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The need for further education and training of seafarers for the green and digital transition, as well as the commitment of the Greek maritime community to cooperate in addressing common challenges through sharing of technical know-how, experience and best practices, were highlighted by the qualitative data of HELMEPA's 2022 Refresher Training Program. The program was implemented by the Maritime Training Center (186 hours of training) with the active participation of 160 ship

While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are gradually making their way into the policy environment, the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss are increasingly becoming evident in the Mediterranean basin. In November 2022, experts from Greece and Italy, as well as other EU countries and Canada, joined a webinar series to share inspiring environmental education initiatives from the Mediterranean region, North America and the Arctic as part of the “ Ride the Wa

US sailors, marines and Embassy officials participated in a coastal cleanup activity in Elefsina on Friday 25 November 2022 coordinated by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – HELMEPA, the U.S. Embassy in Greece and the Elefsis Port Authority combining volunteerism with cultural and environmental awareness. Marking the closing event of HELMEPA’s International Coastal Cleanup campaign in Greece, 80 sailors and marines from the USNS TRENTON (T-EPF 5) anchor

Extensive was the participation of members of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association - HELMEPA in the 40th annual General Assembly (Tuesday, 29 November 2022), during which the actions and the financial operation of the Association for the year 2021 were presented and unanimously approved. Following, the election procedure for the new Board of Directors took place and the day after (Wednesday, 30 th November), the Board of Directors was composed, as follows:

Promoting Ocean and Climate Literacy in Nautical High Schools and local communities – part 3 Webinar which will be conducted in English through the Zoom platform on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 14.30 -16.30 Central European Time (register here ).     This is the last of a 3-webinar series that are provided for free to interested stakeholders and citizens within the context of the new " Ride the Wave: Ocean and Climate Literacy for Nautical High Schools " project, funded by

Webinar which will be conducted in English through the Zoom platform on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 14.30 -16.30 Central European Time (register here ). This is the second of a 3-webinar series that are provided for free to interested stakeholders and citizens within the context of the new " Ride the Wave : Ocean and Climate Literacy for Nautical High Schools " project, funded by the European Erasmus+ Programme 2021-2027 - KA210-SCH - Small Scale Partnership in school educ

HELMEPA celebrated its 40 th anniversary during a marvelous event together with individuals whose lives and memories run in parallel to the evolution of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association. On the evening of Thursday, October 13 th , at Zappeion Megaron, leading personalities in the fields of Shipping, the Environment, Politics and Art, shared their common vision for a sustainable future. Based on the long-standing moto "Sea is Life", HELMEPA Director Gene

Webinar which will be conducted in English through the Zoom platform on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 14.30 -16.30 Central European Time. This is the first of a 3-webinar series that are provided for free to interested stakeholders and citizens within the context of the new " Ride the Wave : Ocean and Climate Literacy for Nautical High Schools " project, funded by the European Erasmus+ Programme 2021-2027 - KA210-SCH - Small Scale Partnership in school education.

Differing uptake levels of the green/digital transition, understanding of sustainability criteria and the nurturing of a spirit of cooperation are some findings highlighted by the implementation to date of HELMEPA’s annual Voluntary Refresher Training Program for 2022. Although it is expected that companies focusing on sustainable development will develop into leaders of the maritime sector ( see HELMEPA’s Posidonia 2022 Conference on Sustainable Shipping) , interaction with

The new electronic application SEAtizens Watch for tablets and/or smart phones ( Android & iOS ) is freely available with the aim to enhance the collection of valuable information on marine species or visible forms of pollution by means of photo capture, either from shore or while travelling at sea. The application advances and facilitates Citizen Science, giving to everyone the opportunity to contribute to a collective effort of data gathering of potential scientific valu

Ocean and climate literacy is the ability to understand and explain in simple words issues such as the impact of our influence on the ocean and climate and the importance of ocean and climate for life on Earth, and human life in particular. It is also important to understand that with the term “ocean” we refer to the Global Ocean, the Blue Planet, which is to say all the interconnected oceans and seas of the Earth. Now more than ever, it is a critical knowledge and skill to f

Deree students together with shipowners and maritime leaders (all HELMEPA members) work together to identify best practices that foster smooth decarbonization, protection of marine environment and sustainable development. In the framework of the BiG Focus initiative (launched in March 2022), students presented their work - so far, and debated the findings with shipowners and maritime executives (May 24, BiG Focus Event, ACG Events Hall).   In his opening remarks, Professor Lo

HELMEPA’s game changer event on Sustainable Shipping brought together over 420 shipping stakeholders who attended a lively debate between top leading shipowners and cross-industry executives on the role of shipping in the energy transition, and the technologies and management approaches required to progress the sector’s sustainability agenda. Funding decarbonization, strengthening collaboration and cultivating ‘filotimo’ i.e. love of honor were the event’s main headlines, alo

New campaign by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association - HELMEPA to enhance safety awareness among seafarers, sailors, fishermen, captains and crew of pleasure boats and sailboat skippers and to insist on adhering to safety regulations. On the occasion of the establishment of May 11 as National Day for the Prevention of Maritime Accidents and Drowning by the Hellenic Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, HELMEPA presented during a Press Conference (Wed. 11

The need for strict compliance with safety rules while working on board ships, boats and in ports, the continuous training of employees and port users on safety issues and the enhancement of their skills so that they can cope with the ongoing green and digital transition of the shipping industry were highlighted in the Workshop co-organized by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – HELMEPA, the Elefsis Port Authority SA (EPA) and the Hellenic Institute of M

2022 is a milestone year for marine environmental protection with HELMEPA celebrating its 40 th anniversary since the Association’s founding. It was in 1982 that Greek shipowners and seafarers joined forces in an unprecedented move, as the environmental challenges were not as imperative as they are today, in a collective desire and voluntary commitment to pass on to future generations a clean and healthy marine environment. 2022 is a milestone year for marine environmental p

HELMEPA organizes a workshop titled “ Safety at sea and port facilities ” in collaboration with Elefsis Port Authority -HELMEPA’s corporate member- and the Hellenic Institute of Marine Technology (ELINT). It will be held on 9 March 2022, 10:00 – 13:30, at the event hall of the Labor and Employment Center of Elefsina - West Attica, Greece.   The workshop is part of the 3-year long program (2019-2022) entitled “ Enhancing the Understanding of New and Enduring Challenges in Mar

SEA GUARDIANS is a new program for healthy seas focusing on the collection of data on marine protected species and pollution hot spots. It is coordinated by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association ( HELMEPA ) and implemented in collaboration with AENAOS THALASSA , the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency ( N.E.C.C.A ) and with the scientific contribution of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Ichthyology Laboratory of the Department of Biology. This

Focusing on young people aged 15 to 29, HELMEPA, together with international organizations, focuses on informing, attracting and guiding young people in the maritime professions , as the European Blue Economy, currently representing around 5.4 million jobs , is set to double its employment by 2030. With a view to 2024, all stakeholders in the European Blue Generation Initiative are committed to informing 39,000 young people about employment prospects in the fast-growing sec

The Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) announced the 2022 Voluntary Refresher Training Program. It is the most thematically diverse , specialized, synergetic annual training program of the Association enhanced with new topics following a focused mapping of the training needs of shipping companies and organizations. For the first time, HELMEPA’s Refresher Training Program extends its reach to organizations and companies of the wider maritime sector ,