The EU SkillSea project is a four-year initiative aimed at ensuring that European maritime professionals possess the necessary digital, green, and soft management skills for the rapidly changing maritime labour market. Developed by the industry's social partners, the European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), the project brings together a consortium of maritime education providers, shipping companies, shipowners' associations, maritime trade unions, and national maritime authorities from 16 countries in Europe. Technology and digitalisation are transforming the shipping industry, and the emergence of ‘smart ships’ is creating a demand for a new generation of highly skilled maritime professionals. Europe is a traditional global source of maritime expertise, and the SkillSea project aims to ensure that the region's maritime professionals have the necessary skills and qualifications to meet the demands of the rapidly changing industry. The need for a sustainable skills strategy for European maritime professionals is driven by the need to address the challenges facing the maritime industry, such as the increasing use of technology, the shift towards sustainable practices and the safety of operations, and the need to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector.
This guide is intended to provide an overview of the structural cooperation within the SkillSea project. It explores the role of education partnerships in the maritime industry, the benefits of structured cooperation between European maritime education and training centres (METs), and the creation of the MET Network (MET-NET).
Resource available: Report