TECoNaut, the European project to facilitate the green transition in the nautical industry, gets underway | Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology at the Gdańsk University of Technology

European recreational boating is on the road to sustainability, a process in which recreational boat building faces two major challenges: the production of more sustainable materials and the need to recruit and train qualified professionals for the implementation of these materials.

Project objectives

To meet these challenges and provide answers by helping to bring about the necessary change in the supply, use and application of these materials, the TECoNaut project, -created and coordinated by Sea Tech, funded by the European Union and managed by a consortium of seven European countries- will follow a strategy based on four objectives that correspond to four axes of work:

1. Comprehensive identification of skills gaps, aligned with the multilingual European classification of skills, competences, qualifications and occupations ESCO and making use of the new EU Green Taxonomy.
2. Development of a course for Vocational Training on materials produced with Deep Tech technology, which will include contents on the use and application of these materials as well as a Training of Trainers Programme.
3. Design of an internship programme for higher education students who will work on the application of Deep Tech skills in companies.
4. To awaken the entrepreneurial mindset of students and future workers in the "eco" nautical sector, so that they can consider developing businesses linked to the use of sustainable materials and the circularity of boat building materials, while fostering their resilience skills.

The yachting industry about TECoNaut

Michał Bąk, President of The Polish Chamber of Marine Industry and Water Sports - Polish Yachts (POLBOAT): The TECoNaut project is extremely important, and I am thrilled that as POLBOAT, we can be a part of it and represent Poland, together with the Gdańsk University of Technology. For the Polish yacht industry, joining this project is a challenge that will directly impact the goals expected from us by the industry: quality professional skills and technological development, which will help us create a modern sector closely linked to the sustainable indicators defined for industrial development within the EU. We have experience in international cooperation within organizations such as ICOMIA or EBI, and we are committed to the development of vocational education in our country. Therefore, POLBOAT can be useful both in the initial phase of research, then in designing and creating a new curriculum for higher education and vocational training, supporting the development of initiative and entrepreneurial attitudes among Polish entrepreneurs, and finally in disseminating the project results.

PhD. Eng. Artur Karczewski, Institute of Naval Architecture, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Shipbuilding, Gdańsk University of Technology: The Institute of Naval Architecture as well as the Gdańsk University of Technology celebrate the 120th anniversary of educating personnel for the shipbuilding and yachting industry this year. The start of the TECoNaut project coinciding with the jubilee year of the Gdańsk University of Technology emphasizes the significant fact of ecological transformation currently taking place in the industry. The participation of the Gdańsk University of Technology in the project aligns with the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Institute of Naval Architecture has a long tradition of preparing new study programs for fields related to the yacht industry. For many years, it has been cooperating with POLBOAT to best prepare personnel for the industry. Ecological transformation is a reality, and we are very pleased to participate in this project."

The European boating industry in figures

The boating industry in Europe, with more than 6.5 million boats, is made up of 32,000 companies, directly employing more than 280,000 people.

The majority of the fleet is built with approximately 72,000 tonnes of non-recyclable materials and, in addition to the implementation of recycling solutions for this large amount of material, the use and implementation of new and sustainable fibres and resins for boat construction is necessary.

Project partners

The project, funded by the European Union, will be carried out over three years by a consortium comprising European industry organisations, institutions, research institutions and shipyards from seven countries: Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Turkey and Poland.

• ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DE EMPRESAS NÁUTICAS – Spain
• SEA TEACH S.L., E-BOATS EXPERIECNCE SL. - Spain
• SERVICIO DE EMPLEO DE LAS ILLES BALEARS (SOIB) – Spain
• NAUTA MORGAU – Spain
• EUROPEAN BOATING INDUSTRY (EBI) – Belgium
• GÖLCÜK ŞEHIT VOLKAN TANTÜRK VET SCHOOL– Turkey
• INNOVATION YACHTS (InnoYachts) – France
• ETHNICON METSOVION POLYTECHNION (NTUA) – Greece
• GREENBOATS GMBH (GREENBOATS) – Germany
• POLISH CHAMBER OFMARINE INDUSTRY AND WATER SPORTS – POLISH YACHTS (POLBOAT) – Poland
• POLITECHNIKA GDANSKA (GDANSK TECH) - Poland

On behalf of the Gdansk University of Technology, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Shipbuilding, and more specifically the research staff of the Shipbuilding Institute, are involved in the project:

• Project Manager: Artur Karczewski, Ph.
• Prof. Beata Zima, D.Sc.
• Wojciech Litwin, M.Sc., Prof. of the university
• Jacek Frost, M.Sc.

The latest information on the project can be found on the website.

TECoNaut