Search Results (39)

This paper aims to provide a reliable basis for formulating, revising, and selecting sustainable marine economic development plans through a scientific and comprehensive evaluation of the eco-innovation level of China’s marine economy. Based on the analysis of the three-stage theoretical model of marine economic eco-innovation, an index system for evaluating the eco-innovation level of China’s marine economy is first constructed. Also, an integration EWM-HDEMATEL method that balances objective and subjective weighting is introduced to determine the index weights. The proposed methods are applied to analyze the temporal and spatial variations in the eco-innovation level of China’s marine economy in 2006–2021, and the following conclusions are drawn. First, between 2006 and 2021, the average level of marine economic ecological innovation across all regions exhibited a steady upward trajectory. Second, regional imbalances in ecological innovation intensified over the study period, with the maximum disparity widening from a 1.6-fold difference in 2006 to a 2.5-fold difference in 2021. Third, although differences among the three principal marine economic zones were not pronounced, significant heterogeneity persisted within each zone, underscoring the need for targeted policies and interventions to achieve coordinated development. Fourth, regions performed better on the support environment and performance dimensions of marine economic ecological innovation than on the capacity and activity dimensions. These findings identify critical leverage points for policy action and carry important implications for promoting the balanced and sustainable development of marine economic ecological innovation efficiency. Full article

Open Responsible Research and Innovation (ORRI) promotes ethical, inclusive, and transparent research aligned with sustainability goals and societal values. This systematic review examines the implementation of ORRI principles in marine research across the Black Sea region—a geopolitically fragmented and under-resourced context—and explores their implications for the broader Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) discourse. Using PRISMA methodology and bibliometric mapping, we analyzed the peer-reviewed literature and project deliverables from 2014 to 2024, focusing on six ORRI pillars: public engagement, science education, open access, gender equality, ethics, and governance. The findings indicate consistent progress in public engagement and science education, particularly through citizen science and stakeholder training. However, ethics, gender equity, and governance remain weakly institutionalized, with most ORRI practices driven by short-term, externally funded projects. To contextualize these results, we introduce a comparative framework contrasting the Black Sea’s scaffolded model of ORRI with structurally embedded models in Northern and Western Europe. This framework highlights disparities in capacity, funding, and institutional maturity that shape regional implementation. Conceptually, the study contributes to RRI theory by proposing a flexible, context-sensitive model for under-resourced regions. It supports SDGs 4, 5, 14, 16, and 17 and emphasizes the need for durable, inclusive approaches to responsible research and sustainability education. Full article

Brazil has emerged as one of the global leaders in adopting renewable energy, standing out in the implementation of onshore wind energy and, more recently, in the development of future offshore wind energy projects. Onshore wind energy has experienced exponential growth in the last decade, positioning Brazil as one of the countries with the largest installed capacity in the world by 2023, with 30 GW. Wind farms are mainly concentrated in the northeast region, where winds are constant and powerful, enabling efficient and cost-competitive generation. Although in its early stages, offshore wind energy presents significant potential of 1228 GW due to Brazil’s extensive coastline, which exceeds 7000 km. Offshore wind projects promise greater generating capacity and stability, as offshore winds are more constant than onshore winds. However, their development faces challenges such as high initial costs, environmental impacts on marine ecosystems, and the need for specialized infrastructure. From a sustainability perspective, this article discusses that both types of wind energy are key to Brazil’s energy transition. They reduce dependence on fossil fuels, generate green jobs, and foster technological innovation. However, it is crucial to implement policies that foster synergy with green hydrogen production and minimize socio-environmental impacts, such as impacts on local communities and biodiversity. Finally, the article concludes that by 2050, Brazil is expected to consolidate its leadership in renewable energy by integrating advanced technologies, such as larger, more efficient turbines, energy storage systems, and green hydrogen production. The combination of onshore and offshore wind energy and other renewable sources could position the country as a global model for a clean, sustainable, and resilient energy mix. Full article

Marine innovation, as a fundamental driving force behind the development of the marine economy, is crucial for the realization of the maritime power strategy. The reports from the 19th and 20th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China explicitly advocate for the acceleration of maritime power construction and emphasize the innovation-driven development strategy. Marine innovation and the resilience of the marine economy dynamically interact and mutually reinforce one another. Investigating the coordination between marine innovation and the resilience of the marine economy can provide theoretical support for regional marine technological innovation and sustainable economic development, thereby facilitating the achievement of innovation-driven development goals. This article establishes an evaluation index system for regional marine innovation capacity, considering two perspectives: marine innovation input and output. Additionally, it constructs an evaluation index system for marine economic resilience, which is based on three dimensions: resistance, robustness, and recovery. The entropy weight TOPSIS method is employed to calculate the sub-indices for China’s regional marine technological innovation capacity and marine economic resilience. Furthermore, a coordination degree and coordinated development degree model is developed to assess the coordination and development of marine innovation capacity and economic resilience across 11 coastal provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) in China from 2013 to 2022. The research results indicate that from 2013 to 2022, the coordination degree of marine innovation capacity and economic resilience in the 11 coastal provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) of China has exhibited a positive development trend. The southern and eastern economic circles display synchronized development patterns, with the southern economic circle experiencing the fastest improvements, while the northern economic circle shows slight regression. The marginal contribution of this study lies in the integration of marine innovation capacity and economic resilience for the first time, further exploring the degree of coordinated development based on coordination degree and providing a systematic analysis of the coordinated development of regional marine innovation and economic resilience from the perspectives of individual provinces and economic circles. Full article

Renewable energy technologies have become an increasingly important component of the global energy supply. In recent years, photovoltaic and wind energy have been the fastest-growing renewable sources. Although oceans present harsh environments, their estimated energy generation potential is among the highest. Ocean-based solutions are gaining significant momentum, driven by the advancement of offshore wind, floating solar, tidal, and wave energy, among others. The integration of various marine energy sources with green hydrogen production can facilitate the exploitation and transportation of renewable energy. This paper presents a mathematics-driven analysis for the simulation of a technical model designed as a generic framework applicable to any location worldwide and developed to analyze the integration of solar energy generation and green hydrogen production. It evaluates the impact of key factors such as solar irradiance, atmospheric conditions, water surface flatness, as well as the parameters of photovoltaic panels, electrolyzers, and adiabatic compressors, on both energy generation and hydrogen production capacity. The proposed mathematics-based framework serves as an innovative tool for conducting multivariable parametric analyses, selecting optimal design configurations based on specific solar energy and/or hydrogen production requirements, and performing a range of additional assessments including, but not limited to, risk evaluations, cause–effect analyses, and/or degradation studies. Enhancing the efficiency of solar energy generation and hydrogen production processes can reduce the required photovoltaic surface area, thereby simplifying structural and anchoring requirements and lowering associated costs. Simpler, more reliable, and cost-effective designs will foster the expansion of floating solar energy and green hydrogen production in marine environments. Full article

To enhance the strength of the marine economy, safeguard marine rights and interests, and promote the sustainable development of marine resources, China is actively building an innovation ecosystem in the marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry. Currently, the main challenge facing China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry innovation ecosystem is a lack of driving forces. Therefore, this paper focuses on the driving mechanism of China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry innovation ecosystem. Through a literature-coding analysis and interpretive structural modeling (ISM), 17 driving factors of the innovation ecosystem in China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry were identified, and an analytical model was constructed to explore the relationships among these driving factors. Combining data from industry experts, the paper reveals the driving mechanism of China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry innovation ecosystem. The results show that the management level, the risk-resilience capability of marine engineering equipment manufacturing enterprises, and the guidance capacity of universities and research institutions are key driving factors of the innovation ecosystem in China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry. Strengthening these driving factors can enhance the system’s overall driving force, contributing to the high-quality development of China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry. The significance of this study lies in providing a theoretical basis for optimizing the allocation of driving factors in China’s marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry innovation ecosystem and offering important pathways for innovation in and the development of the global marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry. Full article

Addressing the escalating global burdens of inflammatory bowel disease and antimicrobial resistance demanded innovative food-based approaches to fortify gut health and suppress pathogens. We introduced a novel edible probiotic, Enterococcus faecalis HY0110, isolated from marine Thunnus thynnus. Through comprehensive in vitro, in vivo, and metabolomic analyses, we demonstrated its superior antibacterial effects compared to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, along with significantly enhanced antioxidant and free-radical scavenging capacities. Notably, elevated acetic acid production strongly correlated with its antimicrobial efficacy (R ≥ 0.999). HY0110 also exerted antiproliferative effects on HT-29 colorectal cancer cells by attenuating β-catenin and BCL-2 expression while upregulating pro-apoptotic markers P62 and c-PARP. In a DSS-induced colitis model, HY0110 alleviated inflammation, restored gut microbial homeostasis, and enhanced deterministic processes in community assembly dynamics. Furthermore, fermenting Periplaneta americana powder with HY0110 triggered extensive metabolic remodeling, notably a 668.73-fold rise in astragaloside A, plus increases in L-Leucyl-L-Alanine, S-lactoylglutathione, and 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin A1. These shifts diminished harmful components and amplified essential amino acids and peptides to bolster immune modulation, redox balance, and anti-inflammatory responses. This work established a transformative paradigm for utilizing marine probiotics and novel entomological substrates in functional foods, presenting strategic pathways for precision nutrition and inflammatory disease management. Full article

Marine polysaccharide hydrogels have emerged as an innovative platform for regulating the in vivo release of natural bioactive compounds for medical purposes. These hydrogels, which have exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability, and high water absorption capacity, create effective matrices for encapsulating different bioactive molecules. In addition, by modifying the physical and chemical properties of marine hydrogels, including cross-linking density, swelling behavior, and response to external stimuli like pH, temperature, or ionic strength, the release profile of encapsulated bioactive compounds is strictly regulated, thus maximizing therapeutic efficacy and minimizing side effects. Finally, by using naturally sourced polysaccharides in hydrogel formulations, sustainability is promoted by reducing dependence on synthetic polymers, meeting the growing demand for eco-friendly materials. This review analyzes the interaction between marine polysaccharide hydrogels and encapsulating compounds and offers examples of how bioactive molecules can be encapsulated, released, and stabilized. Full article

With the development of the offshore wind industry in China, the amount of offshore wind turbines has increased rapidly. Large-diameter steel monopile foundations of offshore wind turbines have been widely adopted in China with lots of marine clay located. However, the conventional offshore wind monopile bearing capacity prediction from the American Petroleum Institute (API) based on the small-diameter flexible pile field test is inaccurate with the rigid mechanism of large-diameter monopile causing economically loss. The piezocone penetration test (CPTU) is a common marine in situ test to exactly acquire soil parameters. Therefore, a CPTU-based offshore wind monopile rigid mechanism inference method is proposed. A creative numerical offshore wind power monopile and CPTU combined model is established through COMSOL. A self-compiling parameter function is applied to soil modeling and an innovative mobile boundary function is created to simulate CPTU penetration. Through the model, real-time CPTU data can be acquired when monopile is applied with different horizontal loads. The peripile soil stress change can be timely detected by CPTU. Through CPTU data, the monopile rigid bearing mechanism is verified. A rigid rotation center is found at the 60% point of the inserted monopile. The method is an important foundation for the next step of monopile bearing capacity research. Full article

Due to their inability to biodegrade, petroleum-based plastics pose significant environmental challenges by disrupting aquatic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. Additionally, the widespread presence of microplastics and nanoplastics induces serious health risks for humans and animals. These pressing issues create an urgent need for designing and developing eco-friendly, biodegradable, renewable, and non-toxic plastic alternatives. To this end, agro-industrial byproducts such as soyhulls, which contain 29–50% lignocellulosic residue, are handy. This study extracted lignocellulosic residue from soyhulls using alkali treatment, dissolved it in ZnCl₂ solution, and crosslinked it with calcium ions and glycerol to create biodegradable films. The film formulation was optimized using the Box–Behnken design, with response to tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EB), and water vapor permeability (WVP). The optimized films were further characterized for color, light transmittance, UV-blocking capacity, water absorption, contact angle, and biodegradability. The resulting optimized film demonstrated a tensile strength of 10.4 ± 1.0 MPa, an elongation at break of 9.4 ± 1.8%, and a WVP of 3.5 ± 0.4 × 10⁻¹¹ g·m⁻¹·s⁻¹·Pa⁻¹. Importantly, 90% of the film degrades within 37 days at 24% soil moisture. This outcome underscores the potential of soyhull-derived films as a sustainable, innovative alternative to plastic packaging, contributing to the circular economy and generating additional income for farmers and allied industries. Full article

The most promising material for uranium extraction from saltwater is generally acknowledged to be fibrous adsorbents. An irradiation-modified anti-biofouling ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE-g-PGAO) fibrous adsorbent with a hyperbranched structure was synthesized. It exhibited adsorption capacities of 314.8 mg-U/g-Ads in aqueous solution and 4.04 mg-U/g-Ads in simulated seawater over a 28-day period. The ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber was functionalized by covalently linking hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (h-PEI) to facilitate the migration of uranyl ions within the fibers. Additionally, amidoxime and quaternary ammonium groups were immobilized on the fiber surface to enhance uranium affinity and provide defense against marine organisms. This three-dimensional design of amidoxime and h-PEI-modified UHMWPE fiber retained more than 91.0% of its maximum adsorption capacity after undergoing five adsorption-desorption cycles. The UHMWPE-g-PGAO adsorbent exhibits significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, achieving an inactivation efficiency of over 99.9%. It is proved to be an innovative fiber adsorbent for uranium extraction from seawater for its biofouling resistance, robustness, and reusability. Full article

This paper deals with the design of an advanced optimal strategy to enhance power management and frequency control in marine microgrids. The investigated system incorporates a mix of renewable energy sources coordinated with hybrid energy storage devices. A new robust optimal PIDN controller is employed to tackle the intermittency challenges associated with wind and marine power generation, ensuring precise frequency control via time-domain simulations. A multiple-energy storage system, which includes SMES/batteries/ultra-capacitors (UCs) and fuel cells (FCs), was implemented to manage frequency variations and optimize the charge/discharge cycles of batteries. To further mitigate power fluctuations and extend the life of batteries, a low-pass filter was applied, inspired by optimization techniques for hybrid storage systems. A notable innovation of this study is the introduction of an offshore photovoltaic (PV) array into the system, enhancing the diversity and capacity for renewable energy production in the microgrid. A comprehensive comparative study was conducted, exploring a range of scenarios: with and without energy storage, with the integration of PV energy, excluding the use of diesel, and implementing battery filtering. This approach allowed for an evaluation of the impact of each configuration on the overall performance of the marine microgrid, underscoring significant enhancements in sustainability, efficiency, and a reduction in the dependence on fossil fuels. Preliminary results point to a considerable improvement in the energy management of isolated marine environments, showcasing the potential of this strategy for future marine microgrid applications. This research makes a significant contribution to the advancement of renewable energy management systems, presenting a viable and sustainable option for powering marine microgrids. Full article

To effectively protect the marine environment, it is crucial to establish effective environ mental monitoring platforms. Traditional marine environmental monitoring methods heavily rely on morphological identification and field expertise, with the sampling process being disruptive and potentially destructive to vulnerable marine environments. In light of emerging biomonitoring needs and biodiversity declines, we reviewed the urgently needed, ongoing advances in developing effective, noninvasive, and innovative monitoring methods and systems to examine the complex marine environment for better strategic conservation and protection, using the coral ecosystem as one of the representative forefront examples in marine protection. This review summarizes current trends and efforts in transitioning into more standardizable and automatable utilizations of environmental DNA metabarcoding-based monitoring strategies and high-resolution underwater optical imaging monitoring systems as two of the promising pillars for the next generation of noninvasive biomonitoring and associated applications. The assistance of artificial intelligence for environmental DNA metabarcoding and high-resolution underwater optical imaging into an empowered, all-rounded monitoring platform for enhanced monitoring capacity is discussed as a highly potent direction for future research exploration. This review will be a cornerstone reference for the future development of artificial intelligence-assisted, noninvasive, and innovative marine environmental monitoring systems. Full article

This study explored the development of hierarchical graphitic carbon structures (HGCs) from harmful inedible seaweed waste harvested in the summer. Elevated sea temperatures during the summer increase the cellulose content of seaweeds, making them unsuitable for consumption. By utilizing seaweed biomass, this study addresses critical marine environmental issues and provides a sustainable solution for promising electrode materials for energy storage devices. The fabrication process involved impregnating seaweed with Ni ions, followed by annealing to create a highly crystalline carbon structure. Subsequent etching produced numerous nano-sized pores and a large surface area (806 m²/g), significantly enhancing the number of electrically active sites. The resulting HGCs exhibited a high capacitance and maintained their capacity even after 10,000 cycles in fast-current systems. This innovative approach not only mitigates the environmental burden of seaweed waste but also offers a sustainable method for converting it into efficient energy storage materials. Full article

With the increasing pressure of resource decline and environmental pollution faced by the green transformation of marine fisheries, marine fishery carbon sinks are an increasingly close link to national strategic interests and economic lifelines. It is, therefore, necessary to explore paths for the enhancement and development of the carbon sink capacity of marine fisheries. Based on the economic data of marine fisheries from 2002 to 2021, this paper measures the capacity and characteristics of marine fishery carbon sinks in provincial areas, applies the kernel density estimation method to depict the dynamic evolution of the distribution of absolute differences in marine fishery carbon sinks, and at the same time, identifies the factors influencing the spatial imbalance in the development of marine fishery carbon sinks as well as the spatial spillover effects. The results show the following: (1) From the total amount, the fishery carbon sink capacity of China’s three marine economic circles has fluctuated and increased over the past 20 years, with obvious differences among different circles, and the marine fishery carbon sink capacity of the eastern, northern, and southern marine economic circles has risen sequentially. This trend corresponds to the economic disparities among the three circles, demonstrating a transition from economic to industrial driving effects. (2) From the spatial point of view, the fishery carbon sink capacity shows a trend of increasing year by year, concentrating in the circles, and overflowing between the circles. (3) The results of a partial derivative test further show that among the main influencing factors of marine fishery carbon sinks, capital, labor, and market openness have direct positive effects on marine fishery carbon sinks, and the direct effect of innovation is the strongest, and the significance of the indirect effect of the three circles is weaker compared to the direct effect and total effect. As a result, the carbon sink of China’s marine fisheries has a large room for improvement, and in order to promote the high-quality development of China’s marine fisheries, it is still necessary to accelerate the circulation of resources within the marine economic circle, accelerate the research of fishery technology, actively develop the carbon sink fishery, and enhance the specialization of aquatic product processing. Full article