News

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 ,

As HELMEPA is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding, we invited Primary School students to get inspired from our iconic Seagull and the timeless message "NO garbage, NO plastics in our seas and on our coasts" and create drawings with the theme: “Our seagull. The seagull of HELMEPA”   Entries should be submitted in one of the following three categories by Friday, March 11th :   Kindergartens & Special Education Schools 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd Grade 4 th , 5 th , 6 th

“A big thank you to all our Members, new and old. This award belongs to all our BoD members, the Secretariat and all of you who truly reflect the Greek entrepreneurship […] HELMEPA is committed to engage and empower all of us to take action and work towards a sustainable planet. I am confident that synergies, knowledge-sharing, teamwork, brave decisions and Greek Filotimo are the key ingredients to our continuous success.”   [Part of speech delivered by Semiramis Paliou, Chai

5,360 HELMEPA volunteers cleaned 130 km of coastline   Record of cleanups for HELMEPA, which in just two and a half months coordinated 196 cleanups all over Greece, covering 130 km of coastline, with the voluntary and active participation of 5,360 citizens.     The Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – HELMEPA in its capacity as the National Coordinator for the past 31 consecutive years, has successfully coordinated and implemented the International Coastal Cle

With the aim to optimize the preparation of Seafarers and Vessels for PSC inspections in US ports, as well as to further enhance safety, pollution prevention and sustainability, representatives of managing companies-members of HELMEPA addressed their questions directly to Rear Admiral John W. Mauger, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy of the US Coast Guard.   This year, the long-established HELMEPA – US Coast Guard Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., was held online d