This book offers a timely and comprehensive overview of how modern shipbuilding is evolving in response to sustainability imperatives, circular economy principles, and digital innovation. As the maritime industry accelerates its transition toward climate neutrality, shipyards stand at the forefront of this transformation.

Drawing from the outcomes of two major European Commission-funded projects, EcoShipYard and Circles of Life, this book presents contributions from over 32 leading organizations, including maritime research institutions, technology developers, shipyards, and the Green Marine Europe initiative. Readers will find practical insights, illustrated case studies, and technology applications covering a range of topics: from low-emission materials and lifecycle assessment (LCA) to digital twins, emissions monitoring, and compliance with EU and IMO regulatory frameworks.

The book is organized into four thematic sections: Shipbuilding Engineering, Digitalization and ICT, Environmental and Social Governance (ESG), and Legal and Regulatory Developments, making it accessible to readers from both technical and non-technical backgrounds. Ideal for engineers, researchers, policy professionals, and maritime business leaders, this book is both a reference and a roadmap—offering a rich overview of how sustainability and innovation are shaping the future of shipbuilding.

Jason Markatos is Civil Engineer (MEng NTUA) and Researcher specializing in maritime sustainability, currently driving innovation at EPSILON while pursuing his Ph.D. at the National Technical University of Athens at the Laboratory of Maritime Transport of the School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. His expertise lies at the intersection of systems engineering, optimization, and environmental modeling, leveraging advanced computational techniques and comprehensive assessments within shipbuilding, construction, and related fields. Part of various HORIZON projects’ teams, such as EcoShipYard, Fleetfor55, and SeaThrive, Jason focuses on transforming traditional maritime manufacturing into resilient, low-carbon ecosystems through data-driven environmental auditing and strategic operational frameworks.

Prof. Marc Bonazountas is Civil and Environmental Engineer with over five decades of academic and professional experience. Educated at the National Technical University of Athens (MEng), Technical University of Munich (PhD), MIT (Post-doc), and Harvard, he currently serves as Director General and Head of RTD at the EPSILON Group. In this role, he drives international expansion and manages large-scale multidisciplinary projects across the water, marine, shipping, aerospace, civil protection, and geoinformatics sectors.

His previous roles include NTUA Professor and EnviroSystems Unit Head (1990–2012), Co-Founder/CTO of aviation firm Aviontek GmbH, and EEA Scientific Committee Member. Expert in integrating advanced operational technologies—including GIS, spatial computing, Copernicus earth observation, AI, and mathematical modeling—he notably developed the USEPA's SESOIL model and the VesselsLife.com maritime lifecycle platform.

Prof. Bonazountas remains dedicated to pioneering data-driven environmental management, sustainable policy, and advanced cyber-physical engineering solutions.