With the support of the European Commission and the 2026 Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, European Shipowners launch an EU-wide school competition inviting school children aged 9–12 to reflect creatively on the future of shipping.

This initiative forms part of European Shipowners | ECSA’s 60th anniversary celebrations and aims to bring young people closer to shipping and to highlight its vital role in Europe’s economy and society.

The European School Competition invites students to imagine what ships may look like in 60 years and create their own artwork in the form of drawings, paintings, sculptures, photographs or other creative formats.

A high-level jury will review the submissions and shortlist four entries. Students of the shortlisted projects will be invited to attend an award ceremony in Cyprus on 29 April 2026, alongside the meeting of EU transport ministers, where the winning entry will be announced. The shortlisted artworks will also be featured in a dedicated publication.

“Our 60th anniversary is an opportunity to look at our future and to bring young people closer to our sector. By engaging directly with children, we want to open a conversation about shipping’s future, listen to their perspectives and be inspired by their creativity” said Sotiris Raptis, ES|ECSA Secretary General.

The competition was officially announced on 10 December at the European Shipowners | ECSA 60 Years Anniversary event in Brussels in cooperation with the European Commission and the 2026 Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

How to participate?

The competition is open to students aged 9–12 across Europe. Entries may be submitted via email to euschoolcompetition@ecsa.eu by 27 February 2026.

All information can be found on the official website.

For media enquiries, please contact: Luisa Puccio, luisa.puccio@ecsa.eu, +32 492 733623