Zero C Consortium Meeting in Vlora (March 20–21, 2025): Advancing Collaboration for a Greener Maritime Future

On March 20–21, 2025, the University “Ismail Qemali” Vlorë hosted the Consortium Meeting of the Zero C Project, gathering project partners from the Western Balkans and EU to evaluate progress, coordinate efforts, and define the path forward. The two-day meeting followed the successful training on digitalization in maritime transport and focused on reviewing the project’s implementation, ensuring alignment across work packages, and preparing for the next stages of the initiative.

Day one opened with a welcome from the host university and proceeded with a presentation on project management and quality assurance led by UAMD. A comprehensive overview of the midterm report was provided, including both technical and financial elements. This was followed by updates from UOM on the development and accreditation of skills-oriented curricula and lifelong learning programs, emphasizing academic staff engagement. The day concluded with a Project Quality Assurance Board meeting, partner discussions, and a visit to the city center.

On the second day, NTUA led sessions on capacity building and the installation of new equipment, reporting on knowledge transfer activities and implementation results. ITS presented dissemination and exploitation strategies, midterm outreach activities, and future plans for national conventions and Zero C network engagement. Partners also visited the university laboratories to see newly installed equipment and concluded the meeting with a general discussion on future directions and deliverables.

The meeting successfully reinforced collaboration between partners, ensured clarity on the next project phases, and contributed to the shared mission of advancing zero-carbon maritime transport and logistics in the Western Balkans.