The second edition of the Decarbonization. Green Corridors. MEDPorts Training Course, which will be held from October 27 to 29 at the UCA-SEA building in Algeciras, is open for registration until October 22, 2026. The training is a micro-credential with certification from the University of Cádiz (UCA) and the SEA-EU university alliance. It has 11 scholarships that cover 100% of the tuition fee, set at 750 euros. Scholarship applications must be submitted along with the registration before October 15.
The course admits 40 participants. If applications exceed this number, the spots will be awarded in order of registration. Those who do not apply for a scholarship must pay the tuition fee at the time of formalizing the registration, which is processed through the UCA micro-credential platform.
The scholarship application form considers three candidate profiles: students from universities that are part of the SEA-EU alliance, individuals professionally linked to a port member of MEDPorts, and individuals belonging to the port community of the Port of Algeciras.
The organization has also announced the session program. The course will be taught entirely in English and is structured into three blocks, one for each day. The inaugural session, on October 27 at 8:30 AM, will feature Gerardo Landaluce, president of the APBA; David Magro, president of MEDPorts; and Marcela Iglesias, general coordinator of the SEA-EU alliance.
The first day is dedicated to the global political framework and international cooperation. It will start with a presentation by Luis Núñez Vera, head of Strategy and European Affairs of the APBA, on international cooperation in the development of green maritime corridors. This will be followed by a session from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on its frameworks for maritime decarbonization. Next, the General Directorate of International Associations of the European Commission will present the Global Gateway strategy and its relationship with these corridors. The UCA is assigned a fourth session, with content yet to be confirmed.
In the afternoon, Javier Cervera Alonso, corporate director of Institutional Relations and Energy Transition of Baleària and president of the Net Zero MAR alliance, will present the shipping companies' perspective on the development of green routes. Amal Louis, from the Port of Marseille Fos, will present the Mediterranean green corridor initiative among ports. Ziad Nakat, from the World Bank, will close the day with a session on alternative fuels and fuel supply strategies to ships.
October 28 will be dedicated to energy, fuels, and port infrastructure. Ervin Vargas, director of the Marine Engineering School of the International Maritime University of Panama, will address the policies and training related to maritime decarbonization. Miguel González Fernández, from the Andalusian Valley of Green Hydrogen of Moeve, will discuss industrial energy strategies applied to the sector. Amr Samy, from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport and PTI, will talk about regional cooperation in the Mediterranean.
The morning will conclude with a case study on the Algeciras-Panama maritime corridor, led by Miluse Tichavska from Moffatt & Nichol. In the afternoon session, Johan Svendsen from VALTORP will present strategic perspectives on green corridors at a global scale. Following that, Javier Belmonte and María Luz Jaureguiberry from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will lead two sessions of the Port Endeavor Game workshop.
The last day, dedicated to implementation and future networks, will open at 8:30 AM with a presentation by María del Mar Cerbán from the UCA on financing energy transition and its competitiveness and investment challenges. The diploma ceremony will take place at 9:30 AM. Between 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM, participants will visit the port facilities. Starting at 3:00 PM, they will learn about the energy and bunkering infrastructures of the Port of Algeciras.
According to the course documentation, the syllabus includes IMO regulations related to the energy transition of the maritime sector, with a focus on green corridors and international cooperation in this type of projects. It also covers the European Union's policies on maritime transport, including the integration of ports into the European Port Strategy. Participants will study alternative fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), biofuels, and hydrogen, along with their advantages, challenges, and practical applications. The training program will also analyze the technical, economic, and regulatory viability of hydrogen and other emerging technologies, the logistics of new fuels, and international cooperation tools aimed at creating future hubs for alternative fuels.
The organizers note that these corridors entail significant investments at logistical endpoints, intended to become energy hubs. They add that they require rigorous planning of the potential demand for alternative fuels, their production, storage, and supply, as well as coordination between the public and private sectors. The course will examine case studies, regulatory frameworks, governance models, and financial instruments necessary for their implementation, with the participation of international experts from the public and private sectors involved in their design and development.
The training is organized by the SEA-EU alliance, sponsored by MEDPorts through its training program and in collaboration with the APBA. MEDPorts represents over 200 ports from all shores of the Mediterranean and its surroundings, including Portugal, Jordan, and Mauritania. SEA-EU groups together nine coastal European universities: Cádiz, Brittany Western, Kiel, Gdansk, Split, Malta, Naples, Algarve, and Nord.
