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Strengthening European
Maritime Security

Blue Shield is a transversal, citizen-oriented initiative transforming Europe's maritime space into a pillar of strategic autonomy, sustainability and peace

70%

of EU external borders are maritime
 

80%

of EU external trade circulates by sea
 

1%

shared European responsibility
 

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The Challenge

Blue Shield is a transversal, citizen-oriented initiative transforming Europe's maritime space into a pillar of strategic autonomy, sustainability and peace.

  • Illicit trafficking and forced migration
  • Hybrid threats and geopolitical tensions
  • Environmental degradation and resource overexploitation

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Our Approach

An interdisciplinary methodology engaging civil, military, academic and industrial sectors.

Dual-Use Technologies

AI, smart sensors, offshore renewables — innovations that simultaneously advance security and the blue economy.
 

Blue
Citizenship

Empowering citizens to embrace the protection of the maritime space as a shared European responsibility.
 

Lisbon Innovation Hub

Empowering citizens to embrace the protection of the maritime space as a shared European responsibility.
 

ABOUT

Strategic Objectives

Dialogue & Innovation

Translate technical knowledge into effective public policy

Network of Experts

Establish the Blue Shield Network linking research centres and maritime authorities.

Civic Participation

Launch the Blue Shield Hub — a digital platform for consultation and debate with civil society.

Applied Knowledge

Produce reference documents — Policy Briefs and a White Paper on risks and interoperability.

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Expected Impact

01

Citizens better informed about ocean literacy and their rights in ‘blue citizenship’.

02

Reinforcement of EU strategic autonomy, aligning the blue economy with high standards of security and sustainability.

03

Consolidation of Lisbon as a European capital of reference in maritime governance and resilience.

Our team members

Blue Shield brings together a multidisciplinary and geographically balanced team from academic, policy, military, and industry backgrounds. Together, the project members contribute a wide range of scientific, operational, and sectoral perspectives, while also reflecting the diversity of Europe’s main maritime regions.

Pedro Seabra

Coordinator of the Blue Shield project, Assistant Professor at Iscte University Institute of Lisbon and a Deputy Director of the Centre for International Studies (CEI-Iscte)

He is also Director of the Bachelor’s in International Studies and the PhD programme in History, Security Studies and Defence. His research focuses on international relations, international security, maritime security, South Atlantic geopolitics, and security capacity-building in Africa. Alongside his academic work, he previously served as Adviser to the Portuguese Minister of National Defence.

Roxana Andrei

Roxana Andrei is an Integrated Researcher at the Centre for International Studies (CEI-Iscte)

Specialising in International Relations with a focus on energy security, defence, hybrid warfare, and maritime security. Her work combines academic expertise with extensive practical experience across the European security ecosystem, including roles with the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. She also contributes to policy, research, and advisory work on the protection of critical infrastructure, resilience strategies, and the defence-energy nexus.

Licínia Simão

Licínia Simão is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra and a researcher at the Centre for Social Studies.

Her work focuses on foreign policy and security studies, with particular expertise in European foreign, security and defence policy, the post-Soviet space, and maritime security in the Atlantic. She previously served as advisor to the Portuguese Minister of National Defence and coordinated the Atlantic Centre between 2021 and 2023.

Nektarios Nasikas

Nektarios Nasikas is Assistant Professor in the Division of Mathematics and Military Sciences at the Hellenic Army Academy

His academic and professional background combines materials science, defence-related research, and higher education leadership. His work focuses on multifunctional materials, antiballistic protection and armor, and amorphous and ceramic materials. He has also held senior research management responsibilities, including serving as Director of the Hellenic Foundation of Research and Innovation.

Katrina Duka-Gulbe

Katrina Duka-Gulbe is Executive Director of the Latvian Wind Energy Association

She has broad experience in large-scale project management, particularly in investment attraction, regional development, and education. Her work focuses on advancing wind energy development in Latvia, representing the sector’s interests in government and international contexts, and promoting cooperation between companies in the industry. She also works to strengthen public understanding and support for sustainable energy.

Mehmet Ulug

Licínia Simão is Associate Professor of International Relations at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra and a researcher at the Centre for Social Studies.

His work explores topics such as green monetary policy, climate and environmental risks, biodiversity economics, shadow banking, and green finance. He is particularly interested in how financial systems can support the low-carbon transition and help address broader climate challenges.

Research Assistants

Blue Shield is also supported by five master's students in International Studies from Iscte-University Institute of Lisbon. Coming from different countries and academic backgrounds, they bring a diverse range of perspectives to the programme.

Bob Voorneveld

Bob Voorneveld is a research assistant in the Blue Shield project and a master’s student in International Studies at Iscte

Originally from the Netherlands, he previously completed bachelor’s degrees in Global Sustainability Science and History at Utrecht University. His interests focus on the intersection of geopolitics, societal impact, security, and foreign policy.

Kaarle Ratia

Kaarle Ratia is a research assistant in the Blue Shield project and a master’s student in International Studies at Iscte

He is from Finland and holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and European Studies from the Metropolitan University of Prague. His academic interests include political discourse analysis, security studies, and foreign policy.

Shawn Michael Rix

Shawn Michael Rix is a research assistant in the Blue Shield project and a master's student in International Studies at Iscte

Raised in South Africa, he holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and politics from the University of London. His academic background is rooted in the study of global politics and international affairs.

Caleb Elijah Price

Caleb Elijah Price is a research assistant in the Blue Shield project and a master’s student in International Studies at Iscte

He is from Canada and holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Toronto. His interests include AI governance and security, emerging technologies, and existential risk management.

Filipe Ildefonso

Filipe Ildefonso is a research assistant in the Blue Shield project and a Master’s student in International Studies at Iscte-IUL, Lisbon.

From Portugal, he previously completed a bachelor's degree in political science and international Relations at NOVA FCSH. His interests include security and defence studies, diplomacy, and the geopolitics of media.

Blue Shield Publications

Peer-reviewed articles, policy briefs, and working papers, will be available here soon. Once published, you will be able to read the abstracts or download the full texts directly from this page.

Blue Shield Publications

Nome

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Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

Nome

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

Nome

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

Activities

Blue Shield Expert Workshop

As one the key expected outputs, the Blue Shield project will organize an interdisciplinary workshop on June 1st in Lisbon, in the premises of the European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA), which will bring together a select group of participants – including representatives from European and national institutions, academia, and other stakeholders – with the aim of promoting strategic and interdisciplinary reflection on the main challenges to European maritime security, at a particularly relevant time for the implementation of the European Maritime Security Strategy and the development of the European Ocean Pact. The event will include:

a) Interactive panels and roundtables;
b) Co-creation sessions for recommendations at the public policy level;
c) Technical meetings with representatives from European and national agencies.

Activities