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Sustainability
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Sustainable Logistics Management: Research Focus on Port and Maritime Transportation
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Sustainable Logistics Management: Research Focus on Port and Maritime Transportation

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 11 August 2026 | Viewed by 3194

Editor

Dr. Vitor Caldeirinha

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Transport and Logistics, Escola Superior Náutica Infante D. Henrique, Av. Engenheiro Bonneville Franco, 2770-058 Paço de Arcos, Portugal
Interests: port; management; strategy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The maritime and port sectors are undergoing profound transformations due to the combined pressure of sustainability imperatives, digital innovation, and global trade dynamics. This Special Issue aims to explore sustainable logistics management within port and maritime transportation systems and to collect original contributions that address environmental, social, economic, and governance challenges in the logistics chain, with an emphasis on ports as critical nodes in global supply networks.

We invite theoretical, empirical, and case-based research that investigates how port authorities, logistics operators, and maritime companies are adapting strategies, technologies, and policies toward more sustainable operations, and the topics may include, but are not limited to, decarbonization strategies, digital twin applications in logistics, circular economy in port areas, smart port governance, modal shift incentives, and sustainability assessment frameworks.

This Special Issue aims to advance academic and practical understanding by highlighting contradictions between sustainability discourse and practice, proposing innovative tools, and drawing attention to the global–local interface in maritime logistics sustainability.

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and welcome submissions from scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.

Dr. Vitor Caldeirinha
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

  • sustainable logistics
  • port governance
  • maritime transportation
  • green shipping
  • smart ports
  • supply chain decarbonization
  • digital transformation
  • blue economy
  • environmental policy
  • circular economy in ports

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

36 pages, 12729 KB  
Article
Integrating Smart Port System and Blue Economy Principles for the Sustainable Maritime Development of an Island Region in Indonesia: A Bayesian Network Approach
by Akhmad Fauzi, Kastana Sapanli, Gatot Yulianto and Tomi Ramadona
Sustainability 2026, 18(13), 6923; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18136923 (registering DOI) - 7 Jul 2026
Abstract
The global maritime sector is undergoing rapid transformation, creating an urgent need to align digital port technologies with a sustainable development framework. However, existing research on smart ports and the blue economy is fragmented and predominantly driven by deterministic approaches that overlook systemic [...] Read more.
The global maritime sector is undergoing rapid transformation, creating an urgent need to align digital port technologies with a sustainable development framework. However, existing research on smart ports and the blue economy is fragmented and predominantly driven by deterministic approaches that overlook systemic complexity and uncertainty. This study develops a smart port system model grounded in blue economy principles, using a Bayesian network to analyze causal relationships among operational, environmental, and governance variables under uncertainty. The model incorporates key factors including port operational efficiency, logistics reliability, environmental compliance systems, coastal employment, and regulatory enforcement. The findings indicate that operational and logistical factors are the primary drivers of the system, while environmental and socioeconomic variables strongly shape sustainability outcomes. Scenario analysis shows that coordinated interventions targeting these key variables generate the greatest improvements in Smart Port–Blue Economy integration. Sensitivity analysis further identifies coastal economic output, regional competitiveness, and marine ecosystem health as the most responsive outcome variables. The research offers lessons for policymakers to enhance port management by integrating logistics and technological considerations with blue economy principles to design adaptive and resilient policies, particularly in island regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Logistics Management: Research Focus on Port and Maritime Transportation)
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37 pages, 3308 KB  
Article
Integrated Logistics and Energy Performance Assessment of Container Ships for Sustainable Maritime Operations
by Doru Coșofreț, Octavian-Narcis Volintiru, Rita-Elena Avram, Adrian Popa, Florențiu Deliu and Ciprian Popa
Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4279; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094279 - 25 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1038
Abstract
This study develops an integrated vessel-level framework for assessing logistics performance and operational energy efficiency in container shipping. The novelty of the study lies in the development of a unified analytical approach that explicitly integrates logistics indicators with fuel consumption and emissions within [...] Read more.
This study develops an integrated vessel-level framework for assessing logistics performance and operational energy efficiency in container shipping. The novelty of the study lies in the development of a unified analytical approach that explicitly integrates logistics indicators with fuel consumption and emissions within a consistent system boundary, including auxiliary engine operation during both sea passages and port stays. The framework is applied to four medium-sized container vessels (6000–7500 TEU; 20-foot equivalent unit) under normalised operating conditions. The results show that higher capacity utilisation and economies of scale significantly improve both cost and energy performance, while emissions intensity varies by more than twofold across vessels. A deterministic sensitivity analysis is applied to evaluate the influence of key operational parameters. The analysis identifies service speed as the dominant driver, followed by vessel loading rate, while port-related parameters—such as auxiliary engine load and port productivity—have a lower yet still measurable influence, reducing emissions by up to 5% under improved conditions. The main contribution of the study is the development of a practical vessel-level benchmarking tool that captures logistics–energy interactions and supports operational decision-making under current regulatory frameworks, including EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime, and the IMO Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Logistics Management: Research Focus on Port and Maritime Transportation)
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20 pages, 1152 KB  
Article
Transposition of the PRF Directive in European Ports: Charging Models, Practices, and Recommendations
by Nikola Mandić, Anita Gudelj, Merica Slišković and Helena Ukić Boljat
Sustainability 2025, 17(21), 9416; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17219416 - 23 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1441
Abstract
As maritime transport continues to grow, the volume and complexity of waste generated by ships, such as garbage, sewage, and oily residues, requires the establishment of effective, accessible and well-regulated collection systems in ports. Ensuring effective waste management remains a major challenge across [...] Read more.
As maritime transport continues to grow, the volume and complexity of waste generated by ships, such as garbage, sewage, and oily residues, requires the establishment of effective, accessible and well-regulated collection systems in ports. Ensuring effective waste management remains a major challenge across the European Union, as differences in national implementation and charging systems continue to undermine the sustainability of port reception facilities. Directive (EU) 2019/883 on port reception facilities (PRF Directive) was introduced to harmonise regulatory standards, ensure adequate infrastructure, and remove barriers to proper waste management. This paper analyses the transposition and implementation of the PRF Directive in selected EU countries, focusing on the differences in cost recovery systems (CRS) applied in ports. A comparative analysis of charging models and waste management plans for ports is carried out, including an in-depth study of the leading European ports with the highest reported waste volumes. A nine-criteria evaluation framework was developed through a stakeholder focus group involving port authorities, concessionaires, shipping companies, and the Harbour Master’s Office, and was applied using the multi-criteria TOPSIS decision methodology, complemented by sensitivity analyses and adjustments for different port types (cargo, passenger, fisheries, marinas). The results show that the best-performing models achieved C* values between 0.514 and 0.529, confirming the robustness of the evaluation framework. Overall, the findings indicate that the optimal charging model is context-dependent, with No-Special-Fee systems without special charges favoured in passenger and leisure ports, and Prepaid + Reimbursement models more suitable for cargo and fishing ports. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at increasing transparency, ensuring consistent reporting, and aligning CRS models more closely with EU environmental objectives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Logistics Management: Research Focus on Port and Maritime Transportation)
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