,500 ocean-going vessels, and over 15,000 seafarers and maritime professionals. Through our outreach and education programs, over one million volunteers and students across Greece have engaged in ocean literacy, blue economy awareness, scholarships, and experiential environmental education rooted in ocean science. The award-winning HELMEPA Academy serves as a leading hub of lifelong learning, empowering more than 40,000 seafarers and maritime professionals with training and reskilling for the industry’s green and digital transition.

HELMEPA also supports the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in its efforts toward “Safe and Efficient Ships in Clean Seas” and regularly participates in MEPC and MSC meetings as Technical Advisor to the Greek Delegation.

As an accredited UNEP/MAP Partner since 1985, HELMEPA contributes actively to regional environmental policy and action in the Mediterranean, working closely with the Coordinating Unit, MED POL, REMPEC, and other components.

HELMEPA has inspired the creation of sister organizations worldwide under the international “MEPA” movement, collectively forming the INTERMEPA network, whose Secretariat is hosted at our headquarters in Greece.

By bridging science, industry, and civil society, HELMEPA serves as an open platform for advancing ocean literacy and sustainable ocean governance. We collect, analyze, and openly share marine environmental data, primarily from maritime operations, as well as from coastal monitoring and citizen science.

Embracing an open-source culture, we strive to make this knowledge widely accessible to inform policy, empower local communities, and support evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean.