Collaboration between the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (ΙΕΕΕ), the Eugenides Foundation, and prominent maritime organizations

A working lunch in honor of Dr. Thomas Coughlin, President of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world’s largest technical professional organization, at the Eugenides Foundation. This notable event was graciously hosted by Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenides, President of the Eugenides Foundation and International Maritime Organization (IMO) Ambassador in Greece, along with Ms. Despina Travlou, Managing Director of Slide2Open and IEEE Standards Association Maritime Ambassador.

The luncheon brought together a select group of notable guests, fostering an environment ripe for meaningful discussion and collaboration within the maritime sector. Attendees included Mr. Dimitrios Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance of the Hellenic Republic; Mr. Stefanos Gikas, Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy of the Hellenic Republic; Ms. Maria Olson, Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Greece; Mr. Harry J. Fafalios, Chairman of the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee; Mr. Athanasios Liagkos, Chairman of the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME) and Executive Chairman of the BoD of Thessaloniki Port Authority SA; Dr. Ioannis Golias, Governor of the Eugenides Foundation, Emeritus Professor and former Rector of NTUA, and caretaker Minister of Transport and Communications; Mr. Dimitrios Fourlaris, Vice President and Energy Sector BoD Chairman of the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAWEW); Mr. Dimitrios I. Pazaitis, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator SA (HEDNO); Mr. Constantinos Gkonias, Director General of the Association of Greek Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN); Prof. Dr. Ing. Konstantinos Karachalios, Special Advisor to the CEO and former Managing Director of IEEE Standards Association; Prof. John Prousalidis, Head of the Industrial Connection Activity Sustainable Maritime of IEEE and Professor of Marine Electrical Engineering at NTUA; Prof. Harilaos N. Psaraftis, Professor Emeritus at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and Professor Emeritus at the Technical University of Athens (NTUA); Dr. Alex Papalexopoulos, President & CEO of ECCO International, Inc., and CEO and Chairman of the Board of ZOME Energy Networks, Inc.; and Mr. Angelos Roupas Pantaleon, Member of the Advisory Board of Industrial Connection Activity Sustainable Maritime of IEEE and founder of Second Winds & Partners.

The conversation, moderated by Dr. Ioannis Golias, was initiated by welcoming remarks from Ms. Despina Travlou and Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenides, who posed critical questions, sparking an engaging dialogue.

Mr. Dimitrios Papastergiou emphasized the ministry’s commitment to implementing modern technologies, including recent satellite communication projects, and expressed willingness to support port electrification projects. Mr. Stefanos Gikas, though recently appointed to office, iterated his commitment to supporting shore-side electrification and decarbonization efforts within the shipping industry. Ms. Maria Olson highlighted the challenges of staying aligned with technological advancements. Mr. Athanasios Liagkos pointed out the financial constraints faced by most Greek ports in adopting shore power technology and stressed the need for assistance. Mr. Dimitrios Fourlaris discussed RAWEW’s role in supporting grid operators and establishing a regulatory framework for the maritime electricity market.

Mr. Dimitrios I. Pazaitis expressed HEDNO’s readiness to facilitate port electrification and invest in shore power infrastructure. Mr. Constantinos Gkonias shared SEEN’s reliance on NTUA for developing feasible solutions and their agreement with ELIME on technical specifications. Prof. Dr. Ing. Konstantinos Karachalios lauded the substantive discussion on port electrification and sustainable decarbonization of shipping. Prof. John Prousalidis made an overview of the whole port electrification projects, the related initiatives in Greece, in the European Union and worldwide stressing the substantial role of IEEE and IEEE-SA, in particular, supporting the development of the corresponding standards along with IEC and ISO but also by endorsing the Sustainable Maritime Industry Connection Activity of IEEE which intends to help the sustainable decarbonization of the maritime sector in any possible way.

Prof. Harilaos N. Psaraftis underscored the importance of decarbonization and the maritime community’s efforts. Dr. Alex Papalexopoulos gave a global overview of the energy markets and the importance of providing a regulatory framework for the maritime electricity; he outlined the baseline of a realistic solution using modern tools. Mr. Angelos Roupas Pantaleon emphasized the importance of securing adequate funding for sustainable technical solutions.

The guest of honor, Dr. Thomas Coughlin, expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in decarbonization efforts, drawing parallels with similar initiatives in data centers.

Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Eugenides guided the discussion with challenging questions crucial for the sustainable transition of shipping. Ms. Despina Travlou concluded the luncheon by thanking all guests for their participation and the vibrant and productive dialogue that took place. She extended her gratitude to Dr. Thomas Coughlin and IEEE, noting that he had witnessed a genuinely Greek dialogue where consensus and progress result from “thesis” and “arsis.”