With the support of the Postgraduate Program “Maritime Law” of the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and the Department of Shipping and Business Services of the University of the Aegean, organized during July 2025, a series of summer training events titled: “Familiarization Cycles with the Institutions of Maritime Law”.
This summer event was held under the auspices of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation and included four training seminars, which took place on the 8th, 10th, 15th, and 17th of July 2025 at the Historical Library of the Foundation.
The purpose of this initiative was the presentation of key maritime law topics through lectures and interactive roundtable discussions by leading legal scholars, members of the academic community, representatives of the Hellenic Navy General Staff (YNANP), experienced industry professionals and lawyers, as well as representatives of maritime institutional bodies.
The event was attended, completely free of charge, by 110 participants who were selected by the organizers following a relevant expression of interest process. More specifically, the audience consisted of students from higher education institutions with academic backgrounds in law, shipping, or engineering studies, cadets from Merchant Marine Academies, as well as young professionals in the shipping industry.
The “Familiarization Cycles with the Institutions of Maritime Law” were sponsored by the Embassy and General Consulate of Panama in Greece, as well as the companies Seaven and Mylaki Shipping Agency.
It is noted that the proceedings of the “Familiarization Cycles” were recorded and have been uploaded to the Foundation’s YouTube channel, aiming for broader dissemination and outreach of the seminar content to a wider audience.
Within the framework of the “Familiarization Cycles”, four distinct seminars took place, each addressing different themes related to Maritime Law. More specifically, as part of this new initiative, the following events were held:
**”The Ships of the Future: Legal Issues and Regulatory Challenges”**
The seminar featured presentations by:
Coordination was undertaken by Dr. Ilias G. Bisias (University of the Aegean).
**”Ship Chartering: Regulatory Framework and Contemporary Reality”**
The event featured presentations by:
Coordination of the event was undertaken by Yiannis Theodoropoulos, Editor-in-Chief of Naftika Chronika (Maritime Chronicles).
**”Marine Insurance in the Age of Volatility: From Theory to Practice”**
The third seminar of the “Familiarization Cycles” featured as speakers:
Coordination of the event was undertaken by Mr. Georgios Tsakonas, Lawyer and Board Member of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping.
**”Maritime Labor: International and National Approaches to Seafarers’ Labor Law Issues”**
The seminar featured presentations by:
Coordination of the event was undertaken by Prof. Lia I. Athanasiou, Professor of Commercial Law at the Law School of NKUA.
The above events served as a platform for fruitful dialogue and exchange of views, addressing both students and young professionals. Overall, participants had the opportunity to enhance their knowledge base, update their understanding of critical rules and principles in light of technological and organizational developments, and comprehend the application of maritime law considering the operations of the modern shipping industry.
