SEA4SHORE National Event – Croatia
Supporting Seafarers in Transition to Shore-Based Careers
The SEA4SHORE national event in Croatia presented the project results and facilitated a discussion on the transition from sea-based careers to shore-based professions. The event brought together maritime professionals, industry representatives, and students to explore workforce challenges, labour market realities, and future opportunities for seafarers ashore.
Hosted by University of Rijeka – Faculty of Maritime Studies
Event Structure & Contributions
The Croatia national event combined a formal presentation of the SEA4SHORE project with expert contributions and an interactive discussion on real-world challenges related to the transition from sea-based to shore-based careers.
Opening and Introduction
She opened the event by highlighting the importance of initiatives that support professional transitions, strengthen the link between maritime education and the labour market, and address long-term workforce sustainability challenges.
He presented the SEA4SHORE project, including its objectives, partnership, activities, and outputs, and introduced the developed tool and its practical use.
- Overview of project phases and work packages
- Presentation of 60+ case studies
- Identification of 125 shore-based occupations
- Introduction of the online guidance and skills-matching tool
Discussion and Feedback
He discussed recruitment difficulties for specialised ship inspector roles and highlighted that former officers are often best suited because of their practical onboard inspection experience.
He noted that VTS roles require highly specialised maritime knowledge similar to navigation management onboard ships and identified the income gap between sea and shore as a major obstacle.
He praised the SEA4SHORE tool for broadening awareness of shore-based careers, while also pointing out that many suitable jobs are not located in Croatia, which may limit their practical attractiveness.
A suggestion was made to enhance the tool through artificial intelligence, automated job advertisement gathering, and geographic filtering of opportunities.
Conference Archive Notice
This page presents the completed SEA4SHORE National Event in Croatia as part of the project results. The original pre-event registration and announcement page has been preserved as an archive for documentation and transparency purposes.
Registration is no longer active. To review the original event announcement and registration information, please access the archived registration page below.
Conference Outputs & Summary
The event introduced the SEA4SHORE platform and tool, gathered practical feedback from stakeholders, and highlighted the economic and personal realities that shape sea-to-shore transitions in the Croatian maritime context.
Summary of the Conference
The SEA4SHORE national dissemination event in Croatia was hosted by the University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies. It brought together maritime professionals, industry stakeholders, and students to discuss sea-to-shore career transition pathways and to introduce the SEA4SHORE project and its online guidance tool.
Main purpose: The event introduced the SEA4SHORE Erasmus+ project and opened a discussion on practical barriers and opportunities related to transition from sea-going to shore-based careers.
Key Takeaways
- Many shore-based maritime roles require specialised knowledge and onboard experience.
- Former and active ship officers are often best suited to such positions.
- Income differences between sea-going and shore-based jobs remain a major barrier.
- The location of available jobs is a key issue for seafarers wishing to remain near home.
- The SEA4SHORE tool was recognised as useful in broadening awareness of possible career paths.
- There is clear potential for future development through automation and personalisation.
Overall Message: SEA4SHORE was welcomed as a practical and informative tool that supports career mobility. Future improvements such as AI integration, job-market connectivity, and location-based filtering could further strengthen its value.
Photo Highlights
Selected moments from the SEA4SHORE national event in Rijeka.
About the SEA4SHORE Project
The SEA4SHORE project aims to bridge the gap between seafaring experience and shore-based employment opportunities. By developing a comprehensive platform and a soft skills assessment tool, the project provides seafarers with the resources needed to identify and pursue new career paths, supporting professional transitions and enhancing maritime labour market mobility.