News
The Female Face of Antarctica: Elka Vassileva’s Journey in the Maritime World
Elka Vasileva – The Woman Who Conquered ‘Men’s’ Professions”, which presents the inspiring story of the female face of Antarctica. Elka Vasileva not only broke ground in traditionally male-dominated fields, but also proudly took part in the Antarctic expeditions aboard our national research vessel.
Her story is a remarkable example of determination, courage, and professionalism – and a powerful message about the role of women in extreme environments and high-responsibility missions. Her testimony is a powerful reminder that courage, skill, and fairness—not gender—define success at sea.
Women in Maritime: Skills, Education & Innovation – Interview with Assoc. Prof. Marieta Stefanova
In this expert interview, Assoc. Prof. Marieta Stefanova from Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy reflects on the gaps and opportunities for women in the maritime industry, the importance of integrating Industry 4.0 and 5.0, and how education must evolve to empower the next generation of female maritime professionals.
Discover the She4Sea Profiling Tool | Empower Your Career Path
The She4Sea Digital Profiling Tool helps women map their competencies and career potential in maritime sectors. Users self-assess their skills in Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability and receive guidance on learning pathways that fit their profile.
Now available online – fast, free, and insightful!
Training Tailored for the Blue Economy: She4Sea Online Platform
From Testing to Impact: She4Sea Training Platform Goes Live!
The She4Sea training platform is now live! Designed for women in maritime, it features interactive modules on leadership, entrepreneurship, and sustainability—plus a powerful self-assessment tool to help plan career paths.
Piloting Results
The piloting phase of the She4Sea Training Platform served not only as a testing mechanism but also as a powerful tool for dissemination and stakeholder engagement. With a total of 99 participants from Greece, Bulgaria, and Spain, the platform reached its core target group—women aspiring to or already working in Blue Economy sectors—through both online and onsite sessions.
The high satisfaction rate of 96.5% clearly indicates that the platform resonated with its audience, enhancing its visibility and reputation among relevant communities. The sessions acted as interactive networking spaces, allowing participants to exchange experiences, provide feedback, and engage directly with project partners and facilitators. This created a strong sense of ownership and awareness about the She4Sea initiative within the target group.
In addition to validating the platform’s usability and content (Leadership, Sustainability, Entrepreneurship), the piloting helped to establish direct connections with local women, educators, career counselors, and employment networks, laying the foundation for long-term community engagement and future collaborations.
Final She4Sea Project Meeting – A Meaningful Conclusion
The She4Sea consortium held its final partner meeting alongside the 8th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum in Heraklion, Crete, marking the successful completion of this EU-funded journey.
Partners from Greece, Spain, and Bulgaria came together to:
- Reflect on project achievements
- Finalize deliverables and next steps
- Discuss sustainability and future synergies
- Share experiences and lessons learned in promoting gender equality in the maritime and marine sectors
The She4Sea project leaves behind practical tools – a training platform, a self-assessment tool, and policy recommendations – to empower women across the Blue Economy.
A big thank you to all partners for their commitment and collaboration throughout the project!
Focus Groups Results
The She4Sea focus groups contributed significantly to project dissemination and stakeholder engagement. They enabled direct interaction with professionals, SMEs, foundations, and service providers across key countries, building awareness and fostering cross-sectoral dialogue on gender equality in the blue economy. The implementation of the online focus groups also served as a valuable networking tool, reaching both institutional and local actors.
Piloting in Spain
In Spain, the She4Sea platform was also piloted with aspiring maritime professionals.
Users highlighted the hands-on approach and usefulness of the modular structure for career planning.
Piloting in Greece
Greek women in the maritime sector tested the She4Sea platform, praising its clarity and relevance. The content especially stood out, helping participants reflect on their strengths and future maritime careers.
