UKRZOVNISHTRANS Participates in the International Blue COVE Project

The UKRZOVNISHTRANS Association has taken a significant step toward integrating the Ukrainian logistics sector with advanced European standards. Our Association successfully completed the partnership application and participated in the international inaugural meeting of the Blue COVE (Centre of Vocational Excellence) consortium, funded by the European Erasmus+ program.
Blue COVE is an international educational project funded by the European Erasmus+ program that operates as a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE). The initiative's primary goal is to modernize vocational education and training (VET) to support the development of the "Blue Economy"—a sector linked to the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources, shipping, and port infrastructure.
Key Areas of Blue COVE Activity
•    Educational Triad of Change: The project aligns VET with labor market demands by introducing new technologies, shifting management paradigms, and facilitating continuous workforce upskilling and reskilling.
•    Twin Transition: Training programs focus on the decarbonization (sustainability) and digitalization of the maritime industry, in line with European goals for 2030.
•    Skills Ecosystem: It brings together vocational education institutions, research institutes (such as the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute), businesses, and government authorities to rapidly update curricula. The CoVE Context in Ukraine
Ukraine is actively reforming its vocational education and training (VET) system and integrating into the European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) with the support of international partners (notably the ETF and the Belgian agency Enabel). Ukrainian vocational institutions are adopting best practices from projects like Blue COVE to establish modern hubs, develop flexible short-term programs, and attract employer investment.
Why is this critical for Ukrainian freight forwarders?
The participation of the UKRZOVNISHTRANS Association in this European project offers direct, practical benefits for every market player:
•    Addressing the skills gap and rapid workforce upskilling: By leveraging European methodologies (upskilling/reskilling), we can collaborate with educational institutions to train logistics and freight forwarding specialists using state-of-the-art curricula. This will significantly reduce the time and costs companies incur when onboarding new employees.
•    Alignment with the EU’s "Twin Transition": The European logistics market is undergoing rapid transformation driven by decarbonization requirements (transport sustainability) and comprehensive digitalization (electronic document workflows, e-CMR, digital customs corridors). Participation in Blue COVE will enable Ukrainian freight forwarders to gain early access to European digital and environmental standards, thereby maintaining their competitiveness in the EU market. •    A Voice for Ukrainian Business in Europe: As an industry partner, UKRZOVNISHTRANS will convey the actual needs of Ukrainian freight forwarders directly to European developers of educational and qualification programs. We are defining the requirements for the professionals of the future based on the realities and challenges of wartime and post-war Ukraine.
•    Expanding International Networking: This project brings together leading business associations, ports, research institutes (including the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute), and educational institutions from EU countries. For our Association members, this opens a direct pathway to new partnerships and European investment programs.
Next Steps
We will keep you updated on developments and will certainly involve experts from your companies in defining the professional skills that will form the basis of new certification programs.