Events
In July and September 2020, the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport of the University of the Aegean, organized four on-line seminars (webinars) on Environmental Protection for Shipping and Ports in the framework of Ecoportil project.
The first seminar, that took place in July 22, was dedicated to waste management. At first, Mr Dimitris Lamprou of QF spoke about the general principles of waste management, focusing on the legal framework and the best practices for the prevention and management of waste. Then Assist. Professor Anna Maria Kotrikla (University of the Aegean) presented the management of different types of waste (oily waste, garbage, sewage) onboard ships.
In the second seminar, conducted on July 23, Professor Nikitakos (University of the Aegean) presented innovative technologies (cold ironing, LNG bunkering etc) that make a green port. Then Assist. Professor V. Athanasopoulou (University of the Aegean) talked about the legal framework for the protection of the environment at ports.
In the third seminar that took place in September 21, Assist. Professor V. Athanasopoulou presented the new EU Port Reception Facilities Directive. Then Mr E. Ploshtakov from BPICo gave us a view from the ports as he talked about the port of Burgas, and all the actions that are undertaken for its environmental protection.
Finally, the fourth seminar took place in July 22. Assist. Professor Anna Maria Kotrikla presented the IMO’s legal framework and the available environmental indexes to address the most important priority of the European ports, the air quality. Assist. Professor M. Nikolaidis (Frederick University) talked about the port of Limassol, its position and the actions taken to protect the environment in the area.
The webinars attracted students of maritime studies, cadets of maritime academies, young and senior professionals from the maritime industry and port executives. In each seminar there were between 15-25 attendees. Productive took place proving that the environmental protection at ports attracts the interest of the stakeholders and the public.
The Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport of the University of the Aegean, within the framework of the Ecoportil project, organizes on-line seminars on Environmental Protection for Shipping and Ports.
The duration of the seminars is 6 hours and the attendance is free for the public. The seminars will be held in Greek.
Attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance.
Program:
- Monday 20/07/2020, 10:00 – 13:00
“Principles of Waste Management”, D. Lamprou, Environmentalist, Quality Factor
“Waste Management On-Board Ships”, A.M. Kotrikla, Assist. Professor, University of the Aegean
(Join by clicking here: https://aegean-gr.zoom.us/j/96049600615?pwd=dmpPSlNYZS8xeFVXRWZPZU9JNm8yUT09)
- Thursday 23/07/2020, 10:00 – 13:00
“The Green Port”, N. Nikitakos, Professor, University of the Aegean
“Clean Ports: Protective Legislation”, V. Athanassopoulou, Assist. Professor, University of the Aegean
(Join by clicking here: https://aegean-gr.zoom.us/j/94254238556?pwd=MmVnc3A5MmNuenNsR1NNMFRFbTZiQT09)
For more information: akotr@aegean.gr
A course of training of BG stakeholders has been prepared, organized via electronic platform https://seminars.ecoportl.bg and conducted (23-26 June 2020) in the framework of 4 separate seminars. The 15 lectures of the seminars were scientific applied research and were published in a book as a teaching aid for the participants during the education. The participants of the course were personnel of the Maritime Administration Directorate – Varna and Burgas, Executive Environment Agency- Regional Lab, Burgas and Varna, Varna Municipality, representatives of the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, NGO organizations, Universities.
The lectures are published in a book: “Environmental protection of the Bulgarian Black Sea Ports and their surrounding areas”, Book of lectures, Sofia, University Publishing House “Kliment Ohridski” – Unipress, Еds. J.Marinski & I.Fytondgieva; ISBN 978-954-07-4928-0 remains and will be used after the end of the project.
The training of BG stakeholders in the educational course “Implementation of the legislation for environmental protection in the Bulgarian Black Sea ports and their surrounding areas” has become a real challenge for all lecturers –teachers during the 4-day training seminars. Environmental legislation includes over 300 legal regulations, very often without internal coordination, allowing users to apply it selectively depending on their personal or group interests. As a result, 70% of the dunes along the Bulgarian Black sea strip have been legally converted into private property, although the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria explicitly says that it is public state property. Apart from that there have been built hotels and palaces on the beach, with private ports located in front of them, although both the beaches and coastal waters are exclusive public state property. Legal failures, legal anachronisms and absurdities in the protection of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast catalyzed the mass protests in Burgas, Varna and all over the country during summer of 2020.
In the frame of ECOPORTIL project, University of Ioannina and Port Authority of Igoumenitsa have developed a fruitful cooperation for the improvement of environmental quality through the utilization of technology and innovation. To this end of a new air quality monitoring station will be installed in the premises of the Port Authority in Igoumenitsa Port, Greece.
On 7th July in the premises of the Port Authority of Igoumenitsa a very interesting meeting was held between the Administration of Port Authority of Igoumenitsa and Mr Chrysostomos Stylios, Professor of the Department of Informatics & Telecommunications of the University of Ioannina & Director of the Laboratory of Knowledge and Intelligent Computing. The meeting produced useful conclusions for the improvement of environmental conditions in the port with the utilization of cutting-edge technologies and by the adoption of innovative tools.
The main topic of the meeting was the conservation of natural marine resources, which is one of the basic requirements of Blue Growth and the main object of Europe strategy. This issue is addressed by the European Project ECOPORTIL – Environmental Protection of Areas Surrounding Ports using Innovative Learning Tools for Legislation, listed in INTERREG Balkan-Mediterranean 2014-2020. The Department. of Informatics & Telecommunications of the University of Ioannina is the Lead Partner of ECOPORTIL.
In the frame of ECOPORTIL, an air quality monitoring station will be installed in the premises of the Port Authority in Igoumenitsa Port, in order to provide real time information about the air quality in the Port and its surrounding areas. The data will be recorded and displayed in aGeographical Information System that will be designed and operated by research team of the Laboratory of Knowledge and Intelligent Computing (University of Ioannina). The major goal of this effort stands in the scientific monitoring and the examination of the port environment.
On Thursday 21st May 2020, a meeting with the Head of the port authority of Chios, Ms Irene Argyri has taken place in the Port Authority’s premises at Chios. At first, Dr I. Dagkinis made an overview of Ecoportil Project. Then Assistant Professor A.M. Kotrikla presented information on the launching of e-learning courses on shipping, ports, and the environment in the framework of Ecoportil. During the discussion that followed, Ms Argyri said that she supports life learning opportunities of the personnel of the port authority and that there is interest from the employees of the port authority to attend seminars on environmental issues.
The ECOPORTIL project, in which Frederick Research Center is a key partner, was officially presented in Limassol on Friday, March 6, 2020 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The Head of Marine Environment Unit of the Shipping Deputy Ministry of Cyprus, Mr Ioannis Efstratiou, initiated the presentations with a review of ‘Environmental Obligations of Ships within Port Areas’. Dr Demetris Kletou, Director of Marine & Environmental Research Labs (MER) followed with his presentation on ‘Understanding air and water pollution, Environmental Management of Ports and Surrounding Areas’. The Research Coordinator of Frederick University’s Department of Maritime Transport & Commerce, Mrs Carol Bailey, presented the ‘Objectives of the ECOPORTIL project’. The final presentations regarding the ‘Education program’ of the project were presented by Dr Anna-Maria Kotrikla, Assistant Professor from the Department of Shipping, Transport and Trade, University of the Aegean and Dr Emmanouil Nikolaidis, Assistant Professor from the Department of Maritime Transport & Commerce, Frederick University. The open forum attracted the interest of industry professionals, such as employees and managers of shipping and ship management organisations, research organisations, as well as participants from the local Academia and a number of students in related fields.
Mr. Florjan Xhelilaj, from the Albanian Institute of Transport, participated in an event organized in the frame of the European Project PORTS – Partnership for the Observation and study of new Routes and Transnational Sea-highways “Best Practices Event – Examples of new Motorways of the Sea in recent years. The case of Motorway of the Baltic Sea”. The event took place in Durres, Albania on 21st November 2019.
During the event, Mr Xhelilaj, had the opportunity to present the overall general objective of ECOPORTIL – Environmental Protection of Areas Surrounding Ports using Innovative Learning Tools for Legislation” Project. Through a very interesting presentation the general description of the overall objectives and activities of ECOPORTIL project were depicted and further discussed and explained with relative stakeholders.
Moreover, possible and collaborations with other European projects such as PORTS and MultiAPPRO, were examined based on the findings of ECOPORTIL so far.
ECOPORTIL Project was presented in a Workshop organized by the Regional Unit of Igoumenitsa Greece on 14th October 2019. The aim of the workshop was the presentation of the European SUMPORT Project and the creation of synergies with other European Projects addressing sustainable urban mobility, transportation and public transport.
The University of Ioannina, Lead Partner of ECOPORTIL, represented by Prof. Stylios and executive staff of the Laboratory of Knowledge and Intelligent Computing, participated in the workshop and presented the Project. In particular, the recent results of the project were discussed stressing the importance for further utilization of the innovative tools and methods that will be developed in the frame of ECOPORTIL for the sustainable management of maritime sector.
Synergies and networking with other European Projects such as SUMPORT, INTER-CONNECT, AI SMART, COASTING, ADRIPASS, New Brain and OptiTrans, were created in order to transfer and expand ECOPORTIL results.
On 30 October 2019 in the hall “Petya Dubarova” at the Cultural center “Sea Casino” in the town of Burgas was held an information meeting to raise awareness of the consequences on marine environment caused by marine litter. The meeting was organized by the Basin Directorate “Black Sea Region” in partnership with the municipality of Burgas, “Green Balkans” NGO, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology and the Via Pontica Foundation. At the meeting were invited state around and entrepreneurs of the business sector in the face of merchants, beach concessioners, users of beach services, fishermen, as well as the public-academics, students, etc., directly involved with The effects on the marine environment and human health caused by marine litter and the need to recycle them
KIC LAB organized an “Environmental Status Workshop” on 26/7/2019, in Igoumenitsa, Greece, about the Current Environmental Status in the Port and Coastline of Igoumenitsa aiming at Enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and efficient public administration, and actively involving the Municipality and the Port Authority of Igoumenitsa.
