The Blue Economy is a multi-layered economy in its content, although it only reflects the relation between the sea and business. Shipping plays an essential role in this economy, as it holds the largest market share. Sustainable shipping, however, requires the sustainability of a number of the components that make it up. One of the most important components is the training of marine personnel, and particularly the ship’s crew. Over the past two decades, the Lifelong Learning strategy has been firmly established in shipping, manifested through a variety of practices. In order to ensure the continuous and sustainable training of ship’s crews, the companies have introduced annual seminars, which aim to familiarize the officers with current business topics. This article analyzes the delivery methods and quality of training in six seminars conducted by four different shipping companies carried out in three different countries. The scientific method “interview” was used for gathering the necessary information for analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of this type of training, and the way it was conducted. A significant number of deck officers and engineers, participants in all seminars, were surveyed to create a clear picture of the quality of such education and training. Collected data were used for the analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) associated with the surveyed fleet officer’s seminars. A comparative analysis of this type of postgraduate training was made, while taking in mind higher marine education and training. The article summarizes the authors’ experience of their sea service as Officers of the Watch and Masters on board of merchant vessels, as well as participants in postgraduate education and training. Conclusions for close cooperation between shipping companies and maritime educational institutions are made.

With the continuous increase of international oil prices, more and more shipping companies look for new solutions to the ever present question: How to reduce operational fuel consumption and decrease air pollution. Ship route planning is an indispensable part of the ship navigation process. In the modern world, the passage planning aspect of navigation is shifting. No longer do we see mariners drawing course lines on a paper chart. No longer do they calculate distances with compasses. Elaborate algorithms on various digital devices perform all these tasks. Algorithms plot the optimum tracks on digital charts and algorithms can decide how to avoid collision situations. Nowadays charter companies do not rely solely on the experienced navigators on board their vessels to decide the best route. Instead, this task is outsourced ashore to routing and weather-routing enterprises. The algorithms used by those enterprises are continuously evolving and getting better and better. They are coming popular because of another reason – more and more the shipping society support the newly idea for using crewless ships. However, are they up to the task to eliminate the human element in passage planning? In this article, we are going to review some of the weak points of the algorithms in use.

The Blue Economy is a multi-layered economy in its content, although it only reflects the relation between sea and business. Shipping is an essential part of it and with the largest market share. Sustainable shipping, however, requires the sustainability of a number of components that make it up. One of them, and perhaps the most important, is the training of marine personnel and in particular ship’s crew. Education is a key process that does not complete with graduation in the educational institution, as the foundations of professional training are laid there. An increasingly common practice by shipping companies is postgraduate training as ship officer seminars and refresher courses. This article investigates the results of surveys and interviews with officers and engineers from various shipping companies regarding the effectiveness of this type of training. A detailed analysis of strengths and weaknesses in the context of the principles of andragogy science and the Lifelong Learning strategy is in order. The article summarizes author’s experience from their sea practice as officers of the watch and Masters on board of merchant vessels and participants in postgraduate education and training as well.

The effective use of energy proposes using less energy to achieve the same goal. The International Maritime Organization started using criteria for ship’s energy efficiency in 2013, when the new International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, Annex VI, was adopted. The purpose of the Annex is to improve the ships’ energy efficiency through the use of new technologies such as improved hull design, and new propulsion systems, including innovations in energy management. One of the topics for improving the car carriers’ energy efficiency is the constantly working lights in the superstructure and on the car decks. Lights’ energy consumption may be negligible on most ships, but on car carriers, the consumption is of greater magnitude. This article presents a survey of the improvement of energy consumption on board a car carrier during regular voyages as well as the cost-effectiveness of introducing light control automation. The authors of this article review an example of light automation set up to control the lights in a ship’s superstructure and on the car decks. The implementation of such a system and the different types of automation are also reviewed. This research is towards new regulations, established by Maritime Environment Protection Committee and implemented in shipping since 1 November 2022. Conclusions for practical use are extracted.

This monograph provides a comprehensive analysis of oil spill cleanup methods and their consequences, with a special focus on the Black Sea region. The work systematizes key knowledge regarding the characteristics of the unique Black Sea environment, the behavior of different oil types during a spill, potential ecological impacts, and social and economic activities. It also includes an overview and assessment of existing and emerging response technologies. The study thoroughly analyzes the influence of specific factors, such as seasonal meteorological conditions, on the applicability and effectiveness of various cleanup methods in the region's specific context. The monograph is based on an extensive review and analysis of national and international information sources in the field. While a significant volume of research focuses on oil spill response globally, monographs and publications specifically addressing the unique ecological and operational challenges of the Black Sea are more limited. With this work, the author aims to contribute to filling this knowledge gap and enriching the understanding of the specific nature of spill response in the region. The monograph is targeted at academia, specialists in the marine industry involved in environmental safety, and students. It creates prerequisites for more informed planning, more effective preparedness, and an improved understanding of marine environmental safety in the Black Sea basin.