Cyprus is actively participating in one of the most important initiatives for the future of shipping and the marine environment in the Eastern Mediterranean, the METAVASEA programme.
As noted in an announcement from CYMEPA, this is an ambitious five-year project that aims at a human-centred transition towards reducing carbon emissions from shipping, through education, training, and the collaboration of all stakeholders.
The programme is coordinated by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), with the support of the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, while key partners include CYMEPA, the Cyprus Marine & Maritime Institute (CMMI), the World Maritime University (WMU), MIO-ECSDE, Lloyd’s Register, and other collaborating organisations.
As the national partner, CYMEPA is responsible for implementing training and awareness-raising actions in Cyprus, tailored to the real needs of shipping, port communities, as well as ordinary citizens of all ages. Among other activities, thematic workshops are being organised on new fuels and digital skills, environmental leadership programmes, and educational actions that strengthen the “safety culture” in low-emission shipping.
A central pillar of the programme is the ongoing opinion survey. Through short, anonymous online questionnaires (lasting about 10 minutes), views and expectations are being collected from seafarers, shipping company executives, port workers, suppliers, as well as from civil society. The responses will be used to design the METAVASEA training tools and policies, ensuring that the transition is realistic, safe, and human-centred.
CYMEPA’s Secretary General, Dr Michael Ierides, stresses, “The green transition in shipping is not only a matter of technology, but also a matter of people. We are investing in the skills, safety, and environmental awareness of everyone connected with the sea. Citizens’ contribution is crucial: their views will help us design a transition that truly responds to the real needs of society and the economy.”
Participation is open to everyone. The questionnaire is available on CYMEPA’s website at www.cymepa.org.cy/el/metavasea, both in Greek and in English.
"With the participation of each and every one of us, Cyprus can emerge as a model of sustainable shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean," the CYMEPA announceemnt concludes.
