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Greek shipping is the world's leading power and is well known for its efficiency and performance. The Greek fleet represents almost 21% of the global fleet in terms of capacity (deadweight tonnes - dwt) and 60% of the European Union's one (Union of Greek Shipowners, 2023). Apart from the entrepreneurship competence of Greek shipowners, the contribution of Greek seafarers to the development of the so-called "Greek maritime miracle" has been decisive. Greek seafarers are known for their seamanship, qualities as well as their skills. However, according to data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, the number of Greek seafarers is diachronically decreasing. Indicative of this trend is the fact that from 2000 to 2020, the number of Greek seafarers employed in Greek-owned vessels reduced by 45% (18.450 in 2000 vs. 10.087 in 2020). The aim of this research is twofold: first, to identify the reasons for the decreasing trend in the number of the Greek seafarers and, second, to highlight the initiatives and other actions the Greek shipping community could adopt in order to attract highly qualified seafarers to the Greek-owned fleet. In this context, a qualitative study was conducted, the purpose of which was to investigate the views of industry's stakeholders, in respect to the factors that shape the downward trend of seafarers figures. The outcome of this study sheds light on the reasons affecting the attractiveness of seafaring profession and further actions required for addressing promotion gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paper reviews the impact of the Common Maritime Transport Policy of the European Union on the development of the European Union Environmental Policy. An inter-relationship between the economic needs of the Member States and the overall attempt of the European Community to protect and preserve the marine environment is examined. The European Union makes continuous significant contributions to the worldwide efforts in protecting the environment, especially in the maritime field, through a strict adherence to the internationally set standards, as well as the enforcement of the Community measures that often go beyond the minimal criteria set by the international and multilateral treaties. Such additional criteria might bring the European shipowners and the connected maritime industry into an unfavorable competitiveness position on the world market. Additionally, a detailed overview of the international, regional and Community legislation in the marine environmental field is provided, with a special focus on the measures aimed at preventing oil pollution. Finally, a general assessment of the Community's efforts is given, bearing in mind the current legislation and its impact, and the short-term and long-term goals of the European Union Environmental Policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today the world's largest cruise ships can take on board more than 6000 passengers and almost 3000 crew members. Managing a significant number of people and all equipment and operations on ships requires the delivery of tens of thousands of kilowatts, which poses a huge challenge for both cruise ship builders and ports supporting these ships as well as for ship owners themselves, as the costs involved represent the largest share in the structure of expenditure in cruise shipping companies. In recent years, various communities and institutions, including the International Maritime Organisation and the European Union, exert pressure on cruise ship owners to use green renewable energy solutions. For these reasons, cruise ship owners are constantly looking for cost-effective and environmentally responsible solutions regarding new energy sources for ships. The aim of this paper is to identify modern solutions applied on cruise ships in the field of energy generation and to indicate benefits for the environment and ship owners in this respect. The following research questions were formulated: (1) What factors force cruise ship owners to introduce modern energy policy solutions? (2) What kind of green energy solutions are currently used on cruise ships? (3) What kind of renewable energy solutions do cruise ship owners use to reduce energy consumption on board cruise ships? The research was conducted by applying a few research methods, i.e., desk research method and exploration method, critical and comparative analysis, and also inductive and deductive reasoning. The results of this research can provide an interesting source of information for cruise ship owners, cruise seaport authorities, and shipyards involved in the construction of new vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dismantling end-of-life ships in substandard conditions has detrimental effects on the environment, labour rights and occupational health. To steer the industry's transition towards adopting more sustainable practices, the European Union has introduced the European Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR), which includes a list of certified shipyards (the European List, EL) that are allowed to recycle EU-flagged fleet. The functionality of the SRR, and especially the adequacy of the recycling capacity included in the European List, has raised doubts among the academic community and practitioners. To increase understanding, this article reviews the recycling demand posed by existing EU-flagged fleet and compares it to the recycling capacity available in the beginning of 2020. State-of-the-art fleet statistics obtained from the Clarkson World Fleet Register are subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, regression analysis and ANOVA. The results show that the current capacity of the EL is not adequate to cover the anticipated recycling demand. This implies that substantial additional capacity located outside the EU is needed. At the current commodity price levels the estimated market potential is not likely to attract enough newcomers that meet the standard to the market. The scrapping prices may decline significantly increasing the cost of replenishment for the shipping business. The article makes a solid policy contribution in terms of evaluating the implications of the SRR and providing valuable insights for the future in a context in which policymaking is constantly evolving. • Current capacity under the European Ship Recycling Regulation is insufficient. • High costs and low revenue potential likely to prevent newcomers from the market. • Scrap values of EU-flagged vessels are likely to decline. • The cost of replenishment for the European ship owners expected to increase. • New policy instruments needed to secure environmentally sound recycling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]