La Spezia, 28 May 2026 – This morning, following opening remarks by Alessandro Laghezza, President of Confindustria La Spezia, the ‘Seafuture Awards’ ceremony – a competition for undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD students – and the ‘Seafuture Awards High School’, reserved for pupils in their final years of secondary school, got underway in the Association’s ‘Pozzoli’ hall.

The Seafuture Awards, launched by the Ligurian Marine Technologies District and organised in collaboration with Ibg – Italian Blue Growth – is now in its fifth year. It was established in 2016 with the aim of recognising dissertations focused on marine technologies, particularly those relating to dual-use applications, promoting a circular blue economy, and addressing innovative materials, energy efficiency, ecological transition, low environmental impact, climate change, digital transition, IoT technologies, cybersecurity, robotics, logistics and transport.

In 2018, the award was further expanded to include the ‘High School’ category, now in its third year, which is aimed at students in their final years of upper secondary school in Liguria.

In 2025, the number of applications received increased significantly compared with previous years: there were 35, from 15 Italian universities and research centres and, for the first time, also from European institutions such as the University of Toulon, the University of Lisbon and the Institute for Systems and Robotics in Lisbon.

The topics covered in the theses submitted are all highly topical: from environmental monitoring – including its application to marine litter and the study of ocean sounds – to forms of ship propulsion and alternative fuels aimed at reducing emissions in line with the European Agenda 2030, to autonomous ships, and the use of eco-sustainable materials in shipbuilding.

“We are delighted with the great success of this year’s event and the high level of participation, with dissertations and papers that analyse and explore the various aspects of the Blue Economy,” said Lorenzo Forcieri, President of the Dltm. “This demonstrates that the sector will be able to grow and innovate, spurred on by these new talents. The event, which we organise together with IBG – whom I would like to thank – has now become firmly established and is a true point of reference for those working in the field. As well as recognising the best entries, the ceremony has become an opportunity to showcase the results of this work to representatives from companies in the sector, research bodies and institutions. “First and foremost, we would like to thank the young people who took part, the companies and organisations mentioned above, and all those who participated as speakers.”

“Seafuture is a place where innovation and the younger generation come together,” said Cristiana Pagni, President of Italian Blue Growth and founder of Seafuture, “a space where ideas, skills and technologies flourish and are transformed into concrete projects. It is within this context that the Seafuture Awards were created: to recognise the work of young people, showcase talent and support a journey that brings together research, industry and the sea. Furthermore, the Seafuture Awards help us rediscover our connection with a strategic resource for our country – the sea itself – which is not merely a field of study or work, but a place of connection and opportunity, from which solutions to the challenges of the future can emerge. “Today we are not merely celebrating the winners,” concluded Cristiana Pagni, addressing the competition participants, “but recognising a collective journey built on commitment, creativity and vision. Thank you, young people, for choosing to put yourselves out there, for the passion you have shown and for the contribution you are already making to shaping the next generation of innovators and decision-makers.”

The ceremony – which also served as an opportunity to introduce the Dltm’s new scientific director, Filippo De Stefani – was enhanced by lectures given by Silvia Pagnoscin, a researcher at the CNR IGG and science communicator, and Marco Faimali, Director of the CNR IAS.

The seven finalists in the university category and the three in the high school category were selected following a selection process carried out by the Technical and Scientific Committee of the Ligurian Marine Technologies District, assisted by a number of experts.

From among the finalists, a panel comprising representatives of the companies exhibiting at Seafuture 2025 selected the three winners in each category, who were presented with their awards this morning.

The winners of the Seafuture Awards are:

1. Simone Tani, University of Pisa,

“Autonomous underwater robots for Critical Undersea Infrastructure inspection. Advancing robot autonomy through multi-modal perception for safer, cheaper, and better underwater infrastructure inspections”.

2. Umberto Severino, University of Calabria,

“3D Imaging Techniques for Mapping and Analyzing Underwater Environments. Exploring and Understanding the Depths by Blending Stereo Vision, Acoustics and Artificial Intelligence”.

3. Davide Costa, University of Padua,

“ROS Talks Underwater. A Communication Framework to Control Underwater Vehicles”

The winners in the High School category are:

1. I.I.S. “G. Capellini – N. Sauro”, La Spezia – Classes 4^CL, 4^DCN, 5^DCN

“Houseboat Preliminary Design. Waves & Wonders: an invitation to discover a unique culinary experience amidst the waves of the sea”.

2. Aurora Cocuzza and Samuele Campestre – San Giorgio Nautical Institute, Genoa

“The effective use of timber in the shipbuilding of the future. In an era dominated by composite materials, we are exploring the idea of an environmentally sustainable shipbuilding industry that is integrated with the local area”.

3. I.I.S. “Capellini – Sauro”, La Spezia – Class 4^CAIM

“Sailing towards the future. The contribution of new technologies to the protection of the sea”.

The winners received technology-related prizes.

The next edition of the Awards will be held alongside the 10th edition of Seafuture, one of Italy’s leading international trade fairs dedicated to the Blue Economy, scheduled for 2027.