The Escola Europea strengthens its growth in 2025 by training students, teachers, and professionals
The Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport shared today the main conclusions and developments from the Executive Committee meeting held in Barcelona on 17 November 2025. The meeting highlighted the remarkable growth of training activity during 2025 and approved the work plan and objectives for 2026, with a special focus on consolidating in-person courses and strengthening the Port Virtual Lab (PVL) and its complementary tools, such as the Chiron programme for educators.
En la foto (de izquierda a derecha): Eduard Rodés, Director de la Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport; Catalina Grimalt Falcó, Subdirectora General de Organización y Recursos Internos del Port de Barcelona; Matteo de Candia, General Manager de GNV España; Luca Lupi, Secretary General de la Autorità di Sistema Portuale del Mare di Sicilia Occidentale; Mario Massarotti, Consejero Delegado de Grimaldi Logistica España; y Marta Miquel, Deputy Director General de la Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport.
Training growth in 2025
During 2025, the Escola Europea delivered 229 training activities that brought together 7,431 participants, consolidating its practical training model oriented towards a sustainable port and logistics sector. These activities include vocational programmes in all its ports: the Forma’t al Port and Talent programmes and the Port Academies in Italy; university training carried out on board vessels through the MOST Management programme; and professional courses, including specialised courses on Artificial Intelligence for port-logistics communities, as well as a wide range of tailor-made courses and technical visits. Added to all this are the distance-learning courses based on the Port Virtual Lab simulation tool, which is increasingly attracting training centres to join the network.
The Port Virtual Lab (PVL) showed sustained and significant growth in 2025. The platform now includes 31 training centres across 11 countries. Throughout the year, the CHIRON programme, designed for teacher training, has been launched and has consolidated specific capacity-building sessions for teachers and educators. Multiple training-of-trainers activities were developed, bringing together dozens of institutions from different countries to train educators in the pedagogical use of the simulator.
New functionalities and products have also been introduced within the PVL ecosystem, including: a new insurance module, an inland waterway navigation module, and the creation of new port nodes within the Port Virtual World.
Among the new additions in 2025 is the first pilot edition of the SHIP course (Short-Sea High Efficiency Intermodal Planning), aimed at nautical and naval engineering students and opening the door to a new audience.
The diversity of the student body is reflected in the participation of 78 nationalities, and in the commitment to teaching in English across the entire catalogue. The Executive Committee highly valued these results and approved the 2026 growth plan and strategic lines, which include the consolidation of the international expansion of the PVL, the creation of logistics communities within the Port Virtual World, and the launch of the “Education Beyond Intelligence” programme to mark the Escola’s 20th anniversary.
The Escola Europea expresses its gratitude for the ongoing collaboration of its institutional and corporate partners and reaffirms its commitment to practical training, educational innovation, and capacity-building for more efficient and sustainable intermodal logistics and transport.
