Athens, 16 June 2025 \u2013 The recent meeting of the RINA Hellenic Technical Committee (HTC) convened maritime leaders in Vouliagmeni, Athens, to discuss the future of the shipping industry amid evolving environmental regulations and digital transformation. Key themes included the impact of MEPC 83, RINA\u2019s continued global growth, advancements in sustainable fuel technology, and a strong emphasis on innovation and collaboration.<\/p>\n
\u201cShipping must be viewed as an ecosystem where knowledge sharing is vital,<\/em>\u201d said Spyros Zolotas, Vice President for RINA\u2019s Marine South Europe Region<\/strong>. \u201cMeetings like HTC allow us to exchange perspectives, address real challenges, and collectively shape the future of our industry.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Continued Global Growth and Local Strength<\/strong><\/p>\n Chaired by Theo Baltatzis, General Manager of Technomar Shipping, and Akis Tsirigakis, CEO of Nautilus Energy Management Corp., the session celebrated RINA\u2019s fourth consecutive year as the fastest-growing classification society. In 2024, RINA saw a 12% year-on-year increase in fleet size, now overseeing nearly 8,700 vessels\u201482.9 million GT\u2014including 780 Greek-controlled ships representing 30% of its total tonnage.<\/p>\n Regulatory Focus: MEPC 83 and Beyond<\/strong><\/p>\n Michael Markogiannis, Head of Greece Plan Approval, and Antonis Trakakis, Energy Transition Solutions Technical Director, of RINA shared insights into the anticipated impact of MEPC 83 outcomes, including draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, CII targets for 2027\u20132030, and the SEEMP 2024 revisions. They also outlined the IMO\u2019s roadmap toward 2029 and beyond.<\/p>\n Driving Decarbonization through Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n Pieter Van Den Ouden of the RINA Marine Excellence Center<\/strong> discussed fuel cell developments compatible with methanol and LNG, achieving climate neutrality through sustainable production. \u201cThe fuel cell systems offer long-lasting, high-efficiency performance, whether powered by hydrogen, methanol, or LNG,<\/em>\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n Digital solutions were also in focus. Olga Dratsia, Performance Manager of Alberta Shipmanagement showcased the benefits of integrating RINA\u2019s SERTICA platform fleetwide, enabling real-time monitoring to meet regulatory requirements and boost efficiency. \u201cChosen for its accuracy, flexibility, and expert support, SERTICA helps us enhance operational insight and compliance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Strategic Insights<\/strong><\/p>\n RINA experts Marinos Anastasiou, Key Account Manager New Buildings, and Nikos Michas, Tanker Segment Manager, highlighted the company\u2019s growing role in the newbuilding market, particularly in bulk, tanker, and gas segments. The strategy emphasizes full-lifecycle services, innovation, and regulatory compliance.<\/p>\n Innovation and Collaboration<\/strong><\/p>\n The meeting also spotlighted RINA\u2019s involvement in SEASTARS, a \u20ac9.85M Horizon Europe project to deliver optimized vessel designs and decarbonization strategies using model-based systems engineering. \u201cRINA being a forward-thinking organization, it\u2019s the only classification society in this ambitious initiative. RINA has an extensive knowledge on the related field and extensive involvement on the R&D projects\u201d said Dr. Stefanos Chatzinikolaou of the University of Piraeus.<\/p>\n Finally, Michael Vrettos, RINA Marine Cyber Security Expert<\/strong>, introduced RINA Open Innovation Hubs\u2014a global network of innovation spaces where maritime companies, startups, research institutions, and academia can collaborate, explore and invest in transformative ideas. The initiative focuses on various domains such as digital technologies, alternative fuels, blue economy, fleet optimization, and decarbonization, aiming to drive marine innovation and sustainable transformation in partnership with RINA.<\/p>\n RINA<\/strong>, leading certification and engineering company, provides a wide range of services across the Energy, Marine, Infrastructure & Mobility, Certification, Industry and Real Estate sectors. In December 2023, alongside the majority shareholder Registro Italiano Navale, Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR entered the shareholding structure guiding a pool of co-investors. With revenues in 2024 of 915 million euros, 6,200 employees and 200 offices in 70 countries worldwide, RINA is a member of key international organizations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards. www.rina.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Athens, 16 June 2025 \u2013 The recent meeting of the RINA Hellenic Technical Committee (HTC) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":258446,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[273,298],"tags":[307],"class_list":["post-260084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-maritimes-news","category-seagoing-maritimes-news","tag-featured-en"],"yoast_head":"\n