Capt. Dr. Seyedvahid Vakili is an experienced professional with over 20 years of expertise in the maritime industry and academia. His background encompasses extensive service on ocean-going and offshore vessels before transitioning into the field of education. Throughout his career, he has actively participated in oil and gas development projects, showcasing a strong dedication to applying theoretical knowledge to practical technical problem solving.
Capt. Dr. Vakili possesses a profound understanding of ship safety, environmental protection, and air emissions reduction, with comprehensive expertise in the entire life cycle of the maritime industry, including design, construction, operation, maintenance, and recycling.
In 2017, he enrolled in the Maritime Energy Management (MEM) program at the World Maritime University (WMU). During his time at WMU, he displayed exceptional proficiency in the Maritime Energy Management program and graduated with distinction, earning his MSc degree in Malmö, Sweden. His academic achievements and dedication led him to become the inaugural graduate of the MEM specialization to successfully complete his Ph.D. His doctoral research focused on Maritime decarbonisation and shipping sustainability through enhancing energy efficiency and reducing air emissions from maritime land-based infrastructures, with a particular emphasis on maritime production and adopting a life cycle perspective.
Prior to joining the University of Southampton, Dr. Vakili served as a Research Associate on various projects at the World Maritime University (WMU), further strengthening his expertise in maritime sustainability. His research adopts a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to advancing sustainable practices, enhancing safety, and reducing air emissions across the maritime sector. He focuses particularly on smart and green shipping, along with the transformation of ports and logistic, and shipyards into low-carbon, environmentally responsible infrastructure. Dr. Vakili places strong emphasis on the development and deployment of Zero and Near-Zero (ZnZ) technologies—such as alternative fuels, renewable energy systems, and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)—while promoting energy efficiency throughout the entire maritime value chain, including ships, ports, and shipyards. He also investigates the policy and operational implications of these innovations. In addition, he is deeply engaged in exploring the integration of automation and intelligent systems, with particular attention to cybersecurity challenges and the mitigation of underwater radiated noise (URN) from commercial vessels, especially in connection with improving energy performance and environmental outcomes.
Capt. Dr. Vakili has actively participated in many global projects and collaborated with prestigious national and international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), European Union (EU), World Bank, classification societies, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Transport Canada, Port Authorities, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). He is also an accomplished author and co-author of several influential journal articles, international reports, and conference papers focused on vital topics such as maritime decarbonization and sustainability, zero-emission solutions for ships, ports, and shipyards, underwater noise pollution, and maritime cybersecurity.
