Aristotle University of Thessaloniki joins POSEIDON, a €9.7 million European project to decarbonise shipping.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki is strengthening its position in clean energy, sustainable transport and applied engineering research through its participation in the Horizon Europe POSEIDON project — a major European initiative with a total funding budget of €9.7 million.
The project focuses on one of the most urgent challenges of the maritime sector: the transition from fossil-based marine fuels to renewable alternatives capable of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and supporting the decarbonisation of shipping.
A €9.7 million European project.
POSEIDON — which stands for “Propulsion Of Ships with E-methanol In favour of the Decarbonisation Of Naval transport” — brings together 19 partners from seven European countries and runs from September 2023 to August 2027. Its central objective is to demonstrate innovative solutions across the renewable-fuel value chain, with a particular focus on e-methanol as a promising marine fuel.
Why e-methanol, and where it will be tested.
Within the project, two strategic port ecosystems — Thessaloniki in Greece and Valencia in Spain — will serve as pilot sites for the preparation of local e-methanol value chains. These pilots are designed to examine how renewable fuel production, storage, distribution and end-use can be organised in real port environments.
The project will also develop and test a scaled-up Power-to-Methanol pilot plant, capable of producing e-methanol from carbon dioxide, hydrogen and renewable power, while the produced fuel will be tested in two-stroke and four-stroke marine engines.
The role of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki participates through the Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The Laboratory plays a central role in the project by leading the work package dedicated to assessing the implementation of e-methanol value chains in the ports of Thessaloniki and Valencia. This includes the synthesis of techno-economic, environmental and social analyses, as well as the identification of the most promising scenarios for each case study.
This role highlights the Department's strong expertise in applied thermodynamics, clean transportation, vessel engineering and environmental engineering. It also demonstrates how academic research can directly contribute to European industrial transformation by supporting evidence-based decisions for cleaner fuels, port infrastructure and sustainable maritime operations.
From research to industrial transformation.
Beyond the technical dimension, POSEIDON also aims to build strong local collaboration through communities of practice in Thessaloniki and Valencia. These communities will bring together stakeholders from academia, industry, ports, policy and society in order to exchange knowledge, identify barriers, and support the future deployment of e-methanol-based solutions.
The project will also produce roadmaps and policy recommendations to help other European ports assess and replicate similar value chains after the project ends.
The participation of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in POSEIDON reflects the broader research orientation of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki towards clean energy systems, sustainable mobility and climate-neutral technologies. Through this project, the Department contributes not only to scientific and technological innovation, but also to the practical transformation of one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the global economy.