ATTICA HOLDINGS S.A.

Their core work

Attica Group is one of Greece's largest passenger shipping companies, operating ferry and cruise vessel fleets across the Mediterranean. In H2020 projects, they serve as a real-world testbed and end-user for maritime innovations — contributing operational data, onboard testing environments, and domain expertise on passenger vessel operations. Their involvement spans ship evacuation systems, onboard security, and alternative fuel technologies for long-distance shipping decarbonisation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Attica Group entered H2020 in 2019 focused on passenger safety — specifically AI-driven evacuation and mustering systems for large vessels. By 2020-2021, their focus broadened from safety and security to include environmental sustainability, with their latest project targeting complete shipping decarbonisation through ammonia engines and renewable energy integration. This trajectory mirrors the maritime industry's shift from operational safety concerns to the urgent challenge of green shipping mandated by IMO regulations.

Attica Group is moving from pure safety/security toward sustainable maritime operations, positioning themselves as a testing partner for zero-emission shipping technologies.

How they like to work

Attica Group participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as an industry end-user providing real vessels and operational environments for testing. With 72 unique partners across just 3 projects, they operate in large research consortia (averaging 24+ partners per project). This makes them accessible and experienced collaborators, comfortable in multi-national, multi-disciplinary teams where their value is providing real-world maritime infrastructure rather than leading research agendas.

Despite only 3 projects, Attica Group has built connections with 72 unique partners across 17 countries, reflecting their participation in large pan-European maritime research consortia. Their network spans Southern, Western, and Northern Europe with strong Mediterranean ties.

What sets them apart

Attica Group brings something most research partners cannot: actual passenger ships and commercial ferry operations for real-world validation. As a major Greek shipping operator, they offer onboard testing environments, operational datasets, and crew expertise that transform lab-stage maritime innovations into field-tested solutions. For consortium builders, they are a credible industry end-user that strengthens impact and exploitation sections of proposals.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ENGIMMONIA
  Their largest funded project (EUR 454,500), tackling the high-profile challenge of complete shipping decarbonisation through ammonia engines and integrated renewable energy systems.
• PALAEMON
  Pioneering use of artificial intelligence for passenger ship evacuation — combining smart mustering, situation awareness, and active routing for mass evacuation scenarios.