Ioannis Katsounis

Concerns about current and future officer shortages have intensified interest in understanding maritime students’ career plans. While previous research has primarily examined motivations for entering maritime education and training (MET), comparative evidence on students’ seafaring intentions across national contexts remains limited. This study addresses this gap by examining career plans and seafaring intentions among 1,548 maritime students enrolled in MET programmes in China, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, and the United Kingdom. Using cross-national survey data, the study analyses differences in students’ intended career trajectories and explores whether demographic characteristics (gender, age, prior sea experience) and programme-related factors (programme type, level, duration, and exposure to shipboard training) are associated with intentions to pursue a seafaring career. The results reveal substantial cross-country variation in the proportion of students intending to work at sea, with higher levels observed in European countries compared to China. Logistic regression analyses further indicate that demographic and programme-related predictors are significant in the Chinese sample but not in the European sample, suggesting context-specific patterns. By providing the first comparative analysis of seafaring intentions across both European and Asian maritime education contexts, the study highlights the importance of national, educational, and demographic factors in shaping students’ seafaring intentions. The findings underline the need for context-sensitive recruitment and retention strategies to support the future supply of seafarer officers.

Cruise tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of the global tourism industry, generating significant economic benefits while also creating challenges related to overtourism, congestion, environmental pressure, and residents’ quality of life. Understanding residents’ attitudes towards tourism is therefore essential for sustainable destination management. Although previous studies have examined the roles of place attachment and quality of life in shaping tourism attitudes, evidence from cruise destinations remains limited. This study investigates the influence of place attachment and quality of life on residents’ attitudes towards tourism in two contrasting European cruise destinations: Kotor (Montenegro) and Athens/Piraeus (Greece). Additionally, it aims to explore the link between place attachment and quality of life, which remains understudied in this context. The study also investigates whether destination moderates the effect between explored variables. To address this objective, Kotor and Athens/Piraeus were purposively selected as a maximum-variation pair. A quantitative survey was conducted among 319 local residents (157 from Kotor and 162 from Athens/Piraeus). The findings indicate that both place attachment and quality of life significantly influence residents’ attitudes towards tourism. Stronger place attachment was associated with more positive perceptions of social interaction with tourists and beneficial cultural impacts, but it also influenced residents’ attitudes indirectly through perceived quality of life. Moreover, place attachment was identified as a significant determinant across all five dimensions of residents’ quality of life. Furthermore, quality-of-life dimensions, particularly heritage and commercial development, socialisation and economic opportunities, and environmental conditions, emerged as significant predictors of tourism attitudes. Destination comparisons revealed overall consistency between both cruise tourism destinations, except for the link between place attachment and health and safety benefits, which was stronger among residents of Athens. The findings provide practical implications for sustainable tourism planning by highlighting the importance of incorporating residents’ perceptions into destination management.

The decarbonization of short sea shipping is emerging as a critical priority for Mediterranean countries. This paper presents key findings from the ELECTRA-GR project, funded by the EEA Financial Mechanism (MIS 5202231), which aimed to evaluate the feasibility, technical readiness, and legislative requirements for the electrification of coastal ferry services in Greece. The study focused on two pilot routes—Salamis–Perama and Chios–Oinousses— representative of the high-frequency, short-distance ferry operations characteristic of the Greek archipelago. A comprehensive assessment was conducted combining technical fleet profiling, stakeholder consultations, legislative analysis, cost–benefit evaluations, and international benchmarking with Norway. For the base scenario of the high-traffic Salamis–Perama route, full electrification yields an annual reduction of approximately 900 tons of CO₂ compared to diesel operation and achieves a Net Present Value (NPV) of €1.6 million over a 15-year period. In contrast, the Chios–Oinousses route, characterized by lower traffic volume, achieves a reduction of 85 tons of CO₂ annually through hybrid conversion, but results in an NPV of €−1.69 million, underscoring the need for financial support mechanisms or targeted subsidies to ensure economic feasibility. The results indicate that electrification of short ferry routes in Greece is technically feasible and environmentally advantageous but faces significant challenges, including inadequate port infrastructure, regulatory gaps, and limited industrial readiness. The study proposes a structured roadmap toward electrification, emphasizing the modernization of shipyards, tailored policy instruments, and public–private cooperation. The findings contribute to the formulation of a scalable strategy for clean maritime transport in peripheral and island regions of Greece.

The concept of a healthy organisation promotes environments that enhance employee well-being, motivation, and productivity. Despite its benefits, it remains underexplored in the shipping sector. To address this gap, a pilot study was conducted to examine how seafarers and management perceive a healthy shipping company, with a focus on identifying the key determinants. This approach underlines the importance of active employee involvement, which is consistent with the principles of a healthy organisation. An exploratory, convergent, mixed-methods pilot study combined qualitative and quantitative data collection. The questionnaire included demographic and work-related characteristics, an open-ended question on the definition of a healthy shipping company from a personal perspective, and scaled ratings of key determinants of healthy shipping companies identified through a literature review. The sample consisted of 309 participants from the international shipping sector, including 238 seafarers and 71 shipping company managers. The study identified key factors that contribute to a healthy shipping company, with both seafarers and managers recognising the importance of employee well-being, safety, work-life balance, and a supportive organisational culture. These findings were consistently reflected in both the quantitative and qualitative data. The qualitative results also revealed group-specific perspectives: managers highlighted the importance of financial management, strategic innovation, and corporate governance, while seafarers placed greater emphasis on immediate working conditions and mutual respect. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of a collaborative approach, where both seafarers and managers are actively engaged in shaping a healthy organisational environment.