The Optimization of Sustainable Maritime Transportation System
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 722
Special Issue Editors
Interests: ship scheduling; maritime logistics system optimization; container transportation; sustainable shipping; liner shipping network design
Interests: maritime shipping; container transportation; port management
Interests: maritime shipping; liner shipping; port management; ship scheduling; port scheduling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The maritime industry serves as the foundation for the integrated development of the world economy and the stable operation of the global supply chain. It is estimated that international maritime shipping carries approximately 80% of global trade by volume. In recent years, with the world’s increasing attention to environmental change and sustainable development, sustainable development of the maritime industry has emerged as a prominent research question. For example, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set ambitious targets for reducing the industry’s carbon footprint, including a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 compared to 2008 levels. It is imperative that the maritime industry complies with IMO regulations and demonstrates a commitment to decarbonization in order to mitigate the sector’s environmental impact and achieve global climate goals. However, there are inevitably some challenges and opportunities in promoting the sustainable development of the maritime industry.
The objective of this Special Issue is to present novel theories, methodologies, technologies, and applications that facilitate a more sustainable maritime industry. This Special Issue aims to address two key research questions: (1) how policy adjustments and technological innovations can effectively meet the challenges of maritime industry sustainable development; and (2) whether governments and the IMO can effectively cope with the emerging challenges associated with the maritime industry’s sustainable development. Overall, the sustainable development of the maritime industry can be achieved through the following avenues:
(1) Adjusting policy orientations in the maritime industry (e.g., carbon tax policy, carbon quota policy, emission control area, and carbon trade policy);
(2) Enhancing the technologies of the maritime industry (e.g., zero-emission electric vessel development, shore-to-ship electricity, and a paperless maritime industry).
In this Special Issue, we strongly welcome papers that apply innovative approaches to examine maritime sustainable development policy and practice via operational research methodologies, empirical research, game theory, case studies, and theoretical development. We believe that this Special Issue can provide a platform for researchers and decision makers to gain managerial insights into effective maritime decarbonization practices. To this end, we shall invite original research articles and review articles, including, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Technology and its applications in the sustainable development of maritime transportation systems;
- Carbon emission reduction strategies and decarbonization of sustainable maritime transportation systems;
- Carbon emission (pollution) governance for maritime transportation systems;l Decarbonization in port and maritime shipping;
- Spatial-temporal evolution of sustainable ports;
- Climate effect analyses of sustainable maritime transportation systems;
- Performance measurements of sustainable maritime transportation systems;
- Port and maritime shipping resilience;
- Impacts of green transportation system and digital corridors of sustainable port development.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Kang Chen
Dr. Lang Xu
Prof. Dr. Zhongzhen Yang
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- green shipping technologies and practices
- sustainable shipping and port performance evaluations
- ship emissions estimation and monitoring
- planning and decision-making for maritime transport sustainability
- environmental, economic, and social impacts of decarbonization
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