HSSA Awards Scholarships to the Next Generation of Maritime Professionals
Athens, March 15, 2022 – With a strong message on the importance of education and continuous skills development in shipping, the 7th EENMA Scholarship Awards Ceremony was held online, bringing together government officials, academic leaders, and key representatives of the maritime industry.
Over the past seven years, the EENMA Scholarship Programme has awarded 48 scholarships worth more than €170,000, drawing over 200 applications from young individuals eager to pursue careers in the maritime sector.
Speakers at the event highlighted the growing challenges facing global shipping, particularly in light of digital transformation and evolving industry demands, stressing that investment in human capital remains critical for maintaining the competitiveness of Greek shipping.
EENMA President Charalampos Simantonis described the sector as a “marathon of lifelong learning,” underlining the need for constant adaptation and high-level education for professionals both at sea and ashore. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening the link between academic training and real-world industry needs.
Minister of Education and Religious Affairs Niki Kerameus pointed to the strategic role of shipping in the Greek economy and stressed the importance of fostering excellence and extroversion in higher education. She also highlighted ongoing cooperation between the Ministries of Education and Maritime Affairs to enhance maritime studies.
Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Ioannis Plakiotakis praised the initiative, noting the leading role of Greek seafarers and emphasizing that investing in people is key to addressing the sector’s transition to a more digital and complex operating environment.
The President of the Hellenic Shipowners’ Association, Georgios Pateras, called for stronger efforts to attract young people to maritime careers, including the expansion of maritime high schools, while underlining the unique strength of the Greek shipping cluster.
Academic representatives also stressed the importance of closer ties between universities and the labor market. The Rector of the University of the Aegean, Chryssi Vitsilaki, highlighted the institution’s strong performance in connecting education with societal needs, while Angelos Pantouvakis, Dean at the University of Piraeus, emphasized that education should cultivate both knowledge and values.
St. Papadimitriou, President of the Department of Maritime Studies at the University of Piraeus, underscored the importance of collaboration and noted that scholarship initiatives serve as a meaningful way for the benefits of shipping to be returned to society. He also referred to plans for an English-language undergraduate programme aimed at enhancing the international profile of Greek universities.
The event concluded with the announcement of this year’s scholarship recipients, supported by a range of sponsors, reinforcing the shared commitment of the maritime community to support the next generation.
Closing the ceremony, EENMA reiterated its call for more organizations and companies to contribute to the initiative, further strengthening the bridge between education and the shipping industry.
Scholarship Awards
As part of the ceremony, scholarships and awards were granted to outstanding students pursuing maritime studies, with the support of institutional and private sponsors:
The “Spyros Alexandratos” Maritime Studies Scholarship, sponsored by the Alexandratos family in memory of the late Spyros Alexandratos, was awarded to Maria Karanavti.
The Bureau Veritas Maritime Studies Scholarship was awarded to Nadia Veltzin.
The BCA College Maritime Studies Scholarship was awarded to Fotios Devves.
The Rina Academy Maritime Training Scholarships were awarded to Charalampia Masaouti, Konstantinos Athanasopoulos, and Eleftherios Kypriotis.
The ABS Scholarship was awarded to Charalampos Karantzanis.
The Metropolitan College Scholarship was awarded to Ioanna Liakou.
The EENMA Award “Eva Stefanidaki”, established in memory of EENMA associate Evangelia Stefanidaki, was awarded to Maria Ioanna Achelionoudi, Chrysanthi Mylona, Ioannis Pervanas, and Vasiliki Lioumi.
These awards underline the commitment of the maritime community to support academic excellence and empower the next generation of professionals in the shipping industry.