Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping
1
School of Economics & Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China
2
College of Transport and Communications, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China
3
School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430063, China
4
School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2024, 16(11), 4765; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114765
Submission received: 24 May 2024
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Revised: 28 May 2024
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Accepted: 30 May 2024
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Published: 3 June 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping)
Amid the global concerted efforts towards achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality as swiftly as possible, the port and shipping industry is adopting novel paradigms of development. Presently, the focal points lie in high-quality advancement, corporate social responsibility, and the integration of green and low-carbon development principles into the port and shipping sector, collectively propelling this industry towards comprehensive green and low-carbon development.
Navigating through the unpredictable macroeconomic landscape to identify a sustainable development pathway and pursue innovation within the port and shipping industry amidst the pursuit of carbon peak and carbon neutrality becomes notably challenging. This research endeavor brings together four papers authored by Chinese scholars, exploring the strategic approaches and methodologies to facilitate the transition of the port and shipping industry towards carbon neutrality and sustainable development against the backdrop of the ongoing drive for comprehensive green and low-carbon development within the industry.
The opening salvo was detailed by Song et al. (Contribution 1), who studied the multi-port empty container reposition problem under the uncertainty of port supply and demand. Two models were established: an optimization model for empty container reposition strategies and an optimization model for empty container non-repositioning strategies, and the two-stage particle swarm optimization (TS-PSO) algorithm was designed to solve the problem. Finally, a numerical example was used to verify the effectiveness of this method to determine the upper limit of empty container storage and optimize its relocation strategy.
The following research concentrated on understanding the factors and characteristics of business and the impact of cargo owners on sustainable practices in the maritime logistics chain. Caldeirinha et al. (Contribution 2) used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze 141 valid responses obtained from Portuguese companies. Their findings confirmed the different impacts of shippers’ business characteristics on sustainable practices in maritime logistics chains, with a greater focus on green transport, pollution prevention, and corporate social responsibility.
Continuing the point on low-carbon development, Zeng et al. (Contribution 3) took the port of Shanghai, China, as their research object, employed the gray correlation analysis model of principal component analysis to screen the factors affecting port carbon emissions, and constructed an expanded stochastic impact model based on the regression of population, affluence, and technology (STIRPAT), and combined it with the ridge regression method to further identify the important influencing factors. Among them, the number of berths had the greatest impact on the carbon emissions of Shanghai Port.
Finally, Lee et al. (Contribution 4) focused on sociotechnical systems analysis in the transition to a sustainable shipping industry within the framework of the IMO’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal. A strategy was proposed to fill the gap in the transition to eco-friendly marine fuels to promote niche innovation, highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with the transition from traditional marine fuels to environmentally sustainable fuel systems.
In summary, this Special Issue elucidates how the port and shipping industry grapples with the complexities of the fluctuating macroeconomic environment while striving to forge a sustainable trajectory in the process of achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality while simultaneously seeking avenues for innovation. It underscores the importance of integrating theories, technologies, and diverse methodologies to ensure the sustainable development of the port and shipping industry. Therefore, these contributions collectively address the overarching goal of comprehensive green and low-carbon development within this industry, aiming to guide policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers in navigating the complexities of achieving carbon neutrality while ensuring the sustainable growth and resilience of the port and shipping industry on a global scale.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
List of Contributions
- Song, J.; Tang, X.; Wang, C.; Xu, C.; Wei, J. Optimization of Multi-Port Empty Container Repositioning under Uncertain Environments. Sustainability 2022, 14, 13255. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013255
- Caldeirinha, V.; Felício, J.A.; Pinho, T. Role of Cargo Owner in Logistic Chain Sustainability. Sustainability 2023, 15, 10018. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310018
- Zeng, Y.; Yuan, X.; Hou, B. Analysis of Carbon Emission Reduction at the Port of Integrated Logistics: The Port of Shanghai Case Study. Sustainability 2023, 15, 10914. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410914
- Lee, J.; Sim, M.; Kim, Y.; Lee, C. Strategic Pathways to Alternative Marine Fuels: Empirical Evidence from Shipping Practices in South Korea. Sustainability 2024, 16, 2412. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062412
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MDPI and ACS Style
Xiao, G.; Xu, L.; Shu, Y.; Liu, G. Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping. Sustainability 2024, 16, 4765. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114765
AMA Style
Xiao G, Xu L, Shu Y, Liu G. Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping. Sustainability. 2024; 16(11):4765. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114765
Chicago/Turabian StyleXiao, Guangnian, Lang Xu, Yaqing Shu, and Guangfu Liu. 2024. "Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping" Sustainability 16, no. 11: 4765. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114765
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