Postgraduate Students from University of Vigo Visit Navantia to Deepen Their Understanding of Supply Chain Innovation
Postgraduate students from the Master’s in Supply Chain Management and Innovation at the School of Industrial Engineering, University of Vigo, visited the Ferrol shipyard as part of the module “Industry 4.0: Opportunities, Challenges, and Risks”. This subject includes a section dedicated to digital transformation in shipyards, delivered by Miguel Vilar Montesinos, Head of Architecture and Technological Innovation at Navantia. The syllabus features a visit to the facilities.
During the tour, the students were accompanied by Rafael Morgade, Head of Digital and Industrial Transformation. The visit focused on aspects most relevant to their training, specifically supply chain management and innovation to enhance companies’ competitive advantage. After an introduction in the main building, the group—made up of about thirty people—moved to the Integrated Control Centre, which oversees all operations in the plant and boasts an award-winning digital twin. There, David Roca, Head of Maintenance, explained the plant’s operations. The group also learnt about the frigate manufacturing process, visiting workshops and concluding with a brief tour of the slipway and the Digital Block Factory.
At the Training Building, participants attended a talk by Miguel Vilar about Navantia and its products, as well as the company’s digital transformation. He also delved into topics related to Key Enabling Technologies (KETs), with special attention to drones (UxVs), additive manufacturing (3D printing), the Integrated Service System (SSI), and Extended Realities. He showcased projects, pilot schemes, and prototypes on which Navantia is working for implementation in its vessels and facilities.
maritime Technology Cluster FVG
mareFVG (Maritime Technology Cluster FVG) is a non-profit public-private consortium established in 2009 and based in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Italy. The cluster serves as the regional reference point for companies, universities, research centres, and training institutions active in the maritime sector, with the mission to boost the competitiveness of the regional maritime ecosystem at national, European, and international levels.
Core Activities:
- Networking and Collaboration: promoting interregional and international partnerships among the cluster’s members;
- Project Support: assistance to cluster members for R&D projects, administrative reporting, and technical implementation;
- Innovation and Open Innovation: organizing workshops, events, and matchmaking initiatives to connect research results with end users;
- Training and Orientation: support in designing school and university pathways, customization of professional courses, delivery of school laboratory activities, and career guidance in maritime professions;
- Observatory and Mapping: continuous mapping of regional stakeholders—over 1,300 maritime companies registered as of late 2024—to analyze skills and technological needs, guide regional policies, and support the establishment of new entities in the territory;
- Technology Transfer: organizing thematic seminars and technical events on emerging maritime technologies
In 2025-2026, mareFVG is undergoing a strategic transformation to expand its scope beyond maritime technology to include aerospace, underwater economy and renewable energies. This evolution, driven by regional stakeholders and major industrial players, positions mareFVG as a multisectoral innovation hub designed to address the technological challenges of the future.
Besides a dedicated project team, the cluster relies on a multidisciplinary team of experts with advanced technical and administrative skills, who can be engaged based on specific project needs and their areas of expertise.
Contacts:
Cristina Cesaro cristina.cesaro@marefvg.it
Flavia Fortin flavia.fortin@marefvg.it
Wendy Lenarduzzi wendy.lenarduzzi@marefvg.it
Roberta Padovan roberta.padovan@marefvg.it
IoT and Maritime Applications Online Course Held Under Erasmus+ Project LeaderSHIP4Skills
From July 1st to 4th, 2025, the University of Genoa (Italy) hosted the free online course “IoT Concepts, Architectural Principles and Maritime Applications”, aimed at professionals, researchers, and PhD students interested in digital innovation in the maritime sector.
This training initiative is part of the EU-funded LeaderSHIP4Skills project, which supports the development of future-oriented skills in the European maritime industry.
Delivered entirely in English and open to all without prerequisites, the course offered 8 hours of theoretical and practical content. Topics included:
- Fundamental IoT concepts
- Communication protocols
- Cloud-based solutions
- Real-world maritime applications
The course was organized by the University of Genoa as part of the research visit of Dr. Natalia Reen from Åbo Akademi University (Finland). During the exchange period, she was involved in LeaderSHIP4Skills project activities including co-authoring an academic paper, developing new maritime education curricula, and designing and piloting lectures bringing her specific knowledge on greener and digital technologies applied to shipbuilding.
A group of 10–12 participants took part in the training, engaging in interactive sessions that bridged cutting-edge technology with maritime industry needs. Among others, IoT was identified in earlier phases of the project as one of the “urgent skill” emerging in the field.
VET students gain knowledge of sustainable shipbuilding
How does the maritime industry actually work with sustainable shipbuilding? That was the main question when 75 vocational students from Herøy and Haram upper secondary schools in Møre and Romsdal, Norway left the classroom and headed to local shipyards to learn firsthand.
The short pilot course, “Introduction to sustainable shipbuilding”, took place at the two esteemed shipyards Green Yard Kleven in Ulsteinvik and Vard Søviknes. The course provided students with valuable insights into the shipbuilding sector in Møre og Romsdal, and why companies take sustainability seriously.
“It’s been both fun and interesting to visit these shipyards—not just to see what they do, but also to hear why they are so environmentally conscious,” said students Karl Inge Yri Brandal and Adomas Gedaudas. They are both enrolled in the first year of the Technology and Industrial Production program at Herøy Upper Secondary School. This education path can quickly lead to apprenticeships and careers in the maritime industry.
“This has been an educational experience for the students. They’ve gained firsthand knowledge of how and why some of our leading maritime companies work with sustainability. We’re very grateful that these companies welcome us and help students gain a deeper professional understanding,” said Håkon Sæterøy, principal at Haram Upper Secondary School.
Sustainability in the Curriculum
Through a recent education reform in Norway, sustainable development became a cross-cutting theme in all vocational subjects. The goal is to raise awareness among students about reducing environmental footprints and the connection between sustainability and technological development.
“It’s important that students see sustainability as more than just a concept—it’s something companies actively work on and see opportunities in,” said Sæterøy.
The phrase “Sustainability is our business model” was the opening slide during the students’ visit to Green Yard Kleven in Ulsteinvik in late March. Green Yard Kleven is a lifecycle shipyard offering a wide range of services with a strong focus on sustainability—not only in industrial production but also in economic and social aspects. During the visit, students got to see and hear what a lifecycle shipyard really looks like.
Offshore Wind and Future Fuels
A week later, the students visited Vard’s shipyard in Søviknes. Here, they learned about the shipbuilders’ thoughts on environmental emissions and future fuel choices. Representatives from Ålesund-based Norwind Offshore were also present. The company is heavily investing in offshore wind and has commissioned several vessels from Vard. In addition to presentations, students toured the NB 973, a vessel currently under construction for Purus.
“It’s been an exciting program, especially getting to be on board the ship,” said students Ask Korsnes and Live Tysnes from Haram Upper Secondary School.
They said they learned a lot during the visits, including the importance of having a maritime cluster where companies collaborate. While they were still unsure about a future career in shipbuilding, the program clearly showcased a forward-looking industry.
Feedback and evaluation shows a high degree of satisfaction among the students, including their improved knowledge about sustainable shipbuilding.
Erasmus+ Project
The pilot course is part of the Erasmus+ project LeaderSHIP, in which Møre and Romsdal County Council participates. The project involves 19 partners from eight European countries working together to develop future competencies for tomorrow’s shipbuilders. Digitalization and green transition are central themes, with Maritim Forening Søre Sunnmøre (Mafoss) representing maritime companies in Møre and Romsdal.
“Collaboration between education and industry is crucial to meet future competence needs. We know we’ll need many qualified professionals in the region in the coming years, especially in the maritime sector. Erasmus+ LeaderSHIP and the course the students participated in provide deeper professional understanding of where the industry is heading. It also helps strengthen recruitment,” said Jan Thormodsæter, CEO of Mafoss.
photo credits: Adrian Hildre
Empowering the Future of Maritime Talent through the LeaderSHIP4Skills Project!
On June 19th, BASQUE MARITIME CLUSTER held its Annual General Assembly, gathering over 120 industrial and institutional representatives from across the Basque Country to reflect on the state of the maritime industry and its strategic direction.
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of the Erasmus+ LeaderSHIP Project, a major initiative in which Basque Maritime Cluster is actively involved. This initiative is a cornerstone of the Cluster’s commitment to nurturing talent and ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the maritime sector.
➡️ In addition, Basque Maritime Cluster continues to play an active role in shaping the new European Maritime Industrial Strategy, contributing to forums and workshops aimed at boosting the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of Europe’s maritime manufacturing and technology sectors.
We’re proud to be part of this transformative journey, regionally and across Europe.
Successful Training Session on Alternative Fuels in Maritime Transport
Understanding the properties, advantages and challenges of new marine fuels is increasingly important for maritime professionals. Turku UAS’s online course offered an introduction to alternative fuels and it was received with enthusiasm.
73 shipbuilding professionals attended a training session on alternative fuels in maritime transport hosted by Turku University of Applied Sciences (Turku UAS).
The online course, delivered in Finnish, offered a comprehensive introduction to alternative fuels that are emerging as key solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime industry. As global environmental regulations become more stringent and the sector embraces sustainable practices, understanding the properties, advantages, and challenges of new marine fuels is increasingly important for maritime professionals.
The successful 4-hour training was given by Turku UAS’ Naval Architecture teacher PhD Jari Lahtinen in May-June 2025.
“It was a surprise for me that so many shipbuilding professionals participated these Teams-sessions. The participants were mainly from Meyer Turku Ltd, all eager to learn about the latest advancements in sustainable marine fuels”, says Jari Lahtinen.
Cross-section of the topic
The training provided a comprehensive overview of alternative fuels, including hydrogen, methanol, ammonia, biofuels, and even touched on nuclear power and wind assistance for ships. Participants explored the properties, benefits, and challenges associated with these fuels, gaining valuable insights into fuel storage, safety, and environmental impact.
“The course covered critical topics including fuel storage, safety considerations, environmental impacts, and the latest technological developments—equipping learners with the knowledge needed to navigate the future of sustainable shipping”, Jari Lahtinen says.
Feedback from the attendees was positive. Many praised the depth of knowledge shared by Dr. Lahtinen and appreciated the online format of the session. The course was particularly noted for its practical approach, offering brief overview of real-world applications and future developments in marine fuel technology.
“The training session marks a significant step towards equipping maritime professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the evolving themes of marine fuels, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and contributing to a sustainable future”, Jari Lahtinen summarises.
Implementing Practical Quality and Risk Management for Collaborative Impact
Authors: Emilie Descheemaecker, Philippe Buffe de Mornas and Marion Leclerc
Campus for Vocational Education and Training specialized in Maritime economy – University of Toulon (France)
When embarking on the project “LeaderSHIP 4 Skills”, the team from the Center for Vocational Education and Training hosted by the University of Toulon chose to implement a tailored approach to quality and risk management (Q&R management).
“LeaderSHIP 4 Skills” brings together 19 partners across 8 European countries over the course of 4 academic years, working on the evolution of the training offer in the shipbuilding and maritime sectors. A project of this scale clearly requires a unique, flexible and responsive Q&R management system.
Our approach is based on the core principle that quality and risk management is an essential part of the project coordination. It contributes directly to the delivery of activities and results that support the project’s overall objectives. The Q&R management system thus serves as a toolbox made available to the partners, enabling them to guide decisions and actions in a structured and informed manner.
As in any context, the quality manager’s top priority is to foster engagement and active participation in the Q&R system. To achieve this, we focus on building meaningful bridges between theoretical frameworks and their practical application within the project.
The best way to engage partners is to constantly demonstrate and apply best practices as much as possible in the implantation of the Q&R management system. Each presentation is carefully crafted with this central question in mind: How can we present this topic in a way that highlights the current challenges or progress without losing the audience’s attention?
When we invite our partners to engage with specific quality-related subjects, such as processes design or KPIs (key performance indicators), we begin by clearly explaining the concepts and illustrating how they contribute to optimizing the overall project execution. European quality standards are put in their proper context, integrated meaningfully within the broader system, and used to support the elaboration of an effective training offer.
Moreover, the role of the quality manager provides a comprehensive perspective on the project. It is thus our responsibility to bring clarity to our partners, by offering well-structured analyses of the data collected through the Q&R management system and translating those insights into actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.
This practical approach to quality and risk management has been well received by our partners. As a result, we collectively agreed to turn this experience into a dedicated training module to the benefit of the shipbuilding sector.
As a conclusion, throughout the “LeaderSHIP 4 Skills” project, our commitment to a pragmatic and engaging approach to quality and risk management has proven both effective and appreciated. By prioritizing clarity, participation, and practical relevance, we have succeeded in embedding Q&R practices into the project’s daily operations, rather than treating them as abstract obligations. While challenges remain, the collaboration and momentum established so far provide a strong platform for the work still to come.
NAVANTIA
Navantia is a high technology company with a particular focus in defence, naval shipbuilding and green energies.
A reference in the design, building, integration and life cycle support of ships for the Spanish Navy and international customers. Its activities in defence include complex systems integration and smart services, such as data based predictive sustainment or augmented reality enabled training. Navantia is adopting 4.0 technologies in shipyards and products.
Spanish and state owned, Navantia is commited to support sustainable development both economic, social and environtmentally. It is a member of Spanish network for UN Global Compact.
With a long track record of collaboration with Universities, Navantia has launched a network of centres of excellence (CoEx) with a focus in diferent technologies and an initiative to foster and attract open innovation (Monodon).
Contact:
Paula Ochoa Nava – Competence Manager (pochoa@navantia.es)
Paula Garrido Dos Santos – International HR Business Partner (pgarridods@navantia.es)
Université de Toulon - Center for Vocational Education and Training
The Center for Vocational Education and Training (Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications d’Excellence – CMQe), hosted by the University of Toulon and specialized in the maritime economy, is involved in the LeaderSHIP project. This involvement is aimed at expanding and diversifying the training offer in the maritime sector, while strengthening European cooperation in the field of education.
As the leader of Work Package 5, the CMQe’s day-to-day work on the LeaderSHIP project focuses on the practical implementation of the Quality and Risk Management System. Activities such as feedback and risk analysis, performance assessment, tracking the achievement of project objectives, and conducting satisfaction surveys are designed to directly support project management and assist partners in achieving the desired outcomes.
The Centre for Vocational Education and Training specializing in the maritime economy has been hosted by the University of Toulon since 2017 and is designed to:
- Connect with companies and offer training tailored to maritime professions;
- Build links between companies, secondary schools, vocational high schools, and universities to deliver relevant training programs;
- Anticipate future skill needs by integrating the latest technological and environmental innovations;
- Support professional skill development by promoting continuing education, apprenticeships, and initial training from high school through to higher education.
Established in 1968, the University of Toulon boasts six faculties — Communication; Literature and Foreign Languages; Law, Economics and Management; Sports Sciences; and Science and Technology — encompassing a wide range of departments. It also includes one engineering school and two institutes for technology and business administration. The University offers a broad selection of programs, with more than 100 degrees and options at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Contact
Philippe Buffe de Mornas, CMQ Executive Director, philippe.buffe-de-mornas@univ-tln.fr
Emilie Descheemaecker, Project manager, emilie.descheemaecker@univ-tln.fr
Marion Leclerc, CMQ communication manager, marion.leclerc@univ-tln.fr
Organisation webpage
Università di Genova – UniGe
DITEN Polo Navale (DITEN - Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering Unit)
Education: Founded in Genova in 1871 as Regia Scuola Superiore Navale (Royal Naval High School), then part of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Genoa since its establishment in 1935, nowadays DITEN Polo Navale is part of the Polytechnic School of the University of Genova and carries on the tradition of education in the field of naval architecture and marine engineering, graduating more than 50% of the Italian naval architects and of the technical Officers of the Italian Navy. As a member since foundation of WEGEMT, a network of about 30 European Universities operating in the field of Naval Architecture, DITEN Polo Navale organised, among the others, graduate and post-graduate schools attended by students from U.E. and outside. It has cooperation agreements with several universities worldwide, of course under the Erasmus Programme in EU.
Scientific activities: The academic staff of DITEN Polo Navale is active in the fields of:
Hydrodynamics (prediction of ship motions and resistance, numerical and experimental analysis of propellers, numerical modelling of hull shapes, ship and offshore structures stability).
Ship structures (design methods for ship and offshore structures, marine composites, reliability methods, fatigue analysis of ship structural components, noise and vibrations, FSI).
Ship propulsion plants (evaluation of environmental impact of marine transport, dynamic simulation of power plants, diesel electric propulsion, low pollution prime movers).
Research links: In addition to projects funded by the Italian Government and/or by Italian companies, DITEN Polo Navale participated as contractor or sub-contractor in various programmes in co-operation with European and worldwide Industries, Research Centres and Classification Societies.
Available facilities:
Hydrodynamic Lab (IDRO): towing tank and cavitation tunnel for propeller tests.
Marine Structures Testing Lab (MaSTeL): equipment for static, fatigue and dynamic tests on large or full-scale specimens, ship motions and sea trials in general, vibration and structure-borne noise, structural monitoring, development of equipment and specification for unconventional testing.
Drives and Experimental Automation for Marine Systems (DrEAMS) Lab: mechatronics, modeling and simulation of fluid power systems, diagnostics, monitoring and preventive maintenance, testing of non-conventional fluidic units, analysis of vibro-acoustic phenomena associated with drives and vacuum technology.
Contact us:
Prof. Cesare Mario Rizzo cessare.rizzo@unige.it
Prof. Marco Gaiotti marco.gaiotti@unige.it
Prof. Tatiana Pais tatiana.pais@unige.it
Prof. Gianmarco Vergassola gianmarco.vergassola@unige.it