University of Piraeus

The University of Piraeus, established in 1938, is a leading Greek institution specializing in business, economics, and maritime studies. With a strong focus on maritime education and research, the university offers programs that address the industry’s evolving needs, emphasizing sustainability, technological innovation, and global trade. The extensive collaborations with shipping companies, port authorities, and maritime organizations ensure that the curriculum aligns with industry demands, preparing students for real-world challenges. Committed to sustainability, the University of Piraeus actively engages in projects aimed at reducing environmental impacts and enhancing energy efficiency. The University of Piraeus Research Center (UPRC) brings extensive experience and expertise in research and innovation projects at national and European levels. With a strong focus on maritime operations, sustainability, and technological advancement, UPRC has successfully completed over 1,000 research programs, including high-profile EU-funded projects. Recent examples of UPRC’s work, with emphasis on those coordinated through the Quantitative Analysis in Shipping Laboratory (QuALS), include the Smart Maritime and Underwater Guardian (SMAUG) under the Horizon Europe program, addressing border management challenges, the East Med Cross-border Marine Environmental Risk Assessment through EMMERA, focusing on marine environmental risk assessment, and the Predictive Maintenance Education & Training System (PreMETS), fostering innovation in predictive maintenance through entrepreneurial cooperation. QuALS also contributed to flagship actions such as Green Islands and Green Shipping, which developed holistic solutions for energy efficiency and environmental performance in the maritime sector, funded under the Greece 2.0 National Recovery and Resilience Plan. In addition, QuALS has extensive experience in maritime policy and governance through projects like the Study on the Capacity for Greening of European Sea Ports, funded by the European Commission, and the Reform of the Regional Ports Governance System in Greece, commissioned by the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy. The Port IoT for Environmental Leverage (PIXEL) project, part of Horizon 2020, in the context of which QuALS provided support to the Thessaloniki Port Authority, highlights QuALS’s ability to integrate advanced digital tools in port operations to enhance environmental performance. UPRC, and especially QuALS have a proven track record in developing strategies, fostering regional collaboration and capacity building, and delivering impactful research.