The “Safety First” webinar, which is being included for the second year in the Training Program, is refreshed in content and forms part of the activities of the three-year (2019-2022) program titled “Enhancing the Understanding of New and Enduring Challenges in Maritime Safety Culture in the Eastern Mediterranean”. The project is implemented by HELMEPA in collaboration with members Lloyd’s Register and DYNAMARINe in Greece and sister association CYMEPA in Cyprus, with the kind support of the Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) *.

Welcoming the participants, HELMEPA’s Chairwoman Ms Semiramis Paliou mentioned: “The new certified Refresher Training Program aims to assist HELMEPA Members – Companies, Vessels and Seafarers – to successfully meet new challenges facing the industry in pursuit of enhanced safety at sea and pollution prevention in line with the UN’s Sustainable Developments Goals”. Brief statements were also delivered by the Secretary General of CYMEPA Dr. Michael Ierides and the Chairman of HELMEPA’s Training Committee Capt. John Drakogiannopoulos.

Dr. Tim Slingsby, LRF Director of Skills and Education, spoke with warm words about the Foundation’s cooperation with HELMEPA stating, among other: “We understand that HELMEPA and the other supporters of the program have the know-how and ability to reach out to maritime professionals and the wider community who can play a critical role in strengthening the spirit of maritime safety in the Eastern Mediterranean, one of the most accident-prone areas in the world. Lloyd’s Register Foundation is particularly proud to work with HELMEPA.”

The enriched program of the webinar included critical and current issues for safety on board as well as on the human factor, while a special section with case studies from real incident investigation is also included. Extensive discussions and interaction with the audience followed the excellent presentations of lecturers from Lloyd’s Register, the Swedish P&I Club, the National Technical University of Athens and the Hellenic Bureau for Marine Casualties Investigation (HBMCI), as well as the independent collaborator and Training Committee member Capt. Michalis Fragkias, providing a lively educational experience.

In addition to “Safety First”, which will be repeated 4 times during the year, HELMEPA’s 2021 Refresher Training Program includes another 7 different webinars and is the most multidisciplinary and specialized of recent years. The next webinar titled “Compliance with New Environmental Regulations” takes place between 26-28 January. For more information about the Program and all scheduled dates you can visit the following link: https://helmepa.gr/en/nautiliakos-tomeas/epimorfosi