Professor Iraklis Lazakis
Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering
Personal statement
I joined the Dpt of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering (NAOME) at the University of Strathclyde in 2007 as a phd researcher while starting my academic career in 2011 (currently Reader of Maritime Operations and Maintenance). I principally teach Analysis tools for marine design, Principles of Marine design and production, System availability and maintenance, asset and risk management in addition to Offshore renewables subjects such as marine operations, maintenance and reliability, systems condition monitoring project management.
The above mentioned areas also reflect my key research and knowledge exchange interests which include among others ship operations, systems maintenance and reliability, ship systems condition monitoring, risk analysis tools and methodologies, system criticality assessment, shipyard manufacturing and productivity, asset management, wind-wave-tidal energy devices installation, operation and maintenance.
I am also currently involved in key departmental and Faculty-wide positions. In all the above activities my role is to support the NAOME nd university scope and interests as well as helping colleagues in achieving greater success in research funding applications, academic publications and knowledge exchange activities.
Prize And Awards
- SNAME Faculty Advisor of the Year award
- Recipient
- 16/10/2024
- SNAME West of Europe Section (WES) best paper award
- Recipient
- 26/7/2023
- SNAME Graduate Paper Honor Prize Winner 2022
- Recipient
- 29/9/2022
- Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Certificate of Excellence
- Recipient
- 6/1/2022
- Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Certificate of Excellence
- Recipient
- 22/9/2020
- Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Certificate of Excellence
- Recipient
- 22/9/2020
Qualifications
Esteem
O&M session champion/chair in Taiwan and Japan for the EPSRC-funded EPENET (Edinburgh-Pacific Partnership of Excellence in New Energy Technologies) project, workshops and events held in Hsinchu (Taiwan) and Kyoto (Japan) at the beginning of March 2013
ISSC committee IV.2 member 2012-2015. The International Ships and offshore Structures Congress is a prestigious event held every three years. It is a forum for the exchange of information by experts undertaking and applying marine structural research. The aim of the ISSC is to further understanding in the various disciplines underpinning marine structural design, production and operation through internationally collaborative endeavours.
ISSC 2012 committee observer
Laureate of the Edelman awards 2012. The Franz Edelman competition attests to the contributions of operations research and analytics in both the profit and non-profit sectors. The purpose of the Franz Edelman competition is to bring forward, recognize and reward outstanding examples of operations research, management science and advanced analytics in practice in the world
Publications
- Integrated dynamic, regulatory, and economic assessment of onboard carbon capture systems
- Elkafas Ahmed G, Lazakis Iraklis
- Journal of Cleaner Production Vol 567 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2026.148640
- Comparative assessment of carbon capture systems via a digital twin framework for ships
- Elkafas Ahmed Gamal Hamed, Lazakis Iraklis
- Innovations in Maritime Technology and Engineering 8th International Conference on Maritime Technology and Engineering, pp. 1113-1121 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1201/9781042001194-124
- Performance of SOFC and PEMFC auxiliary power systems under alternative fuel pathways for bulk carriers
- Tadros Mina, Elkafas Ahmed G, Boulougouris Evangelos, Lazakis Iraklis
- Journal of Marine Science and Engineering Vol 14 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14080702
- Advanced optimisation software framework for floating offshore wind farm logistics and operations
- Ahmed Yaseen Adnan, Lazakis Iraklis, Judah Soul, Abbey Callum
- Ocean Engineering Vol 345 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2025.123892
- Development of a data pre-processing tool for marine systems sensor data
- Velasco-Gallego Christian, Lazakis Iraklis, Cubo Mateo Nieves
- Ship Technology Research Vol 73, pp. 27-40 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1080/09377255.2025.2538005
- Developing and employing a virtual reality application for enhancing ship operations and onboard safety
- Sykas Dimitrios, Lazakis Iraklis
- Annual Conference of Marine Technology 2025 (2025)
Teaching
Since my appointment at the Dpt of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering at the University of Strathclyde i have been teaching the following modules/subjects:
Undergaduate level
Analysis tools for marine design, Principles of Marine design and production, System availability and maintenance
Postgraduate level
System availability and maintenance
Industrial Doctoral Centre for Offshore renewables (IDCORE): marine operations, maintenance and reliability, systems condition monitoring, project management
I am also currently supervising a number of undergraduate, postgraduate and Phd students regarding their individual projects/thesis, acting as lead supervisor on subjects such as: systems maintenance and reliability, ship systems condition monitoring, risk analysis, criticality assessment, shipyard manufacturing and productivity, asset management, wind-wave-tidal energy devices, renewable projects operation and maintenance, project management.
Professional Activities
- Strategic Themes: Applied AI Workshop
- Participant
- 17/1/2025
- Phd viva
- Examiner
- 22/5/2023
- The Scotsman report on Petrel vessel accident at Leith drydock
- Recipient
- 14/4/2023
- Yorkshire Post report on Petrel vessel accident at Leith drydock
- Recipient
- 14/4/2023
- Western Daily Press report on Petrel vessel accident at Leith drydock
- Recipient
- 14/4/2023
- The Times report on Petrel vessel accident at Leith drydock
- Recipient
- 14/4/2023
Projects
- TWIN-POWER: A Digital Twin and Multi-Criteria Optimization Platform for the Design and Operation of Ship Power and Propulsion Systems
- Elkafas, Ahmed Gamal Hamed (Principal Investigator) Lazakis, Iraklis (Co-investigator)
- TWIN-POWER aims to develop an advanced digital twin and optimization platform to support design and operation of sustainable power and propulsion systems for UK and global fleets. The project integrates deep learning–based digital twin, trained on high-frequency operational data, to generate time-dependent power demand and fuel consumption profiles under realistic operating conditions. These outputs feed MATLAB-based multi-criteria feasibility platform evaluating innovative power technologies against technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory criteria. A time-dependent optimization framework then identifies optimal hybrid power system configurations and operational strategies. TWIN-POWER enables data-driven, stakeholder-informed decisions to improve performance, fuel optimal use, and decarbonisation outcomes.
- 01-Jan-2026 - 31-Jan-2026
- A Digital Twin and Multi-Criteria Optimization Platform for Design and Operation of Ship Power and Propulsion Systems
- Elkafas, Ahmed Gamal Hamed (Principal Investigator) Lazakis, Iraklis (Co-investigator)
- TWIN-POWER aims to develop an advanced digital twin and optimization platform to support design and operation of sustainable power and propulsion systems for UK and global fleets. The project integrates deep learning–based digital twin, trained on high-frequency operational data, to generate time-dependent power demand and fuel consumption profiles under realistic operating conditions. These outputs feed multi-criteria feasibility platform evaluating innovative power technologies against technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory criteria. A time-dependent optimization framework then identifies optimal hybrid power system configurations and operational strategies. TWIN-POWER enables data-driven, stakeholder-informed decisions to improve performance, fuel optimal use, and decarbonisation outcomes.
- 01-Jan-2026 - 31-Jan-2026
- FIT-HORIZONS: Flexible Tool Environment for Holistic Retrofits and Decarbonization of Ships
- Lazakis, Iraklis (Principal Investigator) Elkafas, Ahmed Gamal Hamed (Researcher)
- The FIT-HORIZONS project is bringing together 19 leading maritime companies, researchers, universities, software developers, and technology providers from across Europe to develop an intelligent and flexible retrofit design environment for low- and zero-emission shipping. The project aims to simplify and accelerate retrofit decisions for shipowners by combining advanced simulation tools, AI-supported modelling, and operational data into one holistic design framework. The project will develop and validate a flexible design environment capable of evaluating multiple retrofit technologies simultaneously, including alternative fuels, electrification, wind-assisted propulsion systems, air lubrication systems, hull modifications, and energy efficiency solutions.
Rather than assessing technologies in isolation, the FIT-HORIZONS platform will analyse how combinations of technologies perform together under realistic operating conditions and across different vessel categories.
The project will deliver six virtual demonstrations based on real operating vessels representing key European ship segments: inland waterways, short-sea shipping, long-distance shipping, ferries, cruise vessels, and offshore vessels.
By integrating machine learning, surrogate modelling, operational data, and high-fidelity simulations, the consortium aims to create a tool environment that can support more reliable, scalable, and commercially viable retrofit decisions across the maritime industry. - 01-Jan-2026 - 30-Jan-2029
- Decarbonising UK Shipping: Industry Engagement on Onboard Carbon Capture
- Ahmed, Yaseen (Principal Investigator) Lazakis, Iraklis (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2025
- Fingal hotel/vessel structural survey
- Lazakis, Iraklis (Principal Investigator) Gunbeyaz, Sefer Anil (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2025
- Low Cost Underwater Glider
- Aktas, Batuhan (Principal Investigator) Dai, David (Co-investigator) Lazakis, Iraklis (Co-investigator)
- 31-Jan-2025 - 31-Jan-2026
Contact
Professor
Iraklis
Lazakis
Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering
Email: iraklis.lazakis@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3070