The 4BIZproject (Boosting the Blue Economy in the Black Sea Region by Initiating a Business Collaboration Framework in the field of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Coastal and Maritime Tourism and Maritime Transport) has already held 3 workshops with more than 100 participants from the scientific and business communities.

The workshops addressed topical issues of implementation and dissemination of blue economy principles in the Black Sea region. The focus was on fisheries and aquaculture, marine and coastal tourism, and maritime transport.

On September 8, 2023, the Romanian National Secretariat of the Black Sea Universities Network organized the Workshop on “Current Trends in the Ship Building and Maritime Transport in the Black Sea Region”.

The workshop, which was organized in online format, was attended by businessmen and specialists from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.

In the opening remarks, the organizers noted that significant changes are currently taking place in the Black Sea region and everyone should unite for further cooperation and development within the Common Maritime Agenda, and also in other blue economy initiatives.

Olena Zhukova, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Maritime Cluster, was invited to moderate the discussion at this workshop.

Ms. Zhukova has a deep expertise in maritime transport and shipbuilding. She holds a PhD in Economics,  defended her dissertation on June 8, 2017 at the Specialized Council of the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management (IAPM) (K 26.142.03). Specialty 08.00.04 – Economics and Management of Enterprises (by type of economic activity). Field of research: application of innovative outsourcing in the management of a multiservice engineering enterprise in shipbuilding. Articles https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4756-8977 For more than 15 years she has been the Managing Director of “Marine Design Engineering Mykolayiv”, a part of the Damen Shipyards Group.

Leading companies of the Black Sea blue sector were presented at the workshop.

• SEVERNAV https://www.severnav.ro/ (Romania). The main activity of SEVERNAV S.A. there is the construction of new sea and inland vessels of various types. The company also offers standard ship repair, damaged ship repair, ship modernization and conversion programs. This naval shipyard, located in Drobeta-Turnu-Severin, on the left bank of the Danube, can to receive the fleet for a wide range of repair and maintenance work.
• MIMARINE https://www.mimarine.com.tr/en/ , (Turkyie) Сompany has built a wide range of boats and ships since its foundation and has been developing itself according to the demands of customers. It increases the knowledge and capacity of Trabzon and Black Sea using its experience and strategic advantages in the sector.
• GOMINA, (Turkey) https://gomina.com.tr/ Gomina Ship Supply Materials has experienced, educated and best-in-class personnel working in it departments, ensuring that company provides impeccable service with job descriptions such as creating strategic and most effective customer-specific solutions and creating foreign trade plans.
• Galera 07 Ltd. (Bulgaria) http://galera07.com/en/about/ Was founded in 2007. The company is one of the leading ship repair and shipbuilding companies in Bulgaria and in the Black Sea region. Galera 07 Ltd manufactures parts and structures of all types of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, repair and production of pipe systems, repair of electrical and hydraulic systems, etc.

The production base of Galera 07 Ltd is located in the village of Ezerovo. On an area of 12 decares are located production halls with an area of 2000 m2, workshop for electrical repairs, warehouses, office building and more. The workshops are equipped with metal-cutting, metal-working and welding equipment.

• Solumar Ltd. (Bulgaria) https://www.solumar.org Solumar provides a novel Exhaust gas filtering technology that cuts 92-99% of all emissions (PM, VOCs, GHG) combined, with a single compact unit, retrofittable to any emitting source, no matter the size, type, and nominal airflow.

The technology working principle for VOC and Gases capturing is based on a dry 3D nanoparticle structure and a low energy-consuming new type of plasma vortexes, functioning in tandem with mirror-charged virtual particles. The hardware technologies embedded into the product are based on a unique combination of consecutive air, water, and energy vortexes, and a molecule cage with nano-material coating for capturing the gases and chemical molecules. It is the only solution on the market able to collect Black Carbon and CO2 simultaneously.

• 13 Mari Ltd. (Bulgaria) https://13mari.com/ 13Mari is a low cost, patented, innovative approach for reducing drag, energy use and resulting fuel composition. It’s mantra is: analyze, identify, advise, execute. With customized for business case smart innovative modifications, entire fleet can begin saving on fuel. Old and new vessel hulls can be retrofitted alike during their next scheduled maintenance window.

13Mari  are a group of maritime research and execution professionals that thrive on sharing our experience and knowledge to help to make a success to business.

• Scortel Ltd. Bulgaria https://scortel.com/en/ SCORTEL provides delivery of equipment and communication services, software, system integration, engineering and consultancy services for:

Fleet Management and GPS Fleet Tracking Systems, Mobile Satellite Communications (Inmarsat, Iridium, Thuraya, Globalstar, KVH), Maritime Communications and Navigation. System solutions:

Maritime Information Systems (VTMIS, FVMS), Intelligent Transport Systems, including: Fleet and traffic management, Ticketing and fare management, Real time passenger information, Passenger counting, Video surveillance, Monitoring and Early Warning Systems, Process Control Systems, Automated Systems for Operational Management of Construction Works (ASOM), Mobile video surveillance.

• Marine Design Engineering Mykolayiv LLC, (Ukraine). MDEM (Marine Design Engineering Mykolayiv) https://www.damen.com/companies/marine-design-engineering-mykolayiv    started in 2006, when a small group of engineers was contracted by Spanish company ATN for a Seismic Research Vessel. Nowadays, company consists of more than 200 employees. Engineering services still form core business of work and expertise. In addition, portfolio has expanded with Research & Development, Electrical & Automation, Engineering Standards and Part Catalogue, Online Marketing and Digital Platforms support, IT & IM GLOBAL.

The company currently operates on the territory of three countries (Ukraine, Romania and Poland), this is due to the need to ensure the safety of employees in connection with the martial law caused by Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. However, such complex logistics did not affect the quality of the company’s main works, and the company feels supported by Damen.

• C-Job Nikolayev, (Ukraine) https://c-job-ua.com/ It’s the ship design and engineering company specializing in providing comprehensive design solutions for the maritime industry.

A ship design by C-Job Nikolayev is always unique, inventive and functional and will meet all strictest requirements.

C-Job likes to take on challenges and execute sustainable ship design projects whilst keeping a focus on your privacy.

One of the key factors to have a successful start of the engineering project is that engineering departments, clients and other external contracting companies can synchronize their work.

At C-Job Nikolayev using an automated corporate project management system. Collecting data and managing processes in one program. At C-Job Nikolayev using an automated corporate project management system. Collecting data and managing processes in one program. Company forecast the implementation of projects and introduce various innovations for higher efficiency.

The 4BIZproject coordinator Prof. Eden MAMUT noted that during such events there is an opportunity to obtain information about the achievements of key players of the maritime industry, exchange experience and learn about current opportunities.