SeaAhead – Sailing Acceleration through Vocational Excellence and Innovation

SeaAhead

Sailing Acceleration through Vocational Excellence and Innovation

Preparing the next generation of maritime professionals

SeaAhead – Sailing Acceleration through Vocational Excellence and Innovation is a four-year Erasmus+ project that aims to reshape the maritime sector through cutting-edge education, innovation, and cross-border cooperation.

By creating a network of Maritime Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), SeaAhead addresses the need for:

Future-proof digital and green skills
Immersive training using AR/VR technologies
Strong industry–education partnerships
Inclusive and resilient learning environments
Sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems

The project brings together 24 partners from 7 countries, combining expertise from vocational training, maritime industry, research, and policy-making. SeaAhead will design and deploy a new model of maritime vocational excellence – one that responds to global challenges, supports regional growth, and equips professionals with the skills they need for a sustainable maritime future.

About the Project

SeaAhead – Sailing Acceleration through Vocational Excellence and Innovation is a four-year Erasmus+ project that aims to accelerate the transformation of the maritime sector by creating a new generation of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs). Through a strong collaboration between vocational training institutions, industry leaders, innovation hubs, and policy actors, SeaAhead addresses the urgent need for upskilling and reskilling in the maritime domain.

The project responds to the maritime sector’s growing demand for:

Advanced digital and green skills
Resilience to geopolitical and environmental challenges
Inclusive and modern training environments
Innovation and entrepreneurship
Cross-border cooperation and international excellence

Vision

SeaAhead envisions a maritime sector that is:

Future-proof

equipped with the skills and technologies needed for sustainable growth

Inclusive

offering equal opportunities for all, including women and migrant workers

Digitally advanced

embracing AR/VR and AI-based learning for immersive training

Environmentally responsible

aligned with EU Green Deal targets and green maritime practices

Globally connected

through regional and international cooperation between VET and industry

Aims

SeaAhead aims to:

Create and deploy a model of Maritime Centres of Vocational Excellence across Europe.
Design modern curricula and microcredentials aligned with green, digital and social competencies.
Develop immersive simulation-based training using XR (extended reality) technologies.
Support entrepreneurship and innovation through dedicated hubs and competitions.
Promote international mobility and cooperation, including job shadowing and staff exchanges.
Improve cybersecurity awareness and resilience in maritime training.
Strengthen the role of Regional Skills Partnerships to align education with labour market needs.

Activities

To reach its objectives, SeaAhead will implement activities across five main Work Packages:

WP1: Incorporate Project management and quality assurance to ensure a smooth and high-quality project implementation process
WP2: Transform and expand MET-NET and create Regional Maritime Skills Partnerships.
WP3: Design the role model of a Maritime CoVE and develop digital/green curricula and labs.
WP4: Deploy and pilot CoVE activities in partner regions.
WP5: Disseminate results, foster community engagement, and ensure sustainability and transferability.

Key deliverables include:

AR/VR simulation scenarios for training,
A cybersecurity lab prototype,
Online learning platforms and MOOCs,
Regional and international networking events,
An entrepreneurship ecosystem and innovation hubs.

Objectives

The project’s activities will address the following specific objectives:

Refining maritime curricula to match emerging trends and labour market demands.
Upskilling and reskilling professionals across the sector, through microcredentials and flexible learning.
Reinforcing sectoral resilience, addressing geopolitical and environmental instability.
Mainstreaming AR/VR technologies for immersive and efficient maritime training.
Fostering innovation through entrepreneurship hubs and start-up incubators.
Promoting inclusion, particularly for women and international professionals.
Strengthening cybersecurity protocols and digital infrastructures.
Internationalising VET through mobility, cooperation, and shared recognition of competences.
Supporting new business models and job opportunities within the blue economy.
Building sustainable stakeholder engagement and long-term cooperation between industry and education.

Partnership

SeaAhead consists of a strong consortium of 24 partners from seven European countries: Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Germany, Lithuania, and Ukraine.
Our partners bring together a wide range of expertise in vocational education and training (VET), maritime innovation, digital technology, green skills, entrepreneurship, and international cooperation.

Together, we are building a powerful alliance of Maritime Centres of Vocational Excellence, working hand in hand to transform maritime education and ensure a sustainable future for the sector.