LeaderSHIP4Skills Partners Gather in Trieste to Discuss the Future of Maritime Skills
The LeaderSHIP4Skills project brought together project partners and key stakeholders for two days of productive discussions, knowledge exchange, and collaboration in Trieste, Italy. The meeting provided an important opportunity to reflect on the project's progress, exchange insights, and explore the evolving skills needs of the European maritime sector.
As the maritime industry continues to undergo significant transformation, driven by technological innovation, digitalisation, and the transition towards more sustainable practices, ensuring that the workforce is equipped with the right skills is becoming increasingly important. Against this backdrop, the meeting offered a valuable platform for participants to share perspectives, identify emerging challenges, and discuss how the sector can better prepare for future demands.
Throughout the two days, interactive workshops and collaborative discussions enabled project partners to review ongoing activities, share knowledge and experiences, and consider the next steps in the project's implementation. Particular attention was given to the importance of cooperation between industry stakeholders and other relevant actors in addressing skills gaps and supporting the long-term competitiveness of the European maritime industry.
The programme also included a dissemination event, providing an opportunity to share the project's work and encourage broader dialogue on the future of maritime skills. The discussions highlighted the value of bringing together different perspectives to support a more coordinated approach to skills development and workforce readiness.
The meeting in Trieste reaffirmed the shared commitment of LeaderSHIP4Skills partners and stakeholders to strengthening the European maritime sector through collaboration, innovation, and forward-looking skills development.
By fostering knowledge exchange and cooperation, LeaderSHIP4Skills continues to contribute to the vision of a more innovative, sustainable, competitive, and resilient European maritime industry.
Finland’s New Maritime Industry Strategy Highlights the Need for Leadership, Skills and Collaboration
Finland has published a new national Maritime Industry Strategy, setting out a vision for strengthening the competitiveness, growth and renewal of one of the country’s most important export sectors. The strategy recognizes the maritime industry as a key driver of economic growth and emphasizes the importance of innovation, skills development and long-term collaboration between industry, public authorities and educational institutions.
“The maritime industry has emerged as one of Finland’s leading growth sectors and has a significant impact on the direction of our national economy,” emphasizes Mika Nieminen, Chair of the Board of Finnish Marine Industries and CEO of Rauma Marine Constructions.
Prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, the strategy identifies five priority areas for future development: innovation and technological leadership, skills and workforce availability, exports and new markets, government vessels and security of supply, and investments, financing and ownership.
It also highlights the role of the state and the importance of domestic ownership in supporting the sector’s development.
The vision is to ensure that Finland retains its capability to build the world's most demanding cruise ships and passenger vessels, as well as its expertise in the design, technology development and production of vessels critical to the state, such as Arctic vessels, government and authority vessels, and naval ships. At the same time, the entire maritime industry ecosystem will be strengthened across the full value chain.
Another key objective is to significantly increase technology and service exports. The Finnish maritime industry is internationally recognised for its high level of expertise and advanced solutions, and the goal is to expand exports particularly through low-carbon, environmentally sustainable and high-technology products and services. At the same time, efforts will be made to ensure that domestic manufacturing maintains a strong role within the value chain.
Leadership and Talent as Enablers of Growth
The implementation of the strategy is expected to further strengthen the sector's competitiveness, growth and renewal. While the maritime industry is already one of Finland’s key growth engines, significant untapped expansion potential remains and should be fully utilized.
Delivering these ambitions will require practical mechanisms for skills development and industry collaboration. In this context, LeaderSHIP can serve as a platform for implementing the skills and competence objectives of both Finland's Maritime Industry Strategy and the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy, published in March 2026.
By connecting industry, education and European partners, the project can translate strategic goals into concrete training programmes, competence frameworks, micro-credentials and lifelong learning pathways that strengthen Finnish and European maritime competitiveness.
A Strategic Sector for Finland
With annual revenues of approximately €12 billion, the maritime industry is a strategically important and critical export sector for Finland’s security of supply. The industry directly employs more than 30,000 professionals. Finnish maritime companies export high-technology solutions for all vessel types worldwide, helping accelerate the green and digital transition in shipping.
The sector is known for shipbuilding deliveries and technology solutions for cruise ships, passenger ferries, and specialized vessels such as icebreakers and government vessels, as well as offshore operations. The industry encompasses the entire technology value chain, from shipyards and design companies to equipment and systems suppliers, turnkey providers, software companies, and material suppliers.
Future skills in the maritime industry: what should education and training provide?
LeaderSHIP panel discussion at Europe Forum 2026 in Turku
The Europe Forum is Finland’s most significant event for political and social debate, bringing together decision-makers, experts, representatives of the business community and members of the public. The 2026 Europe Forum was held in Turku from 26 to 28 August under the theme “Values, innovation and security as the foundation for the EU’s success”.
As part of the event, Turku University of Applied Sciences and the LeaderSHIP project organised a panel discussion entitled “Future skills in the maritime industry: what should education and training provide?”. Journalist Ari Welling (Yle - The Finnish Broadcasting Company) facilitated the discussion between panellists Rector and CEO Vesa Taatila (Turku University of Applied Sciences), HR Director Nina Marttila (Meyer Turku Ltd), CEO Elina Andersson (Association of Finnish Marine Industries) and Vice President, Shipowner Services, Jari Yli-Tolppa (Elomatic Ltd). An audience of 86 persons attended onsite and 57 watched the online streaming.
The panel emphasised that the maritime industry is a broad and interdependent ecosystem, its operations shaped by digitalisation, automation, the green transition, cyber security, and geopolitical changes. Future competitiveness will require even stronger systemic expertise, involving an understanding not only of one’s own specialisation but also of the functioning of the entire shipbuilding and maritime industry value chain.
The discussion pointed to the growing concerns about a skills shortage. There is a greater need than ever for shipbuilding professionals, as the maritime industry is a growth sector in Finland and, at the same time, a significant number of experienced specialists are set to retire over the next decade. However, the diverse maritime industry also requires skilled workers with a wide range of educational backgrounds and experience. Long-term solutions are needed to pass on expertise to younger generations, as the practical skills required for many roles are built up through years of experience.
Panellists also emphasised the importance of increasing productivity and efficiency in a situation where the working-age population is shrinking. Automation, digitalisation, and autonomous systems were seen as key means of addressing labour supply challenges and improving productivity across the entire sector. Cyber security expertise should be incorporated into virtually all job roles. With the rise of remote systems, data-driven decision-making and networked operating environments, every employee must understand the basics of information security, regardless of their own professional field.
Another topic was the international operating environment. English has become the everyday working language in many companies, which highlights the importance of language skills and the ability to operate in a multicultural working environment. Furthermore, attracting students and experts from various fields to the maritime industry was seen as an important means of broadening the skills base and strengthening the sector’s capacity for renewal.
The panel’s key conclusion was that, alongside specialised technical expertise, the maritime industry of the future requires continuous learning, the ability to utilise artificial intelligence, strong cyber security skills, and the ability to understand one’s own role as part of the wider maritime ecosystem. Proficiency in English, the ability to collaborate and a readiness to acquire new skills were identified as the core competencies of a successful maritime industry professional.
Turku Shipyard Driving Growth Across Finland
The economic influence of the Turku shipyard has grown significantly in recent years, extending far
beyond Southwest Finland to benefit the entire country. A recent study conducted by the University
of Turku confirms that Meyer Turku Oy has become an increasingly important driver of
employment, business activity and tax revenue nationwide.
Since 2021, the company’s turnover has roughly doubled, while its workforce has expanded by
around 30 percent to approximately 2,400 employees. When the broader network of suppliers and
partners is included, the shipyard now supports more than 10,000 jobs across Finland.
A key factor behind this impact is the extensive supply chain connected to the shipyard. In 2025,
over 1,100 partner companies were involved, including hundreds of domestic firms. Notably,
around 70 percent of deliveries now come from Finnish companies, highlighting the growing
importance of local industry. While the strongest effects are seen in Southwest Finland and the
Helsinki region, the benefits are felt across more than one hundred municipalities.
The scale of activity is substantial: the total value of deliveries reached approximately €1.45 billion
in 2025. This economic activity also generates demand beyond the industrial sector, supporting
services such as housing, education and transport. At the same time, international cooperation
remains strong, with suppliers from dozens of countries contributing to production.
Overall, the Turku shipyard represents a vital part of Finland’s industrial ecosystem. Its success
relies not only on its own operations but also on a wide network of partners, skills, and innovation.
As investments continue and domestic production increases, the shipyard’s role in strengthening
Finland’s competitiveness and economic vitality is expected to grow even further.
Photo: Copyright Meyer Turku
Shaping the Future of Maritime Technology Skills – LeaderSHIP at the European Maritime Days
The EU Maritime Day on 21 and 22 May brought together policymakers, industry leaders, trade unions, researchers and regional stakeholders in Limassol, Cyprus, to discuss the future of Europe’s blue economy. As the EU’s flagship maritime event, it plays a key role in advancing priorities such as the green and digital transitions, sustainable ocean governance and skills development, notably through initiatives like the Pact for Skills and projects such as LeaderSHIP.
The LeaderSHIP Project partners hosted the workshop “Shaping the Future of Maritime Technology Skills” that addressed one of the sector’s most pressing challenges: how to anticipate and respond to rapidly evolving skills needs in shipbuilding and maritime technologies. Bringing together policymakers, industry representatives, training providers and trade unions, the session fostered a forward-looking and collaborative exchange on both challenges and opportunities linked to the twin transitions. Through a combination of expert presentations and interactive discussion, participants explored emerging trends, shared practical experiences and identified areas for action.
A central element of the discussion was the evidence generated by the LeaderSHIP project. Survey results presented during the session highlighted significant shortages in both technical and digital skills profiles, alongside a growing reliance on internal company training. These findings underscored the need to better align education and training systems with industry requirements, particularly as demand for skills linked to zero-emission technologies, automation and data-driven shipbuilding processes is growing. The workshop also showcased the project’s practical response, including the development of new curricula and pilot training programmes designed in close cooperation with industry stakeholders.
Participants also emphasised the importance of stronger cooperation across Europe. They reflected on the role of regional ecosystems and the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills in scaling up efforts, improving talent attraction and fostering lifelong learning. Particular attention was given to how collaboration between clusters, companies, education providers and public authorities can support cross-border mobility and ensure a more coordinated European approach. This was complemented by a policy perspective rooted in the European Maritime Industrial Strategy, which highlights the central role of skills, quality jobs and social dialogue in delivering a fair and competitive transition.
The industry perspective further illustrated the scale of transformation underway. Contributions from shipyard representatives highlighted how the green transition is reshaping competence requirements, with growing demand not only for advanced technical expertise but also for interdisciplinary skills, adaptability and continuous learning.
Overall, the workshop clearly demonstrated that addressing skills gaps is essential to securing the future competitiveness of Europe’s maritime industry. By connecting policy ambitions with practical solutions, it reinforced the need for coordinated European action and strong partnerships to build a skilled, resilient and future-proof workforce.
LeaderSHIP workshop topic: “Shaping the Future of Maritime Technology Skills”
Presenters:
LeaderSHIP Project: Juha Valtanen, Project leader, Turku University of Applied Sciences
New curricula and piloted trainings: Tatiana Pais, Researcher, Ph.D. in Naval Engineering, University of Genoa
Regional Ecosystems and Shipbuilding Pact for Skills: Ana Mendibil, Training & Employment Manager, Basque Maritime Forum
European Maritime Industrial Strategy: Aurora Rossi, Policy Advisor, IndustriAll European Trade Union
Future Competence Needs at Shipyards: Ilkka Rytkölä, Ecosystem Lead, Meyer Turku Ltd
Vevox audience interaction: Suvi Kivelä, Project Manager, Turku University of Applied Sciences
Bilbao School of Engineering welcomes National Geographic Spain Subscribers
The Bilbao School of Engineering hosted 50 subscribers of National Geographic Spain on April 25th, accompanied by a team from the Energy Department of the University of the Basque Country and Gonçalo Pereira, Director of National Geographic Spain and Portugal.
The “ExperienciaNG” day was divided into two parts: a practical workshop at the wave flume and a technical visit to the Mutriku wave power plant.
In the morning, attendees took part in a practical workshop at the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory of the Bilbao School of Engineering. The laboratory features a 25-metre-long wave flume, enabling experimental analysis of wave interactions. During the session, participants designed and built their own oscillating water column (OWC) chamber models using LEGO bricks. These prototypes were tested in the wave tank, where visitors observed how different geometries influenced wave amplification, supported by measurements obtained through resistive probes.
In the afternoon, the group visited the Mutriku wave power plant, where they saw how the concepts explored in the laboratory are applied in practice. Commissioned in 2011, Mutriku is the world’s first commercial wave power plant integrated into a breakwater, operating with oscillating water column technology to generate renewable energy.
This initiative aims to bring marine renewable energy closer to the public and highlight the role of scientific research and technological innovation in advancing sustainable energy solutions.
The participants were also interested to learn about the European Erasmus + project LEADERSHIP4Skills that was presented as part of the visit. The session highlighted the main objectives, ongoing activities, and progress achieved within the project.
From Strategy to Implementation: European Maritime Manufacturing Industry Mobilises on Skills and Quality Jobs
At the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills event, industry, trade unions and EU institutions reviewed progress and aligned next steps to strengthen skills development and quality jobs in Europe's maritime manufacturing industry.
On 5th May, industry leaders, trade unions, EU institutions and education providers gathered at the European Economic and Social Committee for the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills event, focused on delivering concrete actions for skills and quality jobs in the maritime manufacturing industry.
Organised by SEA Europe and industriAll Europe, the event marked a key milestone in aligning the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills with the recently published European Industrial Maritime Strategy (EIMS), particularly its 'Skills and Quality Jobs' pillar.
Opening the event, Isabelle Barthès, Deputy Secretary General of industriAll Europe, and Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General of SEA Europe stressed that skills are not only a social priority but a strategic condition for Europe’s industrial competitiveness and sovereignty.
High-level speakers from the European Economic and Social Committee, the OECD, and the European Commission highlighted the urgent need to invest in workers to support the green and digital transition, while addressing structural labour shortages across Europe’s industrial ecosystems.
During the session on the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills, SEA Europe and industriAll Europe presented the state of play of the partnership, including its ambitious targets to upskill and reskill 200,000 workers, attract 230,000 new talents, and mobilise €1 billion in investments. The discussion also showcased progress under the LeaderSHIP project, including the development of a European Sectoral Skills Strategy and concrete training programmes tailored to industry needs.
A high-level panel discussion brought together representatives from the European Commission, social partners, regional authorities and education providers to explore how to effectively deliver the EMIS social pillar. Participants emphasised the importance of:
- strengthening cooperation between industry and education systems,
- ensuring better alignment between training and labour market needs,
- improving the attractiveness of the sector, and
- scaling up EU-level coordination and funding for skills initiatives.
The discussion confirmed broad consensus that social dialogue and sectoral partnerships and initiatives are essential to translate policy ambitions into tangible results on the ground.
Isabelle Barthès said: “Skills policy must deliver for workers first. Investing in training, reskilling and quality jobs is not optional, it is how we secure a just transition, protect industrial workers, and ensure Europe’s maritime sector remains strong, competitive and socially fair. Public support for Europe’s maritime industry must come with clear social conditionalities. Every euro of public investment should strengthen skills, secure quality jobs, and guarantee respect for workers’ rights. Competitiveness and social policy must go hand in hand.”
“Europe’s maritime manufacturing industry is at a turning point. Delivering the green and digital transition, strengthening Europe’s industrial resilience and preserving our global leadership will require continued investment in skills, workforce attractiveness and quality jobs. The Shipbuilding Pact for Skills and the European Maritime Industrial Strategy provide a strong framework — now we must turn ambition into concrete action together with social partners, EU institutions and Member States.”, said Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General of SEA Europe.
Closing the event, SEA Europe and industriAll Europe called for swift implementation of the EMIS, with a strong focus on skills, and for continued support to the Pact for Skills as a key delivery mechanism.
Students Take Their First Steps Toward Romanian Shipbuilding 4.0
Romanian shipbuilding companies are undergoing continuous transformation as they work to align with European trends in adopting the digital technologies that define Shipbuilding 4.0. This new paradigm adapts core Industry 4.0 tools—such as Big Data, predictive maintenance, advanced supply chain management, and real‑time workflow optimisation—to the specific demands of ship design and construction.
To prepare the next generation of naval engineers for this shift, the Faculty of Naval Architecture (FAN) has introduced the course Hull Building Strategies. The initiative is funded through the European ERASMUS+ programme under the project Learning European Alliance for Digital, Environmental and Resilient Shipbuilding (LeaderSHIP).
The course combines strong theoretical foundations with hands‑on experience. Students learn from Mr. Costel Ungureanu, Dean of FAN, who leads the theoretical component, and from Mr. Radu Bosoancă, who coordinates the practical sessions inside the FAN Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Laboratory. Key stages of the shipbuilding production flow—material storage, sandblasting, cutting, panel and section assembly, and painting—are brought to life through shipyard visits and video demonstrations from both European partners and the 3DEXPERIENCE DELMIA platform (Dassault Systèmes).
By examining technical documentation related to ship structures and systems, and by working with Microsoft HoloLens 2 devices in remote collaborative mode alongside the CADMATIC eBrowser virtual‑ship platform, students gained a clear understanding of the value of digital technologies. The hands‑on exercises also helped them differentiate effectively between Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality.
Florin, one of the participants, shared his experience:
"I appreciated the interaction between teacher and student—it was much more dynamic than in usual courses. I finally understood the meaning of previously taught subjects and saw how strongly they connect. The most interesting moment was visualising naval objects in augmented reality using the Microsoft HoloLens 2 glasses."
Another student, Margareta, added:
"The equipment, the laboratory materials, and the visit to the Damen Galați shipyard clearly illustrated the trend toward modernisation and digitalisation in the Romanian maritime industry."
By combining course participation with a comprehensive overview of shipyard production processes, students developed a deeper understanding of the stages and challenges involved in digitalising shipbuilding workflows.
The first cohort completed the course on 27 March this year and received certificates issued by the "Dunărea de Jos" University of Galați through its Continuing Education Department.
European Employment Forum & Shipbuilding Pact for Skills
On 3–4 March, the Basque Maritime Cluster took part in the European Employment Forum and in the 16th Technical Meeting of the Large‑Scale Skills Partnerships and Regional Skills Partnerships, held in Brussels.
The gathering brought together coordinators from other Large Scale Partnerships and Regional Skills Partnerships across Europe to exchange progress, best practices, and new collaboration opportunities within the Pact for Skills framework.
Representing the Cluster and leading the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills, the Basque delegation highlighted the Partnership’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the skills ecosystem of the shipbuilding and maritime industries. During the meeting, it was also underlined that the LeaderSHIP Project is a concrete example of how the work developed within the Shipbuilding Pact for Skills is being translated into European cooperation, training initiatives, and sector‑wide skill development actions.
This contribution took on particular relevance at the European Forum on Employment and Social Rights, where important issues such as skills enhancement and upskilling and reskilling for the maritime sector were discussed.
The meeting reaffirmed the importance of close cooperation between European regions and industrial alliances to build a resilient, future‑ready maritime workforce.
From Blueprints to Classrooms: Piloting the Future of Shipbuilding Skills Across Europe
The European shipbuilding and maritime technology sector is undergoing a profound transformation. The twin green and digital transitions are not only reshaping vessels and production processes — they are redefining the skills that workers need. In this context, the EU-funded LeaderSHIP project has moved from strategy to implementation: the piloting phase of its training programmes. This is the moment when the curricula developed in earlier project stages meet real learners, real classrooms and real shipyard environments.
The results so far are promising. More than 340 participants have already taken part in pilot courses delivered across Finland, Norway, Romania, Italy and Spain. These courses cover the full range of the European Qualifications Framework: from EQF Level 3 vocational training in welding for unemployed workers, to PhD‑level modules on Internet of Things applications and green transition methodologies. The subjects offered meet the sector's most urgent skill needs, including advanced welding techniques, sustainable shipbuilding, alternative marine fuels, structural analysis using the finite element method, robotic inspections, operational lean management, and transversal skills such as time management and workplace instruction.
One of the main strengths of this piloting phase is its diversity. Training has taken place face‑to‑face in shipyards such as Meyer Turku and Green Yard Kleven in Norway, online through universities of applied sciences, and in blended formats that combine academic expertise with practical industrial experience. Participants include vocational students, unemployed workers with immigrant backgrounds, shipyard professionals and doctoral researchers. Learner satisfaction is consistently high, with average ratings above 8.5 out of 10 and several courses exceeding the 9‑point mark.
Beyond the immediate learning outcomes, the project is building something more enduring: a dynamic roadmap that evolves with the sector’s changing needs. Instead of providing a fixed catalogue, the LeaderSHIP Plan of Training grows and adapts alongside industry developments, helping education providers and companies respond quickly to new skill gaps. Additional courses are already planned for 2026, and institutions such as the University of Deusto have prepared a portfolio of more than fifteen on‑demand modules covering digital transformation, artificial intelligence, renewable energy and leadership.
This is European cooperation in action — connecting industry demand with training capacity to support a resilient and future‑ready workforce.