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Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 7295

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Dr. Lang Xu

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Guest Editor

College of Transport and Communications, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China
Interests: port and shipping governance; sustainable transportation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Guangfu Liu

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Guest Editor

School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: renewable resources and circular economy (theories, methods and technologies for recycling and reuse of renewable resources, including reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain, planning and mana; port and shipping governance; sustainable transportation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Yaqing Shu

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Guest Editor

School of Navigation, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430063, China
Interests: port and shipping governance; sustainable transportation

Dr. Guangnian Xiao

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Guest Editor

School of Economics and Management, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China
Interests: port and shipping governance; sustainable transportation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In accordance with global efforts to achieve a carbon peak and carbon neutrality as soon as possible, the port and shipping industry is implementing new development concepts. Currently, the focus is on high-quality development, corporate social responsibility, integrating the concept of green and low-carbon development into the port and shipping industry, and jointly promoting the industry’s comprehensive green and low-carbon development. The decarbonization of the port and shipping industry continues to progress, and the carbon peak and carbon neutralization are hot topics that have dominated headlines since the beginning of the year, influencing decision making and trend judgment.

In view of the current development characteristics of the port and shipping industry, it is necessary to establish a green system; promote low-carbon energy consumption; gather the maximum joint force of green transformation; solve problems from the viewpoint of systems and mechanisms, energy consumption patterns, and collection and distribution systems; and vigorously promote the sustainable development of the port and shipping industry, which reflects the port and shipping industry’s mission to display social responsibility. This is of great practical significance when it comes to establishing a new development pattern. Thus, considering carbon peak and carbon neutrality, how can the port and shipping industry find the path of sustainable development and seek the innovation of port and shipping in the treacherous macroeconomic environment?

In the process of achieving a carbon peak and carbon neutrality, the maritime department should focus on source governance, firmly establish the concept of ecological civilization construction, encourage the port and shipping industry to take responsibility, deepen the construction of maritime supervision, and comprehensively improve the ability of maritime governance. Additionally, the port and shipping industry must focus on the adjustment of transportation structure. Promoting energy-saving transportation such as container and multimodal transport, increasing the proportion of waterway transportation, and promoting the development of waterway transportation in the direction of large-scale, specialization, intensification, and benefit takes priority. Additional actions include promoting low-carbon energy use in ships, encouraging the early elimination of old ships with greater energy consumption and high emissions, guiding the port to motorize ships, promoting the use of new energy vehicles such as natural gas fuel ships, and reducing the carbon emission intensity of port ships.

Dr. Lang Xu
Prof. Dr. Guangfu Liu
Dr. Yaqing Shu
Dr. Guangnian Xiao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

sustainable port and shipping industry
carbon neutrality
green transportation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3177 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strategic Pathways to Alternative Marine Fuels: Empirical Evidence from Shipping Practices in South Korea

by Jeongmin Lee, Minseop Sim, Yulseong Kim and Changhee Lee

Sustainability 2024, 16(6), 2412; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16062412 - 14 Mar 2024

Viewed by 771

Abstract

This study investigates the transition to a sustainable shipping industry within the framework of the IMO’s 2050 carbon neutrality objective, focusing on sociotechnical systems analysis. This research delves into the sustainable paradigm shift towards alternative marine fuels, such as LNG, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen, from a sociotechnical transition perspective, analyzing the multilevel perspective challenges and opportunities. Specifically, it scrutinizes the implications of adopting these alternative fuels for global shipping, identifying technical uncertainties, financial constraints, and infrastructure needs. Through a comprehensive review of the existing literature on ship emissions and alternative fuels, coupled with sociotechnical transition theory, this study addresses the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in meeting the IMO’s environmental objectives. It emphasizes the necessity of collaborative governance, innovative niche strategies, and a holistic approach to leverage the current window of opportunity in facilitating the maritime industry’s transition to sustainable fuel options. Finally, this research enhances our understanding of the intricate interplay between technological, social, industrial, and cultural dynamics in the greening of shipping, and offers insights into the strategic adoption of environmentally friendly marine fuels for a sustainable future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping)

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21 pages, 3540 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Carbon Emission Reduction at the Port of Integrated Logistics: The Port of Shanghai Case Study

by Yilin Zeng, Xiang Yuan and Bing Hou

Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 10914; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151410914 - 12 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1914

Abstract

With the goal of achieving carbon neutrality in the shipping industry, the issue of sustainable port development is becoming more and more valued by the port authorities. The shipping industry requires more effective carbon emission reduction analysis frameworks. This paper takes China’s Shanghai Port as the research object and analyzes it from the perspective of port-integrated logistics. Combined with the port data of Shanghai Port from 2008 to 2022, the principal component analysis gray correlation analysis model was used to screen the factors affecting the port’s carbon emissions, and three calculation models for Shanghai Port’s carbon emission sources were proposed. In addition, an expanded stochastic impact model based on the regression of population, affluence, and technology (STIRPAT) was constructed for the influencing factors of Shanghai Port’s carbon dioxide emissions and combined with the method of ridge regression to further identify important influencing factors. At the same time, a gray neural network model was established to predict the carbon emissions of Shanghai Port from 2021 to 2030 and compare them with their real value. The conclusion shows that there is a close relationship between Shanghai Port carbon emissions and container throughput, throughput energy consumption, number of berths, total foreign trade import and export, and net profit attributable to the parent company. Gray neural network model data calculations show that the growth rate of Shanghai Port’s carbon emissions will gradually slow down in the next ten years until the carbon peak is completed around 2033. The study can provide a reference for the sustainable development of other ports. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping)

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21 pages, 1486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Role of Cargo Owner in Logistic Chain Sustainability

by Vitor Caldeirinha, J. Augusto Felício and Tiago Pinho

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10018; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310018 - 25 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1442

Abstract

Understanding the factors and characteristics of the business and the influence of cargo owners on sustainable practices in maritime logistics chains is the main objective of this study. The sample consists of 141 valid responses from Portuguese companies that own cargo, freight forwarders and other maritime logistics service providers. Sustainable energy theory, green state theory, and shared value creation theory support the research. The SEM methodology was adopted. The sector’s structure, management characteristics, type of transport contract and the size of the cargo characterize and condition the business of cargo owners and influence the choice of green transport, the use of green fuel and corporate social responsibility. It is important to increase the knowledge and practice of cargo owners in order to understand their business constraints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping)

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16 pages, 4856 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Multi-Port Empty Container Repositioning under Uncertain Environments

by Jingyao Song, Xin Tang, Chuanxu Wang, Changyan Xu and Junyi Wei

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13255; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013255 - 15 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1746

Abstract

Empty container repositioning has always been an important problem faced by ports. In this paper, we study the multi-port empty container repositioning problem with the uncertainty of the demand and supply of empty containers in ports. First, we established an optimization model for empty container reposition strategies and calculated every port’s proportion, depending on its own empty container storage, on the operation of other ports and on the leasing company, in meeting the demand. Next, we established an optimization model for the empty container non-repositioning strategy, calculated the same proportions and compared their performance under two strategies. A two-stage particle swarm optimization (TS-PSO) algorithm was designed to solve the two models, and an example was used to verify the effectiveness of the algorithm and the rationality of the two models. Our research showed that the total cost of empty containers, storage costs, lease costs and the optimal storage of empty containers in ports under the repositioning strategy are all lower than those of the non-repositioning strategy. The proportion of the empty container demand met by inventory under the repositioning strategy is higher than that under the non-repositioning strategy, while the proportion of the empty container demand met by leasing is lower. The costs of leasing cost and repositioning empty containers are higher than those under the non-repositioning strategy. The increase in transportation time between ports per empty container mainly leads to the increase in the reposition costs of all ports. The increase in storage fees chiefly leads to the rising storage costs of all ports. The increase in leasing fees leads to the rising leasing costs of all ports. The paper provides a method for ports to decide the upper limit of empty container storage and to optimize their repositioning strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Neutralization in Sustainable Port and Shipping)

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