On January 31, 2025, Reza Karimpour from Magellan Circle represented the SEANERGY Project Consortium at the Horizon Europe SSH Cluster Meeting, organized by the European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The online event gathered key stakeholders to discuss the role of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in the clean energy transition.
SEANERGY at the SSH Cluster Meeting
During Session 3: CINEA’s SSH Projects Presentations, Reza introduced the SEANERGY Project alongside other notable initiatives such as SSH CENTRE, TRANSFORMER, and BOLSTER. The session focused on how SSH research contributes to climate, energy, and mobility disciplines, emphasizing sustainability and policy integration.
Reza Karimpour highlighted SEANERGY’s core objectives, emphasizing its Port Energy Transition Master Plan, which provides a structured approach for European ports to achieve sustainability through three phases: vision setting, strategic planning, and implementation.
The Master Plan integrates five key pillars:
- Port Decarbonization – Promoting alternative fuels(hydrogen, biofuels), electrification, and alignment with EU Green Deal and FuelEU Maritimepolicies.
- Integrated Energy Systems – Positioning ports as energy hubs, connecting with renewable energy networks, and enabling energy storage and smart grid integration.
- Circular Economy & Sustainability – Implementing waste reduction, recycling, and eco-friendly port infrastructure to enhance environmental responsibility.
- Digitalization & Smart Technologies – Utilizing IoT and Big Data for real-time emissions monitoring, energy optimization, and predictive analytics.
- Policy & Governance – Providing structured policy frameworks, aligning with EU regulations, and fostering collaboration among port authorities, industry, and academia.
The SEANERGY Master Plan, alongside the SEANERGY Handbook and Online Prototype, serves as a blueprint for decarbonizing European ports, ensuring alignment with EU climate targets and the 2050 Green Deal.
Engaging Discussions & Synergies
Following the presentations, the event moved into Session 4: Synergies among Projects, where participants explored potential collaborations, dissemination, and exploitation (D&E) strategies in breakout rooms. These discussions focused on leveraging project synergies to accelerate decarbonization and sustainable energy transitions across European ports.
The Horizon Europe SSH Cluster Meeting provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and policy alignment, reinforcing SEANERGY’s role in shaping the future of sustainable port operations and maritime energy transitions.