Postgraduate shipping news and events

Keep up to date with the latest news and events for postgraduate shipping programmes
The future of maritime education event

Pilot study on establishing a UK Singapore and ASEAN Green Shipping Corridor (UKSGSC) 

The Maritime Transport Research Group (MTRG) conducted UK’s first long-distance study on establishing a Green Shipping Corridor (GSC) between the UK and Singapore as a gateway to ASEAN. The study was sponsored under the UK-SG Green Economy Framework and funded by the UK High Commission in Singapore. 
GSCs have grown in popularity since their inception in 2021 under the Clydebank Declaration. First-mover countries and governments have adopted GSCs as a key strategy to accelerate maritime decarbonisation. MTRG research team conducted the study in the UK, Singapore and Malaysia and analysed the main container trade lane between Asia – and Europe services. 
With over 60% of the new container new build vessels being dual-fuelled, the study found that the UK has to invest in alternate-fuel bunkering infrastructure supported by regulations and a shift in policy by the Government to lead GSC development. The study proposed a Trade and Investment UK-Singapore Green Shipping Corridor (UKSGSC) to strengthen the UKs leading position as a global financial and services hub, together with Singapore. This suggestion is expected to increase the UK’s trade and investment prospects to access the wider ASEAN markets. 
The study highlighted the MTRG and PBS’s strong links within the maritime industry and commitment to furthering sustainable maritime economics. Several key stakeholders participated in the study (e.g. DfT, UKHO, etc). 
For further information and collaboration please contact Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Head of the Maritime Transport Research Group.
UKSGSC
UKSGSC
UKSGSC
 

Seatrade Maritime Salvage & Wreck Conference 2023

Kryiakos Tzoutzidis, MSc International Logistics and Supply Chain Management 
The conference experience was truly exceptional, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Two of the sessions and speakers had left a lasting impression to me: 
  • The FSO Safer case execution session, featuring a presentation by Robert Meijer, the project manager of SMIT Salvage on 6 December, was incredibly insightful. Meijer's detailed account of this extensive operation provided valuable insights into the world of salvage management, and he presented a fascinating video of the operation as well.
  • On 7 December, we had the opportunity to delve into the future of fuels in the shipping sector, along with the associated risks and emergency scenarios. A standout presentation addressed how the marine insurance and legal industry could effectively assess the risks of alternative fuels, a topic that piqued my interest.
During the conference, we had the privilege of engaging with representatives from sponsoring companies, organisers, and fellow university representatives, allowing us to expand our professional network. Such connections can prove invaluable as we embark on our future careers. 
I believe that staying informed about decarbonisation, future fuels, and sustainable shipping trends is essential in our field, and events like this conference help us stay on the right track. 
Moreover, the University's active participation in conferences like this showcases its commitment to keeping students and future alumni updated and prepared for their professional journeys.

I would like to express my gratitude for the University's support in enabling us to attend this conference and especially to Dr Stavros Karamperidis for giving us this opportunity. It has been a truly enriching experience, and I believe that our participation will contribute to our growth and success in the shipping industry.
Seatrade Maritime Salvage & Wreck Conference 2023
Seatrade Maritime Salvage & Wreck Conference 2023
Seatrade Maritime Salvage & Wreck Conference 2023
Arthur Agelune-Schmitz, MSc International Shipping 
My general impression of the conference was that there were vast amounts of information on the area of shipping. Prior to this, I didn’t realise just how big and well-structured the world of shipping is. The conference as a whole was well organised with many different topics being discussed on the salvage and wreck field.  
The highlight of the conference, for me, was the topic and presentation of the Yemen Ship Case. There were three specialists discussing how the critical situation was mitigated, which was very interesting.  
The networking aspects of this conference was good. It provided me with many opportunities to network with people across the globe. I was even able to get in contact with Brazilian Companies and managers living in Brazil which was a real surprise. The next steps for me now are to improve my CV and get in contact with the people I networked with at the event once I have gained more knowledge on the shipping world and what industry best suits me.   
I believe the conference has positively impacted my future career. I gained an insight into what the industry is really like and most importantly the networking will help me find it easier to gain a job.
 

Providing commentary on Red Sea shipping attacks

Dr Stavros Karamperidis has been interviewed extensively by the world’s media in recent weeks about the potential impact of escalating tensions in the Red Sea.
This has resulted in articles and TV interviews with media in the UK, Australia, India and Africa, in which he has spoken about the potential impact of the situation on oil prices, and how any further increases could impact both companies and consumers. 
Read more on the contribution Dr Karamperidis has given to the global debate or view the list of international articles and video interviews. 
 

European Freight Leaders Forum

Dr Stavros Karamperidis participated at the top European supply chain conference in Trieste, Italy, organised by the European Freight Leaders Forum. The theme of the conference has addressed issues of changing global supply chains and European trade flows. Dr Karamperidis was invited to talk on a panel with high profile participants (e.g. Representative of the European Investment Bank), on how changing trade flows are affecting supply chains from a maritime transport perspective and what actions policy makers and businesses should undertake. Fruitful discussions were generated between the presenters and participants. 
European Freight Leaders Forum
European Freight Leaders Forum
 

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners – Skills Award winner at the British Ports Association Awards

Dr Stavros Karamperidis has participated at the British Ports Association conference in London, 18–20 October 2023, where valuable discussions about the future of UK ports with key stakeholders were taking place.
He has also received, along with the CEO of the port (Capt Richard Allan), the prestigious Skills award for the work that the port of Plymouth is doing in terms of skills development.
Dr Stavros Karamperidis receiving a Skills Award with Cattewater Harbour Commissioners.
 

2023 European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) Maritime Cybersecurity Conference  

Dr Stavros Karamperidis was invited at on the 26 October 2023 from EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) in Lisbon in order to participate at their high-profile cyber-security conference as a key speaker with his presentation entitled “The contribution of academia in reducing the cyber skills shortage in shipping” and moderator of the session: “Talent shortages and workforce training” due to his expertise in maritime cyber. 
Dr Stavros Karamperidis presenting at the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) maritime cybersecurity conference
European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) maritime cybersecurity conference
 

Dr Stavros Karamperidis receives an invitation from the High Commission of India to deliver a presentation on maritime decarbonisation

The Indian High Commission in London organised an event entitled “Green Shipping and Emerging Technologies in Maritime”, as a precursor to the global Maritime India Summit to be held in Mumbai. 
Dr Stavros Karamperidis was invited as an outstanding expert in the field of maritime decarbonisation, to deliver a presentation entitled 'Maritime decarbonisation: A journey from current status to net zero with the help of new technologies' and to also participate in a round table with industry leaders from government, industry and regulators.
“Green Shipping an Emerging Technologies in Maritime” event – Dr Stavros Karamperidis presentation
“Green Shipping an Emerging Technologies in Maritime” event – Dr Stavros Karamperidis presentation
 

Plymouth academic contributes to the first Maritime Decarbonisation book

On 9 October 2023 the book Maritime Decarbonisation – Practical Tools, Case studies and Decarbonisation Enablers, edited by Mikael Lind, Wolfgang Lehmacher and Robert Ward was launched. The book has 34 chapters where the global leaders in maritime decarbonisation demonstrate the latest knowledge on the topic. 
The book provides: 
  • a holistic and structured perspective on the highly complex topic
  • recommendations that governments, industry and other stakeholders can take to drive decarbonization
  • Includes real-life case studies from different parts of the maritime ecosystem
Maritime decarbonization poster - book launch
The chapter called 'Actions by Ports to support Green Maritime Operations – Areal case study: The port of Plymouth' written by Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Dogancan Okumus, Dogancan Uzun, Sefen Anul Gunbeyaz and Osman Turan demonstrates the importance of ports in the maritime decarbonisation journey. 
 

Dr Stavros Karamperidis and his team won the Best academic paper award of the International Association of Maritime Economists conference in Long Beach, California

The best paper conference award was presented to Dr Stavros Karamperidis at the International Association of Maritime Economists conference in Long Beach California for the paper entitled: ESG reporting quality assessment in listed shipping companies. The awards was sponsored by the journal of Maritime Economics and Logistics (MEL).
The research team was composed by Dr Michael Tsatsaronis, Professor Theodore Syriopoulos, Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Ms Goergia Boura and Mr Argyris Dimopoulos.
Dr Stavros Karamperidis receiving the award from the president of the association Prof Elvira HAEZENDONCK (van de Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB))
Dr Stavros Karamperidis receiving the award from the president of the association Prof Elvira HAEZENDONCK (van de Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB))
Prof Jean-Paul Rodrigue (Hofstra University and organising committee), Dr Stavros Karamperidis (University of Plymouth), Geraldine Knatz (first female port director of the Port of Los Angeles and organising committee)
Prof Jean-Paul Rodrigue (Hofstra University and organising committee), Dr Stavros Karamperidis (University of Plymouth), Geraldine Knatz (first female port director of the Port of Los Angeles and organising committee)

Lloyds Register and Economist Impact report entitled: Global Maritime Trends 2050

Dr Stavros Karamperidis expertise has influenced the major new report published from Lloyds Register and Economist Impact into the future challenges that the maritime transport sector is facing. The report was launched during the London International Shipping Week and got some positive feedback with regards the views of the participants. 
Screenshot of the Economist
 

Maritime Masters competition

Mr Mohamed Shaihan Lafir was shortlisted and represented the University of Plymouth at the Maritime UK master competition at the prestigious venue of Clarksons at St Katrines Docks. Shaihan has presented the findings of his dissertation entitled: Establishing the Port of Plymouth as a Gateway in the South West, England: Examine the impact of a master plan to medium and small UK ports to future proof them. 
Dr Stavros Karamperidis, programme manager of MSc International Logistics and Shipping programmes and Shaihan’s supervisor has attended the event and supported our student to a really challenging competition. Our student was shortlisted in the top 5 according to the experts participated in the scoring of the student’s presentations.
Dr Stavros Karamperidis (left) and Mr Mohamed Shaihan Lafir (right)
Dr Stavros Karamperidis (left) and Mr Mohamed Shaihan Lafir (right)
 

Laura Maersk

Dr Stavros Karamperidis was invited by the DP World London Gateway port and attended the visit of Laura Maersk, the first green methanol powered container ship vessel at her first call in the UK. The vessel was named on the 14 of September 2023 by the EU Commission President in Copenhagen, Denmark. During his visit Dr Karamperidis had also the opportunity to meet the port authority.
Stavros Karamperidis and Laura Maersk
 

Guest lecture: Green Finance and Sustainable Growth in Maritime Business

The Maritime Transport Research Group has invited Dr Michael Tsatsaronis,  Asst. Professor at Port Management and Shipping Dpt., National & Kapodistrian University of Athens to deliver a guest lecture on: Green Finance and Sustainable Growth in Maritime Business. The lecture was well attended from a range of academics from all over the university demonstrating the fact that the group’s activities are having a clear multidisciplinary focus.
Green finance can play a vital role in driving sustainable growth in the maritime business by aligning financial flows with environmental objectives. That was demonstrated from Dr Tsatsaronis. The lecture generated an insightful debate.
Guest lecture: Green Finance and Sustainable Growth in Maritime Business
 

National student success at Maritime UK masters awards

Our student Aidan Carroll has won the national masters competition organised by Maritime UK. 
The 2022 Maritime Masters Finalist Reception took place at Clarksons, London office. The event was the fifth iteration of the Maritime Masters programme, where finalists from each of the nine participating universities presented their research to an industry audience. 
Aidan managed to win both categories of a public vote and the prestigious vote from the industrial judges. Aidan's dissertation was entitled: 'A comprehensive review of the issues surrounding the poor retention of British seafarers'. 
Janet Fallon, Maritime UK, Aidan Carroll, Dr Stavros Karamperidis
Janet Fallon, Maritime UK, Aidan Carroll, Dr Stavros Karamperidis
Aidan Carroll: 
“I am honoured to have taken part and won the Maritime Masters finals hosted at Clarksons. It was an amazing experience representing Plymouth and competing against other universities. A panel of reputable experts judged our thesis', which all consisted of extremely important topics for the maritime sector in a global and national level. My dissertation supervisor Dr Stavros Karamperidis, which I thank for his amazing support, helped me to present a highly complex and critical topic for the maritime industry in a simple way. I am excited for my work to progress and ultimately make my time studying in the university worthwhile in contributing to changes related to national industry standards. Finally, once again I would like to thank Maritime UK hosting a key event that brought academia and industry together to tackle current and future issues that the maritime sector faces. 
Dr Stavros Karamperidis: 
“It was a great pleasure working with Aidan for his dissertation. His passion and hard dedication have managed to achieve that amazing outcome. As he has managed to combine both theory and practice and tackle an extremely complex issue for the UK maritime industry. I think that his work will have a national and international impact as he has demonstrated that hard work makes students who are ready to tackle future problems, in other words he is a 'business ready student'. Finally, Aidan has managed not only to conduct his dissertation but also to successfully participate in the commonwealth games as he is a great swimmer. I am sure that I will continue my great collaboration with Aidan in the future”.  
 

Visit to Plymouth Port (Cattewater Harbour Commissioners)

Our students had the amazing opportunity to visit the Plymouth Port (Cattewater Harbour Commissioners), where they have seen how a busy port operates and felt the impact of the port operations to the local society. 
That activity was part of the Maritime UK week, where the public gets information about the contribution of the maritime sector to the UK economy (moves approximately 96% of the UK goods) and society (offers 40% higher salaries than the UK average and generates 125,000 jobs). 
Plymouth Business School students visit Plymouth Port (Cattewater Harbour Commissioners)
Plymouth Business School students visiting Plymouth Port (Cattewater Harbour Commissioners) 
 

The Future of Logistics

Mr Bart Jongen, Enterprise Leadership Partner, Supply Chain, EMEA for Gartner, delivered a guest lecture as part of our induction week to our MSc students. The lecture was entitled: The Future of Logistics. 
The lecture generated an interactive and fruitful discussion between Mr Jongen and the students who were amazed by the potential future of logistics but also from the key role that they could play in the near future. Debate was lively during the presentation on issues related to globalisation, segmentation and analytics.
Mr Bart Jongen, Enterprise Leadership Partner, Supply Chain, EMEA for Gartner, delivering a guest lecture
 

Workshop and collaboration with Yaşar University, Turkey

A workshop for the project entitled: 'Knowledge exchange on circular and digital solutions for reducing food waste in supply chain' was held at Yaşar University. Various academics and experts from industry participated in the workshop. The workshop was a fruitful two-day event. Within the scope of the workshop, the issue of reducing food waste with the help of digital technologies was discussed in detail and presentations were made on the subject. In addition, the development of the project was ensured through focus group studies involving all stakeholders in the workshop. This workshop has been extremely beneficial for knowledge exchange. Therefore, thanks to the workshop, knowledge exchange was succeeded between industry, academia and food supply chain stakeholders.
Workshop and collaboration with Yaşar University, Turkey
Workshop and collaboration with Yaşar University, Turkey
Workshop and collaboration with Yaşar University, Turkey
Workshop and collaboration with Yaşar University, Turkey
 

Dr Karamperidis contributes to France 24 article on shipping complications in Ukraine

The first grain cargo ship to leave Ukraine since the start of the war was due to arrive in Lebanon on August 7 2022. But has stopped off the Turkish coast and is awaiting new orders.
International Supply Chain and Shipping Management
 

Why container ships probably won't get bigger

Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Head of Maritime Transport Research group, was interviewed by the BBC on a topic which is extremely important for shipping, discussing the size of container vessels and whether they will get any bigger. 
aerial view of a container ship
 

Maritime decarbonisation event at the UK Chamber of Shipping

Dr Stavros Karamperidis PI (Principal Investigator) of the project entitled “Examine the feasibility and investment required for ports to act as decarbonisation hubs” hosted at the UK Chamber of Shipping a workshop on maritime decarbonisation. More than 30 industry, policy and government leaders attended the event. The research team demonstrated the research findings and its great engagement with the maritime transport sector. Future steps for moving forward and reaching net-zero for maritime transport sector were identified while extremely positive feedback from participants for the level of our research was collected.
Maritime decarbonisation event at the UK Chamber of Shipping
Maritime decarbonisation event at the UK Chamber of Shipping
Maritime decarbonisation event at the UK Chamber of Shipping

Guest lecture from Vice Admiral Keith Blount, Commander of NATO's Allied Maritime Command

The Centre for Sea Power and Strategy and the Maritime Transport Research Group hosted a talk by Vice Admiral Keith Blount, Commander of NATO's Allied Maritime Command on ‘How NATO ensures Deterrence and Defence on the Seas’.
The event was an excellent opportunity for university academics and students with an interest in maritime and security studies to put forward questions on security issues as they relate to maritime and strategic affairs and the use of seapower in the 21st century in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Guest lecture from Vice Admiral Keith Blount
From left to right, Vice Admiral Keith Blount, Dr Stavros Karamperidis and Dr Fotios Moustakis
 

 
 

The project attracted local and national attention due to the great outcomes achieved. Sarah Fear, project and knowledge exchange manager at the University of Plymouth and lead for the MeLL project, said: 
"This charging network is a game-changer for Plymouth's forward-thinking marine enterprises, and our ongoing research in this field is enabling the city and region to blaze a trail in clean maritime innovation."
The photos demonstrate the project Co-investigator (Dr Karamperidis) demonstrating the outcomes of the research conducted with the support of Ms Yang Zhou and Mr Chris Baker (pictured standing in front of the new charging point at Barbican Landing Stage). 

Plymouth’s Marine e-Charging Living Lab (MeLL)

Plymouth has become the first city in the UK to install a network of shore-side charging facilities for its expanding fleet of electric maritime vessels, building on the success of the UK’s first marine electric passenger ferry, and an electric water taxi that operates 364 days a year.
The project has been led by the University of Plymouth through Sarah Fear in partnership with Aqua SuperPower, Plymouth City Council, Princess Yachts Limited, receiving funding as part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, funded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
Dr Richard Pemberton and Lauren Ansell from the School of Science and Engineering and Dr Stavros Karamperidis from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business had delivered a multidisciplinary project with the following key outcomes:
  • network of marine charging points in key locations around Plymouth Sound
  • keynote research completed on environmental impact and fleet data
  • shared knowledge and dissemination of lessons learned
  • enable onward growth for clean maritime activities in Plymouth. 
Partners and stakeholders at the official launch of Plymouth's new Marine e-Charging Living Lab (Credit - University of Plymouth)
Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Ms Yang Zhou and Mr Chris Baker standing in front of the new charging point at Barbican Landing Stage
 

Disruptions in shipping lecture series

The University of Plymouth Shipping Society, in conjunction with the Plymouth Nautical Degrees Association (PYNDA), are holding a series of three lectures this spring. 
Each lecture will be presented by a shipping professional with a topic based on the theme of disruptions in shipping. We have seen a series of events that continue to disrupt, the traditional working of global supply chains. These include the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for shipping to decarbonise, as highlighted at the COP26 Climate Change Conference, and the growing enforcement of greener, fairer and more transparent shipping through legislation, technological innovation and the collective influence of financial institutions. This lecture series examines these issues and some of the innovative responses of our shipping industry.
Shutterstock Aerial top view container cargo ship in import export business commercial trade logistic and transportation of international by container cargo ship in the open sea, Container cargo freight shipping.
 

Guest lecture with Dr Onder Canbulat, Technical Manager of the UK Chamber of Shipping

Dr Onder Canbulat, Technical Manager of the UK Chamber of Shipping demonstrated the importance of sustainable shipping management to the students studying MSc International Shipping. Dr Canbulat demonstrated the current challenges that the global environment is facing due to the activity related to shipping. He also demonstrated how those challenges could be tackled and future challenges that shipping will face. After the presentation students had a fruitful discussion with Dr Canbulat where the level of knowledge of the students attending the MSc was highlighted. Students who attended the lecture, both virtually and in person, really appreciated the high level of content provided and thanked the presenter.
Guest lecture with Dr Onder Canbulat, Technical Manager of the UK Chamber of Shipping
Guest lecture with Dr Onder Canbulat
Guest lecture with Dr Onder Canbulat
 

Guest lecture with Charlie Heard – Babcock

Mr Charlie Heard, Head of Supply Chain – Logistics Strategy Lead for Babcock, demonstrated the importance of supply chain for a company with global operations such as Babcock. Mr Heard has also provided an overview of the role Babcock plays in the local economy and how Babcock is working to ensure supply strategy and sourcing decisions consider sustainability and social value with a whole life perspective. Mr Heard also presented potential role and job opportunities that students can find at Babcock. It was an interactive session, with students (who joined both physically and virtually) asking questions and creating a stimulating discussion according to the presenter.

Mr Charlie Heard - Babcock guest lecture
Babcock guest lecture

The Gulf of Guinea and Maritime Security

Dr Stavros Karamperidis (Head of the Maritime Transport research group) was invited by NATO to write a report related to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), an important area for maritime transport. The report was authored in collaboration with Dr Fotios Moustakis (Director of the Center for Seapower and Strategy) and demonstrated the history of 'blue crimes' in the GoG, the implications of blue crimes in security and development, regional/local capacity to cope with blue crimes in the GoG, external actors’ responses, and recommendations for NATO on a regional and local level. Feedback received from NATO was exceptional for the quality and level of knowledge on maritime security for the University of Plymouth staff involved in the research. 
Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security team
 

Guest lecture with Chris Baker

Mr Chris Baker delivered a guest lecture on future maritime fuels. Chris is a University of Plymouth graduate at BMT Group and a research associate under Dr Stavros Karamperidis' supervision on the Marine e-Charging Living Lab (MeLL) project, funded with £570,000 by the Department for Transport and Innovate UK. Chris' presentation generated a lively discussion on maritime decarbonisation, with students demonstrating a great interest on such an important topic for the shipping and general transport sector.

Chris Baker with Dr Stavros Karamperidis
 

Plymouth Freeport

The Plymouth and South Devon Freeport team has organised a stakeholder event in December 2021 in collaboration with the Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, to provide some updates about the Plymouth Freeport. 
Dr Stavros Karamperidis was invited from the team to demonstrate the work that he has conducted in supporting the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport team to submit a bid which will unlock £35 million pounds of funding. Dr Karamperidis has provided his expertise on Logistics and Shipping related issues to the Freeport team. For more information, please visit the following website: https://pasdfreeport.com/
Aerial view of Plymouth Sound
 

Guest lecture with Thanos Kapralos, CEO of Sea Circle

Guest lecturer Mr Thanos Kapralos, CEO of Sea Circle (https://seacircle.co.uk/) demonstrated the importance of ballast water management systems, how they work and what their limitations are. He also provided several tips to our students as he has great links with the shipping sector. Mr Kapralos also joined a drinks reception that was organised by the Shipping Society. During the reception students and Mr Kapralos had the opportunity to talk about job opportunities and get advise for their development in a relaxed environment. Both events were greatly received by our students.

PG shipping guest lecture with Thanos Kapralos
Postgraduate shipping Thanos guest lecture
Postgraduate shipping Thanos guest lecture
Postgraduate shipping Thanos guest lecture
 

The supply chain crisis has a silver lining – container ships should be decarbonised faster

"Several months ago, I warned that the crisis in container ships could jeopardise Christmas by leaving retailers without enough goods on their shelves. Since then, there have been similar fears all over the media, not only due to shipping problems but also shortages of lorry drivers and unavailable products. As we approach November, the worst may be coming to the worst...."
getty shipping container ship
 

What’s causing a global goods shortage?

Global supply chain problems are leading to delivery delays and higher prices for consumer goods. Our global expert Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Head of Maritime Transport Research Group, University of Plymouth, participated in the prestigious Inside story of Al Jazeera where he explained what causes the global supply chain issues and how we could short them.

View the video on the Al Jazeera website

Operations and supply chain management – GettyImages #636589682
 

The supply chain's weak link

How disruption in a single port, factory or freight centre can cause global chaos.

Demonstrating the global impact of our research: Dr Stavros Karamperidis - Head of Maritime Transport Group at the University of Plymouth - explains the causes of global supply chain chaos in a BBC World Service Business Daily interview.

Listen on BBC Sounds

Dockyard and shipping containers overview at sunset
 

Sea power strategy conference held in Plymouth for first time

The University’s Centre for Seapower and Strategy has co-hosted its fourth Sea Power Conference alongside NATO Allied Maritime Command – the first time the event has been held in Plymouth.

The conference brought together a select group of academics, members of the defence industry, government officials, media practitioners and senior military officers who considered the dynamics of sea power to contemporary deterrence and its contemporary application. An official conference dinner took place at Boringdon Hall which was sponsored by Airbus Defence and Space, UK.

This fourth joint conference, and the first since the COVID-19 pandemic, explored the application of sea power to countering and conducting Grey Zone activity. The conference tested out hypotheses about what the critical operational dilemmas are in delivering Allied deterrence and deference in a Grey Zone context in the 2020s, and how these relate to all-domain campaign strategies.

The University was represented by VC Professor Judith Petts, CBE; Executive Dean of the Faculty Science and Engineering, Professor Kevin Jones; Head of School of Culture and Society, Professor Anna Bautz; Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Sea Power and Strategy, Dr Fotios Moustakis; Lecturer in Maritime Economics and Head of the Maritime Transport Research Group, Dr Stavros Karamperidis; and Lecturer in Security Management, Ken Livingstone.

According to the Director of the Sea Power and Strategy, Dr Fotios Moustakis, one of the key elements of the Conference is that:
"Its outputs are intended to inform discussions in MARCOM’s classified Maritime Operations Centre Directors Conference and Maritime Operational Commanders Conference in the spring of 2022, which will address the maritime dimension of NATO’s new Strategic Concept."
Sea Power Strategy Conference delegates
 

How a career in logistics can lead to a world of opportunity

CILT student conference in partnership with the University of Plymouth, 20 October 2021
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) has a long association with the University accrediting specific courses, some of which are more than 40 years old. For what is hoped to become an annual event, the two organisations are coming together for this conference to promote international logistics and supply chain management to prospective apprentices, undergraduates, graduates and postgraduates, as world of opportunity.
During this conference delegates will gain an appreciation of the wide range of opportunities within the discipline, through a focus on case studies focused on the South West, but equally applicable to students across the UK and the world.
 

Why even giant ships can't solve the shipping crisis

Academic shares expert view on shipping crisis.  

Dr Stavros Karamperidis has offered expert comment to national media about the current shipping crisis – explaining the importance of shipping to the global economy. 

Read the BBC article.

Shipping containers c/o iStock_000019468264
 
 

JGBS Virtual International Research Symposium

June 28, 2021
As part of the International Research Symposium, Stavros Karamperidis presented his work on Sustainability and Maritime Transport with a fruitful dialog surrounding issues related to circular economy and sustainability with Dr Manoj Dora (Reader in Operations and Supply Chains Brunel University, UK) Professor Yigit Kazancoglu (Full Professor at Logistics Management Department Yaşar University, Izmir, Turkey) and a large audience who attended the symposium.
Dr Dora presented work related to Reshaping Supply Chains for a Resilient and Sustainable Future, while Professor Kazancoglu presented work on issues related to Circular Economy for Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chains. The session was moderated by Sachin Mangla Kumar Senior Lecturer from Jindal Global University.
International Supply Chain Management careers
 

Could a shipping crisis derail economic recovery from COVID-19? 

On Al Jazeera's Inside Story, Guy Platten (Secretary General of International Chamber of Shipping), Christian Bueger (Professor of International Relations, University of Copenhagen) and Dr Stavros Karamperidis (Lecturer in Maritime Economics, University of Plymouth) discussed the impact of COVID-19 on the maritime transport industry and the knock-on effect on overall logistics and the final goods consumed around the globe. 
Container port, Shanghai
 

Is Just in Time (JIT) “dead” after various black swan events

Dr Stavros Karamperidis was invited to participate on an event organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport entitled “Is Just in Time (JIT) “dead” after various black swan events”.

Several industry experts demonstrated the implication of various black swan events (e.g. closure of Suez Canal) to the overall supply chain and how Just In Time (JIT) has been affected by them. Dr Karamperidis demonstrated several findings related to his research and how black swan events affecting maritime sector has affected the known JIT approach.

The event was coordinated by Sue Terpilowski (expert in the logistics, freight, ports, material handling and supply chain sectors). Mark Rowbotham (Independent Consultant, Trainer and writer in Customs and Excise issues) and Brian Sullivan (Independent Risk & Insurance Consultant, Chartered Insurance Practitioner) also participated in the event sharing their great knowledge on the subject.

 

Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)

The session organised with CIPS demonstrated the benefits of CIPS for our students and the importance of the accreditation of our programmes. From CIPS, Knowledge Manager Sheena Donaldson, Accreditations Lead Claire Harness, and Senior Membership Manager Tiffany Howard provided a comprehensive presentation to our students.

 

A Day in the Life of a Shipbroker: what we do and why we do it!

Organised in conjunction with the Hellenic Management Center/ ICS Greek Branch.

The session was introduced by Dr Stavros Karamperidis. Natalia Margioli, Managing Director of Hellenic Management Centre / ICS Greek Branch has welcomed the students and various participants. Mr Matt Gilbert Head of Business and Partnerships (ICS London) provided a presentation of the Institute’s qualifications. Finally Simon Ward a key shipbroker figure in Greece with more than 30 years of experience provided a really interactive discussion on 'A Day in the Life of a Shipbroker: what we do and why we do it!'.

During the session students had the opportunity to find out more about the ICS Course, the Professional Qualifying Examinations, the ICS Membership and get a taste from a practitioners point of view in reference to the shipbrokers’ profession. That session has strengthen the link of ICS with our master courses.

 

Railfreight: The Key to Decarbonising Trunk Haul Logistics

Julian Worth, Chair of CILT Rail Freight Forum and former Managing Director of Transrail Freight 

Julian Worth will suggest that the South West is ideally placed to take advantage of a new model of logistics and propose a Freight Decarbonisation Strategy for the region. As the only mode with a proven ability to move freight over long distances in a zero-carbon manner, using renewable or nuclear energy supplied through overhead wires, rail can assume a much larger share of trunking. Allied to the use of short and medium range battery trucks for local and regional distribution, this offers the prospect of a fully decarbonised supply chain. In advance of rail electrification, modal switch to diesel-hauled rail reduces carbon emissions by around two thirds and slows the rate at which the carbon 'budget' is consumed.

 

COVID-19 and Maritime Supply Chains: Disruptions & Adaptability

24 March 2021, 13:00 - 14:00

Professor Thanos Pallis is the President of International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME). A Professor in Port Economics & Policy, Department of Shipping, Trade & Transport at the University of the Aegean, Greece. He is Vice-Chair of the Port Performance Research Network and a founding member/co-director of Port Economics. He has co-authored the books European Port Policy: Towards a long-term strategy, Common EU Maritime Transport Policy, and Maritime Transport: The Greek Paradigm. Thanos is currently the chief transport economist of the UN program on “COVID-19 Implication on Transport/Connectivity and Trade” and a member of the International Association of Ports & Harbours (IAPH) Risk and Resilience Committee for which he co-authors the world port barometer reports.

 

Interview of Dr Stavros Karamperidis Lecturer in Maritime Economics for a Dutch cargo ship adrift off the coast of Norway and raise awareness for the maritime transport sector

During my interview last night in Aljazeera for Eemslift Hendrik I had the opportunity to state the importance of maritime sector and how proud I am for being a member of the maritime community which operates 365, 24/7 to support the global economy/ logistics. Let’s salute the members of our sector, especially the thousands of seafarers and raise awareness for the importance of our great maritime sector.

 

Interview of Dr Stavros Karamperidis Head of Maritime Transport Research Group in Aljazeera and El Mercurio for the importance of shipping and maritime logistics for global economy

It was my pleasure to comment on the Suez Canal blockage in El Mercurio when everyone was holding their breaths for the refloat of Ever Given due to the massive impact to the global economy.
I also commented on Aljazeera the importance of the proposed Turkeys Canal project for global shipping/economy. I am glad that the importance of global shipping and maritime logistics is highlighted through those two contributions. I hope that I contribute to reducing seablindness and increase awareness of maritime sector for global economy /supply chains.
Michael Everard Shipping
 

Ship.energy Summit 2021 

30 – 31 March 2021
The University of Plymouth is an official academic partner of the Ship.energy Summit. 
The decarbonisation of shipping is underway. With the IMO’s 2030 and 2050 targets firmly in sight and countries stepping up to put domestic clean energy transition strategies in place – many of which will impact on shipping – the momentum for maritime’s energy change is building. What is clear, is that there are still many more questions than answers about getting to zero. In this, the first in ship.energy’s series of global summits in 2021, industry leaders, practitioners, analysts and commentators will define and debate the critical questions on shipping’s decarbonisation across two days of high level panel discussions. 
A major benefit of the ship.energy summit is that it is entirely free of charge to attend and open to everyone.
Network connectivity image over a shipping port or boat marina. Getty images 1254000367.
 

The Decarbonisation of Maritime: 
How far has the global maritime sector come on the road to decarbonisation? 

Organised by Maritime UK and Clarksons Platou as part of the 2021 Maritime Masters programme, this event is one of a series of webinars bringing together speakers across the sector looking at key issues and current challenges for the global maritime industries. Register to watch the free webinar.
Speakers:
  • Frederik Colban-Andersen, Clarskons PLatou AS, Managing Director, Offshore Renewables (University of Plymouth alumni)
  • Sarah Fear, Sustainable Earth Institute, Impact Lab, Project and Knowledge Exchange Manager (University of Plymouth) 
  • Charles Haskell, Lloyd's Register, Decarbonisation Programme Manager
Ship wake trail clean water sea ocean maritime
 

Webinar on combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Lessons from the Horn of Africa experience

On 2 November 2020, Dartmouth Centre for Sea Power and Strategy at the University of Plymouth organised a webinar on combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Lessons from the Horn of Africa experience. 

Professor James Bergeron (Honorary Professor at the University of Plymouth and Politcal Advisor to Commander, Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM)) provided us with a presentation on contemporary piracy while Mina Vlachandrea (first civilian to received an MA scholarship from Hellenic War Risks and HSE Manager, Alison Management Corp) presented some key findings from her MA thesis in Applied Strategy and International Security on: Why is NATO naval military intervention crucial for the protection of merchant ships against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.  

Watch the recording of the webinar

Plymouth Sound, merchant shipping
 

The Future of Freeports Under Brexit

A highly topical discussion on Freeports and Brexit was organised by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and Plymouth Business School. The event was held on 16 December 2020 in collaboration with the University of Plymouth and the Ports, Maritime and Waterways (PMW) Forum.

The event has attracted great attention from various policymakers and industry representatives and provides clear guidance for the future direction that Freeports should take under the Brexit environment.

Moderator: Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Lecturer in Maritime Economics, Member of PMW CILT and Chairman of CILT for Devon and Cornwall

Speakers:

  • Sue Terpilowski FCILT OBE, PPC Chair and Vice Chair of PMW
  • Mark Rowbotham, CILT PMW
  • Tim Morris, UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG)
 

Maritime Cybersecurity and Supply Chains: How to Navigate the Waters of Digital Innovation Post-Covid

Without doubt, 2020 was a year that put changes in the shipping industry in the spotlight.

Against this backdrop, on 15 December 2020, the Greek Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong held a webinar on maritime cybersecurity and maritime supply chains, bringing together a group of corporate and academic experts to examine how government and corporate actors in Hong Kong and Greece meet today’s challenges and upcoming opportunities.

After a highly engaging presentation by Mr Kapalidis, our panellists discussed the current maritime cybersecurity landscape and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the role of government regulations. They also deep-dived into the upcoming IMO Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management and assessed the projected impact on the maritime supply chains and the readiness of shipping companies for the 2021 IMO implementation.

Watch the webinar

Moderator: Dr Stavros Karamperidis, Lecturer (Maritime Economics, Department of International Shipping, Logistics and Operations), University of Plymouth

Speakers:

  • Mr Chronis Kapalidis, Integrated Security Practice Leader for HudsonAnalytix in EMEA, UK
  • Mr Torbjörn Dimblad, CIO of Anglo-Eastern Ship Management (AESM), Hong Kong 
  • Mr Spyros Georgiou, Managing Director (APAC) at Navarino, Hong Kong
 

Maritime UK Awards 2020: Business of the Year Award

The University of Plymouth is sponsoring the Business of the Year Award as part of the Maritime UK Awards 2020.

Maritime businesses support just under a million jobs and contribute £46.1 billion to the UK economy, while they specifically support 108,500 jobs and contribute £3.8 billion to our local economy. The University hopes to achieve local, national and global impact through recognition of the maritime business sector and its contribution to further boost our economy and society. This will be accomplished by engaging with the sector in various research projects to make UK maritime businesses more competitive in an already highly competitive global environment.

 

Cyber Risk in the Ports and Maritime Sector

Brian Sullivan from the Ports, Maritime & Waterways Forum chaired a recent Webinar for an important and emerging topic -- cyber security and risk management for the maritime transport and ports sector. As the sector continues to increasingly digitalise its operations, cyber-attacks and their risk mitigation are attracting attention.

The Maritime sector in the last few years has suffered serious cyber-attacks. One of most famous was in 2017 the NotPetya attack on Maersk that cost approximately $300 million. Since then several shipping and port companies have experienced cyber-attacks with the most recent at CMA/CGM and MSC. We still do not know the actual cost of those attacks but British Airways has recently been asked to pay a reduced fine (due to COVID-19) of £20 million for recent data breaches. 


Stavros Karamperidis from the University’s Department of International Shipping, Logistics and Operations (also Chairman of Devon and Cornwall CILT group and Member of the Ports, Maritime & Waterways Forum) started the presentations with an overview of the cyber threats that ports and maritime transport sectors face and how these have developed. He also demonstrated the need for ports and maritime transport to adopt the right risk assessment and mitigation strategies. He reminded attendees that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which itself has been the subject of a very recent cyber-attack has the requirement for cyber security to be addressed in safety management systems by January 2021.

Matthew Wilmshurst Senior Associate at law firm Holman Fenwick Willan reviewed the exposures and legal position of ports and other transport operators. He stressed the importance of contracts and good contract management and that contracts should be reviewed as when originally drafted and agreed most would not have given consideration to cyber risks.

Brian Warszona, Europe Cyber Growth Leader at Marsh insurance brokers highlighted the risks, the type and increasing frequency of losses that the insurance market is seeing related to cyber-attack in shipping and ports sectors. He also stressed the importance of companies carrying out regular risk assessments and risk reviews with their insurance brokers to ensure that the insurance purchased remains fit for purpose.

The session closed with a lively Q&A session and dialogue between the speakers and the webinar attendees. One of the main takeaways from the session is that ports and maritime transport sectors need to take action as soon as possible, as cyber-criminals have identified the lack of knowledge and preparedness against cyber-attacks in the sector so they are exploring how future attacks could be made. In addition, ports and maritime transport sector should prepare for a cyber-attack, as it is only a matter of time before most companies operating in that sector will become cyber victims if they take no action. Preparation is key.

We would also like to thank Erin Meehan, from CILT, for arranging and ensuring the smooth running of this successful event.

Brian Sullivan and Dr Stavros Karamperidis
Ports, Maritime and Waterways Forum

 

"This event demonstrates our strong industry links on topical issues such as the reduction of shipping emissions." – Dr Karamperidis

Reducing Maritime Emissions: The Vital Role Played by Hull Cleaning Technology

On 25 November 2020, the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (CILT), Plymouth Business School and the MSc International Logistics and Shipping programmes welcomed our visiting speaker Mr Thanos Kapralos, Commercial and Marine Director at Sea Circle. Established in 2017, Sea Circle is a service provider that covers 250 ports from offices in London and Athens.

More than 40 participants, students of our Masters programmes and industry experts attended the event, which was hosted by Dr Stavros Karamperidis. Hull cleaning is a topic that rarely takes the limelight, yet it has a huge impact on fuel consumption as it can significantly reduce a vessel's emissions. Its relevance is demonstrated by the focus and financial support of the UK government and EU.


 

New technologies for the new normal: three perspectives on a changing maritime sector

On 18 June 2020, we hosted a series of remote learning webinars aimed at students studying maritime-related courses. A thread of the impact of Covid-19 on the maritime industry has extended throughout our webinars. In this session, we looked at technology as a theme and the role it may play in the ‘new normal’.

A great line of speakers shared their knowledge in this 60 minute session, which was followed by an engaging round of Q&A.

This event was organised by Maritime UK, Clarksons and Royal HaskoningDHV, illustrating the strong links between University of Plymouth academics and industry leaders, ensuring that our students have access to the most current knowledge from both parties.

Register to watch the event On Demand

Maritime cybersecurity and communications

Speakers:

  • Stavros Karamperidis, University of Plymouth
  • Miriam Goldby, Queen Mary University of London
  • Kevin Martin, Royal HaskoningDHV

 

Guest lecture from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

On 7 February 2020 a joint meeting was held between the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and maritime business and logistics students of Plymouth Business School to discuss ‘How LNG Shipping is meeting the challenge for a low carbon world’.

Manos Panou, Commercial Manager, LNG Projects and Chartering, NYK Group and Philip Tripodakis, LNG Shipbroker, Simpson, Spence Young Ltd addressed members of CILT, students and staff on how Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) is shipped by specialist vessels to support industry and consumers around the world.

The discussion ended with a lively Q&A session looking at the commercial and environmental impact of boil-off, the pricing mechanisms used to price vessel charters and the commission taken by ship brokers upon successfully closing a deal, or in the industry jargo, 'fixing a ship'.

The lecture was featured in the CILT magazine Focus.

Guest lecture from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
 
Stavros Karamperidis moderated a panel at Financing decarbonisation event in London

Financing decarbonisation of the freight transport sector

Programme Leader Dr Stavros Karamperidis moderated a panel at the “Financing decarbonisation of the freight transport sector” event, organised by the Decarbonising UK Freight Transport EPSRC funded project in London. Stavros moderated the panel “Identifying the key stakeholders that need to ‘buy in’ to the evidence to move forwards” which included panel members Duncan Buchanan, Tim Morris, Aoife O'Leary, Jos Standerwick and more than 100 industry experts who participated in a fruitful discussion for a vital topic regarding our environment.

 

Guest lecture 

Supply Chain Risk Management with Professor John Manners-Bell

We had a dynamic start for 2020 in South West Region of CILT. Our first event for 2020 took place at the University of Plymouth on the 23 January 2020. The event was co-hosted by Plymouth Business School, CILT and CIPS. Professor John Manners-Bell Chief Executive of Ti Insight, was invited to deliver a guest lecture on ‘Supply Chain Risk Management’. The event was well attended by more than 100 delegates ranging from Head of Supply Chains to undergraduate and post-grad logistics students.

Guest lecture - Supply chain risk management. Shipping programmes 2020.
Guest lecture - Supply chain risk management. Shipping programmes 2020.

The event introduced by Dr Stavros Karamperidis (Chair of CILT Devon and Cornwall Group and Programme manager of MSc International Logistics and Shipping programmes) welcoming all the attendees and Professor Manners-Bell. Professor Manners-Bell discussed current issues related to supply chain risk management. He illustrated the risks that supply chains had faced when clinical virus outbreaks had taken place, for example the swine flu. Based on that example he elaborated how the current Coronavirus might affect supply chains and the associated risks. He also demonstrated the concept of “known of the unknown” and provided tips that could accelerate how the supply chain can become more agile under the current business and trade environments. The presentation generated a large number of questions. The event finished with a lively discussion between the attendees and Professor Manners-Bell. 

 

The future of maritime education

The University of Plymouth in conjunction with Maritime UK as part of the ‘40 years of MSc International Shipping’ celebration hosted an event which was part of the prestigious London International Shipping Week. The event ‘The future of Maritime Education’ included discussions with a panel of leading maritime figures:
  • Richard Clayton, Chief correspondent, Lloyd’s List
  • Cara Carter, Operations and QA Director, Halcyon Recruitment
  • Syamantak Bhattacharya, Dean of Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering
  • Ross McKissock, London Container Terminal Asset Manager, Port of Tilbury
  • Katharina Stanzel, Managing Director, Intertanko
Dr Stavros Karamperidis hosted and chaired the event which generated a lively discussion among the participants and the panel. Dr Karamperidis also had the opportunity to demonstrate the maritime business teaching and research at Plymouth Business School, promoting our long maritime heritage and catching up with various industry leading graduates. 
During the event Dr Karamperidis presented the best masters student projects selected by industry experts for the best UK Maritime Masters dissertation. Georgios Koligiannis and Andres Tsestidis represented the University of Plymouth. 
The future of maritime education event
 

Maritime Masters Finalist Georgios Koligianni

Georgios has been selected as a finalist for the best masters student project selected by industry experts for the best UK Maritime Masters dissertation.

"After spending countless hours tackling my research topic named “A critical analysis of the maritime cyber-security, possible countermeasures that could be adopted from the financial and the military sector” my dissertation was shortlisted in the top five among all the maritime UK universities. I was honoured to present my findings during the Maritime Masters Finalists Reception event, which was attended by Maritime UK Patron, HRH The Princess Royal.”

Maritime Masters finalist Georgios Koligianni
Maritime Masters finalist Georgios Koligianni with Dr Stavros Karamperidis

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Stavros Karamperidis who brainstormed ideas about the challenging issue of cyber-security in the maritime domain and helped me significantly in my research as no one else in my previous academic studies. I should also mention my special recognition to the academics and practitioners who participated in the interviews and the survey and helped me to investigate my research questions thoroughly."

Georgios Koligianni