The third Transnational Project Meeting of the EU-funded ENDORSEME project “Enabling Seafarers to Mutual Endorsement” took place in Cork, Ireland, from 22–23 November 2022, hosted by the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI).
The project brings together key maritime institutions across Europe to streamline and strengthen the recognition of seafarer qualifications through a digital endorsement platform.
Day 1 Highlights: Project Progress & Tool Development
The first day focused on reviewing:
- Overall project status and partner contributions
- Outputs from the second partner meeting
- Development and programming of the ENDORSEME digital tool
The meeting was chaired by Mr. Uğurcan Acar of MARITIME INNOVATORS, and brought together senior representatives from all project partners to review work package progress, dissemination activities, and the next six-month roadmap.
Participants included:
- Capt. Ivan Conev & Eng. Delyan Hristov – Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy (Bulgaria)
- Mr. Ugurcan Acar – MARITIME INNOVATORS (Turkey)
- Prof. Agustin Martin Mallofre & Prof. German Rodriguez – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (Spain)
- Capt. Radu Hanzu-Pazara – Constanta Maritime University (Romania)
- Mr. Tomaž Gregorič – Spinaker d.o.o. (Slovenia)
- Mr. Kevin Fitzgibbon & Mr. Niall Curran – National Maritime College of Ireland
Day 2 Focus: Certification Flowchart & Future Deliverables
The second day centered around:
- Deep dives into the structure and logic of the ENDORSEME tool
- Finalizing a comprehensive EU certification flowchart for mutual recognition
- Discussion and allocation of upcoming tasks related to intellectual outputs
Partners collaboratively refined the platform’s user journey and interoperability framework. The day concluded with a guided tour of NMCI’s cutting-edge facilities, offering a glimpse into practical MET innovation.
About the ENDORSEME Project
The ENDORSEME project seeks to:
- Facilitate mutual recognition of seafarer certificates and qualifications across Europe and globally
- Harmonize international and local MET standards to increase clarity and reduce administrative barriers
- Strengthen VET pathways and career mobility for maritime professionals by creating a unified digital endorsement system
This initiative is part of the Erasmus+ KA2 Cooperation for Innovation and Exchange of Good Practices, with a focus on long-term impact for maritime vocational education and training across Europe.
Project Website: www.endorseme4seas.com