Healthy Sailing

HEALTHY SAILING Final Conference – A Strong Closing, A Stronger Future🚢

The Final Conference of the EU HEALTHY SAILING project has successfully concluded yesterday (19/2/2026), marking the completion of an ambitious and high-level scientific effort dedicated to the prevention, mitigation, and management of infectious diseases on cruise ships and passenger ferries.

Throughout the day, partners presented an impressive body of work: advanced epidemiological analyses, computational and mathematical modelling, AI-driven surveillance tools, evidence-based operational guidelines, behavioural interventions, and policy recommendations. The depth, rigor, and interdisciplinary nature of the research clearly reflect the exceptional collaboration within the consortium.

The project has generated a vast amount of high-quality scientific output, with numerous peer-reviewed publications already in preparation and many more to follow. These results will significantly contribute to strengthening maritime health security in Europe and beyond.

Beyond the formal conclusion of the project, one message was clear:
the HEALTHY SAILING network will remain active.

All consortium partners expressed their strong commitment to:
✔ Continuing collaborative research under new funding opportunities
✔ Expanding the scientific network
✔ Further developing and implementing the project’s tools and guidelines
✔ Ensuring the effective exploitation and real-world uptake of project outputs

The immediate priority is the exploitation and sustainability of the project results, ensuring that the knowledge, tools, and innovations developed translate into tangible impact for public health and the maritime sector.

HEALTHY SAILING has demonstrated what can be achieved when academia, public health authorities, international organisations, and industry work together toward a common goal.

We sincerely thank all partners, stakeholders, and participants for their dedication and scientific excellence.

The journey continues.

🔗https://healthysailing.eu/

HEALTHY SAILING Final Conference – 19 February 2026

📍 Hybrid - online and at the Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Thessaly

Today we are proud to host the Final Conference of the EU HEALTHY SAILING project (GA 101069764), bringing together leading academic institutions, European and international public health organisations, and major shipping industry representatives.

The project focused on the prevention, mitigation, and management of infectious diseases on cruise ships and passenger ferries, strengthening preparedness and response capacities across Europe and beyond.

🔹 The conference opened with remarks from:

◾ Agnieszka Zaplatka, Project Officer

◾ Ninglan Wang (WHO)

◾ Agoritsa Baka (ECDC)

◾ Emma Shillito (CLIA)

◾ Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Project Coordinator

🔹 Throughout the day, consortium partners present key results from all Work Packages, including:

◾ Evidence synthesis on infection transmission mechanisms

◾ Infection chain analysis and computational modelling of droplet & aerosol dispersion

◾ Ventilation and communication guidelines

◾ Mathematical modelling of infectious disease spread onboard

◾ Evidence-based guidance for ARI in routine ship operations, vaccine recommendations for travellers, and needs of mefical operations in expefition vessels

◾ AI-driven surveillance systems and decision-support tools

◾ Water Safety Plan AI tools and disinfection monitoring toolkits

◾ Shore-side epidemic intelligence (EIOS) and international coordination frameworks

◾ Training, behavioral change interventions, and blended learning toolkits

◾ Policy recommendations for safer passenger ship operations

The programme concludes with an important intervention from shipping industry leaders (CARNIVAL, CELESTYAL, MSC Cruises, SEAJETS)

The HEALTHY SAILING project demonstrates how science, policy, and industry collaboration can strengthen health security in the maritime sector.

🔗 Join us live via Zoom if you wish to follow the conference online.

📌 Event Details
Title: Final Conference of HEALTHY SAILING project
Date: 19/02/2026
Time: 09:00 – 16:20 CET (10:00 – 17:20 Athens time)
Venue: Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Thessaly
(Ktirio Katsigra, Papakyriazi 22 str., Larissa, Greece)
Zoom Platform: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87953142227
Meeting ID: 879 5314 2227

🛳️ All aboard for the latest updates from the Healthy Sailing Project!

Issue #6 of our Healthy Sailing Newsletter is now available! 🚢

📰 In this issue:
✅ 6-month project extension
✅ New scientific publications
✅ Highlights from international events 🌍
✅ Hand hygiene & cleaning training onboard

🎥 Don’t miss our new educational video: Preventing Infection Onboard – Hand Hygiene Tips for Cruise Ship Crews

📬 Read the full newsletter:
👉 https://healthysailing.eu/hs-newsletter-issue-6-august-2025/

🌍 We are proud to share that the Healthy Sailing Project was represented at the Clean Water and Clean Air Conference (CWCC 2025) held at UM6P, Morocco (October 14–16, 2025)! 💧🌬️

🚢 Dr. Sarkawt Hama, Research Fellow at the Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), University of Surrey, presented our research poster on:

"Airborne Pathogens and Ventilation Assessment on Ships"

This work is part of our aim to provide practical recommendations for optimizing ventilation operations in passenger ships, contributing to a safe sailing environment and resilience for future pandemics.

🔬 The conference provided an excellent platform to engage with global experts in environmental health, water, and air quality — and to spotlight the importance of safer, healthier maritime transport.

📎 Learn more about the project:
👉 https://healthysailing.eu/

🚢 New Publication Alert

Mitigating norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships: How timing and isolation make the difference

In our latest article in the Journal of Travel Medicine, we present a model-based analysis evaluating the impact of diagnostic timing and isolation strategies on controlling norovirus spread aboard cruise ships.

🔍 Key Findings:

◾ Superspreading is critical: Just 10% of infected individuals caused 57% of secondary cases, with longer diagnostic delays (mean 83 hrs) and fewer symptoms.

◾ A 72-hour isolation protocol reduced transmission by 71% and cut the effective reproduction number from 9.8 to 4.9.

◾ Earlier diagnosis led to even greater reductions in outbreak size and likelihood of sustained transmission.

These insights support optimizing detection and isolation protocols to prevent and control future outbreaks at sea.

Authored by:

Alfredo De Bellis, PhD | Andrea Bizzotto, MSc | Lemonia Anagnostopoulos, MPH | Leonidas Kourentis, MPH | Valentina Marziano, PhD | Varvara (Barbara) A. Mouchtouri, PhD | Stefano Merler, MSc | Giorgio Guzzetta, PhD

📄 Read the full study: https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaf059 Published in Journal of Travel Medicine, 2025.

Mitigating norovirus spread on cruise ships: A model-based assessment of diagnostic timing and isolation AbstractBackground. Acute gastroenteritis outbreaks caused by noroviruses are a common public health issue on cruise ships. Understanding the main drivers

🚢💻 As part of the Horizon Europe "HEALTHY SAILING" project, the University of Thessaly, EU Shipsan Scientific Association, MSC Cruises, the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and a Plasma Technology Institute in Germany (IPN) are co-developing a prototype software tool to support the structured development and implementation of Water Safety Plans (WSPs) on cruise ships.

The tool will:

🛠️ Guide users step-by-step through WSP creation (WHO & SHIPSAN-compliant)

📊 Support hazard identification and risk assessment

📍 Map control measures and critical points in the ship’s water systems

📝 Facilitate documentation, monitoring, and audit readiness

👥 Enable team collaboration and track crew training responsibilities

This cross-disciplinary innovation aims to enhance compliance, water safety, and climate resilience in the maritime sector.

🔬🚢 Technological Demonstration of One-ID Integrated E-Pass in Cruise Travel: Advancing Public Health & Safety at Sea

From 11–14 April 2025, researchers from the HEALTHY SAILING project participated in a landmark technological demonstration of the “integrated e-pass based on the One-ID concept” aboard the Celestyal Discovery, during a 3-night voyage departing Lavrion.

The demonstration showcased the use of RFID-enabled wearable bracelets integrated with the HS E-Surveillance System (E-SS) to enhance:

✔️Crowd control & embarkation efficiency
✔️ Digital health validation
✔️ Automated contact tracing on board

This innovative e-pass solution leverages stationary and portable RFID readers to:

🛂 Validate health credentials in real time

📍 Trace close contacts in shared shipboard environments

🌀 Provide a seamless, secure embarkation experience

🎥 Three successful demonstrations were conducted both onboard and at the

Lavrion cruise terminal, using mock and real-time mock data:

▪️ Crowd management during embarkation/disembarkation
▪️ Contact tracing simulation in dining areas
▪️ Real-time identification at port check-in

Eight researchers from partner institutions (FREDU, SIMFWD, ICCS, NKUA, SHIPSAN, UTH) actively participated, with the technical lead by Prof. Simos Nikolaou (FREDU).

🔍 Next Steps:

The footage collected at Lavrio cruise terminal will be evaluated by UKE to assess feasibility, and partners will finalize procedural guidance and optimize system deployment before scaling implementation.

💡This is a major step forward in integrating public health intelligence with travel , aiming to safeguard both crew and passengers in the cruise industry.

📢 New research from the Healthy Sailing team!

Did you know that we still lack accurate and comprehensive data on how viruses spread through the air on cruise ships? 🦠🚢

Our newly published review analysed nearly 100 studies and found that:

✅ Very few studies measure onboard aerosol data through experimental studies

🚫 No studies have sampled airborne viruses directly on ships

⚠️ Researchers still know very little about how air moves through ship ventilation systems.

This work is a big step toward safer, healthier passenger travel at sea. 🌊

🚢 HEALTHY SAILING – Onboard Pilot Testing of E-SS/IIS Systems

📍 Celestyal Discovery | 📆 April 11–14, 2025

Researchers from HEALTHY SAILING project (EU SHIPSAN Scientific Association, UTH, ICCS, SimFWD, NKUA) conducted a pilot test of the E-SS (Integrated e-Surveillance System of Health Threats) and the IIS (Artificial Intelligence Immune System) aboard the Celestyal Discovery.

The pilot testing involved hands-on use of the systems by ship medical staff, who entered mock data and provided valuable feedback for the system improvement.

These systems aim to:
✅ Reduce undetectable and unreported infectious diseases
✅ Expand syndromic surveillance to all infectious diseases
✅ Integrate clinical and environmental lab data
✅ Provide real-time alerts and control recommendations

🔍 The E-SS collects syndromic, lab, and environmental data, generates reports, and feeds them into the IIS, which uses AI to detect threats, suggest , and follow up on public health events.

👏 We thank the ship’s medical personnel for their collaboration and engagement in this important step toward smarter maritime health protection.

🚢 Healthy Sailing Goes Live in Lavrio!

🎥✨The team was thrilled to spot our passenger health and hygiene awareness video playing at the Port of Lavrio!

As we boarded a vessel to begin our next round of experimental studies, it was incredibly rewarding to see our message reaching travelers right before they set sail.
This is what public health is all about—turning science into impact. 💡🌍

📺 Haven’t seen the video yet?
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRKLALNjaJ8

🔗 Learn more: https://healthysailing.eu

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