CirclesOfLife pilot training: from testing SEPI to structuring sector practices
On March 3, 2026, the CirclesOfLife consortium (Horizon Europe) convened in Rotterdam for a pilot training session dedicated to testing the Shipyard Environmental Performance Index (SEPI). Hosted by Maritime & Offshore NL, the session brought together European partners to assess the tool in operational conditions and refine its development.
Green Marine Europe was represented by its Program Director, Cherif Belgaroui, contributing to discussions on the articulation between SEPI and existing sector frameworks.
A tool tested against operational realities
This pilot marked the first collective, in-person testing phase of SEPI. Engineers, researchers, sustainability and HSEQ professionals worked directly on the tool using real operational data.
The objective was not only technical validation, but also practical relevance: identifying where the tool effectively supports environmental performance management, and where adjustments are needed. This type of exercise reflects a broader shift in the sector, where tools are increasingly expected to demonstrate usability alongside methodological robustness.
Bridging operational data and structured frameworks
SEPI is designed to help shipyards collect, structure and interpret environmental data across key processes such as energy use, waste management and production activities.
What emerges at this stage is less the introduction of entirely new metrics than an attempt to organise existing data in a more integrated way. For the sector, this raises a familiar question: how to move from fragmented data points to a more coherent understanding of environmental performance, without adding unnecessary complexity to already constrained operational environments.
Interoperability with existing schemes and regulations
A central point of attention during the pilot was the alignment of SEPI with existing frameworks, including Green Marine Europe, as well as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the ESRS.
In this context, the contribution of Green Marine Europe - through Cherif Belgaroui - focused on ensuring that SEPI can interface with established certification approaches. The challenge is not to introduce parallel systems, but to improve compatibility between tools serving different, yet increasingly connected, purposes: operational management, certification, and regulatory reporting.
Learning through case studies
The use of real-life case studies, including ship repair yard operations, provided a grounded perspective on implementation. By testing SEPI on concrete activities such as surface treatment or energy management, participants were able to identify both opportunities and limitations.
These insights are useful beyond the tool itself. They reflect the diversity of operational contexts across European shipyards and highlight the need for flexible approaches that can adapt to different scales, business models and levels of maturity.
What this changes - cautiously - for the sector
At this stage, SEPI does not redefine how environmental performance is addressed in shipbuilding. Rather, it contributes to an ongoing evolution: a gradual structuring of practices, a stronger articulation between operational data and external expectations, and a growing need for coherence between tools.
For shipyards, this may translate into more structured ways of organising data and demonstrating performance. For the broader ecosystem, it reinforces the importance of interoperability between initiatives - whether certification schemes, research projects or regulatory frameworks.
The Rotterdam session is therefore less a conclusion than a step in a longer process: one that remains iterative, and dependent on continued dialogue between technical, operational and institutional actors.