Course piloting and Learning Materials for a Reduction in Emissions

Dear GREENPORT Alliances community,

Welcome to the 8th edition of our newsletter! The marine industry in Europe is accelerating its transition towards digitalisation and environmental sustainability. This edition showcases our project milestones in implementing and piloting the project courses to promote smarter, cleaner, and more resilient port operations.

Consortium Meeting in Varna

From December 11-12th 2025, the GREENPORT Alliances consortium convened at the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (NVNA) in Varna, Bulgaria for the 24th Project Management Committee (PMC) meeting. During the meeting, project partners reviewed overall progress and discussed the next steps for implementation. NVNA also hosted a demonstration of its advanced simulators at the academy, providing valuable insight into the practical training environment.

A key focus of the discussions was the piloting of the project’s training materials across partner organisations, followed by a comprehensive evaluation exercise. Project partners presented the piloting approaches currently in use and collectively agreed on the implementation timelines and methodologies for all three training streams: Vocational Education and Training (VET), Higher Education Institutions (HEI), and Train-the-Trainer (TTT) courses. The training materials have been designed to deliver measurable outcomes, particularly in supporting the reduction of CO₂ emissions. During the visit, these materials were also demonstrated to non-piloting partners, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration in advancing more sustainable port services.

The meeting further led to the introduction of new project components. In addition to assessing behavioural change, the project will now also evaluate end-user values during the piloting phase, enabling the identification of key value indicators. While port sustainability remains a core objective of Greenport Alliances, the safety of pilot captains and crew continues to be the project’s highest priority.

The GREENPORT HEI Course Piloting Successfully
Launched at Piri Reis University

The piloting of the GREENPORT Higher Education Institution (HEI) course “Sustainable Maritime Operations and Green Port” was successfully initiated at Piri Reis University during the Fall semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. The course was offered as an elective to second-year students in the Maritime Business Management programme and attracted significant interest, with 40 students enrolling.

The course was delivered by Prof. M. Taner Albayrak and enriched by the active participation of distinguished industry professionals, providing students with valuable insights into real-world maritime operations and sustainability challenges. Guest speakers included:

Capt. Nildeniz Sütçü Şen, Chair of the Turkish Maritime Pilots’ Association
Tamer Geçkin, R&D and Electrical Systems Director, Sanmar Shipyards
Didem Delican Türkyaşar, Training and Development Specialist, Ditaş Tankers
Capt. Bülent Alan, Senior Pilot Captain, DEKAŞ Maritime Pilotage Inc
Capt. Dr. Hasan Göler, Senior Vessel Performance Manager, DFDS
Veysel Sekin, Operations Chief, Yılport Holding Inc

The strong engagement of these experts generated considerable interest and enthusiasm among students, fostering meaningful dialogue between academia and industry. This interaction not only enriched the learning experience but also contributed to raising awareness and strengthening students’ intentions toward behavioral change in support of more sustainable port operations.

The course concluded with simulator-based evaluations, which proved to be highly effective in assessing learning outcomes and practical competencies. The simulators, developed by GDS Engineering, are expected to provide valuable insights for future research on monitoring and assessment strategies aimed at emission reduction. Moreover, the empirical data generated during the piloting phase will play a crucial role in supporting evidence-based approaches to behavioural change in the maritime sector.

The GREENPORT Consortium extends its sincere thanks to Prof. Dr. İsmail Çiçek, CEO of GDS Engineering R&D and Chair of the GREENPORT Project Advisory Board, as well as to the ITU research team, for their support and for providing this valuable opportunity to GREENPORT project staff and students to pilot the HEI curriculum and course materials.”

Pilot VET Course on Sustainable Maritime Operations successfully delivered at Constanța Maritime University

In December, Constanța Maritime University organised a pilot VET course on Sustainable Maritime Operations bringing together six experienced ship officers for an intensive two-day training programme. The course combined theoretical understanding with hands-on practice, focusing on how operational decisions during port approach and berthing influence energy consumption, emissions, and navigational safety. It was delivered as a blended format: Day 1 – online theoretical session introducing eco-navigation principles, regulatory context, and best practices for sustainable port operations; Day 2 – practical training on the Dynamic Positioning (DP) simulator, where participants applied these principles in realistic port manoeuvring scenarios.

During the simulator exercises, participants compared inefficient and best-practice manoeuvring approaches for an offshore vessel equipped with a DP system. By observing power demand, thruster use, and manoeuvring behaviour in real time, they gained a clear understanding of how anticipatory planning, stable engine operation, and effective use of wind and tide can significantly reduce energy use and emissions without compromising safety.

The simulation was designed and delivered by two captains: Capt. Cristian Micu (Senior DPO) and Capt. Dr. Gheorghe Surugiu (Senior Lecturer). Feedback from participants highlighted the strong relevance of simulator-based training for developing practical skills and increasing awareness of sustainability challenges in port operations.

This pilot activity confirms the value of VET-oriented, practice-based training in supporting the green transition of maritime transport. By focusing on operational behaviour rather than technology alone, such courses offer an immediately applicable pathway to more sustainable port operations and contribute directly to the objectives of the Greenport Project and wider EU decarbonisation goals.

The piloting for the Train-the-trainer (TTT) course will begin soon!

The TTT is the last learning stream which will be launched for piloting in February, incorporating behavioural modification to reduce emissions. This is designed for instructors, trainers, and marine educators focusing on integrating behavioural change strategies into their teaching resources and training.

By encouraging crew members and students to use energy-efficient techniques in all tug and pilot operations, the TTT course empowers educators and trainers to equip crew and students with the skills needed to ensure safer, cleaner and more ecologically sustainable maritime operations.

Keep following us as GREENPORT moves into an exciting new stage — where research meets real-world impact! In collaboration with our partners, we’re creating innovative educational resources to make port operations more sustainable.

From eco-navigation courses for students to hands-on training for professionals and educators, our three custom programmes are preparing the next generation of green maritime leaders.

Stay tuned — sustainability is setting sail in maritime education!