Management Innovation for Environmental Sustainability in Seaports: Managerial Accounting Instruments and Training for Competitive Green Ports beyond the Regulations

Renewable solar and wind energies on buildings for green ports in Egypt

Energy management plan is utilized as an optimum strategy by using solar and wind energies, as a new preliminary implementation. The aim of the study is to create an optimum strategy through an optimization of an energy management system. The study implemented an onsite model, two numerical approaches, and an optimization analysis on a Mediterranean port. Two approaches have been used: solar energy is applied experimentally and numerically, and then wind energy is simulated. An optimization analysis integrated the two approaches together to control their operation. The results showed the installed solar panels provided sufficient generated power for the buildings. Also, the simulated wind arrays showed good behavior with increased power coefficient for the wind turbines, for future implementation. These results were validated using the DesignBuilder software and showed accurate values regarding the experiment for solar panels and CFD simulation. Eventually, a Pareto optimality analysis is applied between the solar and wind energies to reveal an energy management plan. Renewable energy offered energy to support the consumption of the port's buildings.

A bibliometric analysis of the literature on circular economy and sustainability in maritime studies

Over the last decade, many academics, practitioners, and policy-makers have focused on the notion of circular economy (CE) as a way to operationalize sustainable development. There is, however, a shortage of review studies that reflect the evolution and status of CE with respect to sustainability in the maritime industry. The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the development of CE in research on sustainable maritime processes/operations in the maritime industry. To accomplish this, the study uses citation analysis (publication distribution, productive journals, cross-country collaborations), co-occurrence analysis of the subject categories, co-citation analysis, and keyword frequency analysis. To collect data, the study utilizes the Web of Science database. Such software packages as CiteSpace, Histcite, and VOSviewer are used to analyze the data collected. The results clarify that, in the maritime industry, CE is a micro-level sub-set of sustainability. Furthermore, the literature has mainly focused on waste management and life-cycle assessment as measures of CE 1.0 and CE 2.0, respectively. Assessing circularity in terms of R-imperatives highlights that "recycle," "remanufacture," "recover," and "reduce" are widespread practices of circularity in the maritime industry. Shipping companies should evaluate the possibility of implementing CE by realizing shorter loop R-imperatives such as "refuse," "reduce," "reuse," and "repair." Scholars must further explore underdeveloped R-imperatives such as "refuse," "refurbish," "repurpose," and "remine" in the maritime industry.

Enhancing the strategic alignment between environmental drivers of sustainability and the performance management system in Italian manufacturing firms

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide managers with suitable strategic KPIs in decision-making processes, which aim to integrate the environmental dimension of sustainability at a business level in manufacturing organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

In view of the research proposal addressed, semi-structured interviews were conducted, based on theoretical milestones of the performance management system (PMS), with 48 managers that work in Italian manufacturing firms and specialise in green practices.

Findings

The authors developed a novel environmentally performed framework to adequately integrate environmental value drivers at a strategic level.

Practical implications

The resulting issues addressed in this paper, and their integration in the business strategy for managing environmental complexity, allows contributing, firstly, to the existing literature by suggesting the relevant key value drivers that need to be mostly studied from an accounting point of view. In addition, from these results, though their experience managers will have up-to-date key measures that could, in the future, help the integration process between the environmental aspect of the sustainability dimension and the PMS.

Originality/value

The results generate a robust roadmap for future analysis in this research field. Accordingly, the paper engenders a strategic alignment in the green transition process, providing scholars and practitioners with a clear view of the key sustainable drivers, metrics and potential solutions that have not been addressed to date.

A Study of the Relationship between Corporate Culture and Corporate Sustainable Performance: Evidence from Chinese SMEs

Sustainable development is a significant issue facing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the literature of corporate sustainable development and the resource-based view, this study aims to examine how corporate flexibility and control culture influence sustainable performance by triggering innovation capabilities and investigate the moderating role of leadership style (i.e., transformational and transactional). The 186 matched questionnaire data from managers and employees in Chinese SMEs reveal that the flexibility and control culture are positively and negatively related to innovation capability, respectively, and that the latter mediates their influence on sustainable performance. Moreover, transformational leadership positively (negatively) moderates the relationship between flexibility (control) culture and innovation capability, while transactional leadership positively moderates the relationship between control culture and innovation capability. This study enriches the theoretical literature on corporate sustainable performance and provides management insights into how SMEs could survive and achieve sustained growth through corporate culture.

Renewable Energy System Controlled by Open-Source Tools and Digital Twin Model: Zero Energy Port Area in Italy

The present paper deals with an infrastructure digitization policy to optimize maintenance processes and energy efficiency to transform port areas to ZED (Zero Energy District). The Lazio Region started the process for all its ports in 2020. The Anzio port started and developed as a pilot project as it is a particularly representative sample for the Mediterranean Sea reality due to its geomorphological conformation. The study aimed to develop energy-saving procedures and strategies and integrate production systems from Renewable Energy Systems (RESs) for sustainable mobility. In the article, these strategies are described in detail and energy analysis is carried out, starting from the current state and demonstrating the potential energy self-sufficiency of the infrastructure. Finally, the investigation’s potential utilizing a Digital Twin (DT) of the area is highlighted. Furthermore, the BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) combining possibility to maximize the energy efficiency measures beneficial impact are discussed.

Blockchain Technology for Enhancing Traceability and Efficiency in Automobile Supply Chain—A Case Study

A robust traceability system would help organizations in inventory optimization reduce lead time and improve customer service and quality which further enables the organizations to be a leader in their industry sector. This research study analyzes the challenges faced by the automotive industry in its supply chain operations. Further, the traceability issues and waiting time at different nodes of the supply chain are considered to be priority issues that affect the overall supply chain efficiency in the automotive supply chain. After studying the existing blockchain architectures and their implementation methodology, this study proposes a new blockchain-based architecture to improve traceability and reduce waiting time for the automotive supply chain. A hyper ledger fabric-based blockchain architecture is developed to track the ownership transfers in inbound and outbound logistics. The simulation results of the proposed hyper ledger fabric-based blockchain architecture show that there is an improvement in the traceability of items at different nodes of the supply chain that enhances the Inventory Quality Ratio (IQR) and the mean waiting time is reduced at the factory, wholesaler, and retailer, which thereby improves the overall supply chain efficiency. The blockchain embedded supply chain is more capable to eliminate the risks and uncertainties associated with the automotive supply chain. The benefits of adopting blockchain technology in the automotive supply chain are also described. The developed blockchain-based framework is capable to get more visibility into goods movement and inventory status in automotive supply chains.

Small and Medium-Sized Ports in the TEN-T Network and Nexus of Europe’s Twin Transition: The Way towards Sustainable and Digital Port Service Ecosystems

Despite high competition among big EU ports, such as Rotterdam, Hamburg, or Valencia, acting as Core Ports in the Trans-European Transport Core and Comprehensive Network (TEN-T), this paper addresses the marginalized decision-making capability for environmental and digital transition immanent in the Small and Medium-Sized Ports (SMSPs) ecosystems in the EU. Irrespective of topical research, little is said about SMSPs ecosystem sustainability robustness and how SMSPs can pursue the transformative way. Here, management and strategic port decision levels are rather patchy and disconnected from the operational port performance. SMSPs are bound to limited resources and low cognitive, organizational, or institutional proximity, compared to their bigger counterparts. This situation provides a lot of room for critical demarche, since in the TEN-T Network, there are 225 Comprehensive and only 104 Core Ports, the majority qualifying, thus, as SMSPs. This research aims at reducing this research-to-practice lacuna by improving limited managerial capacity of SMSPs on environmental responsibility and digital efficiency. Using an ecosystem concept and aggregated empirical data in three EU macro-regions—the Baltic Sea Region, the Adriatic-Ionian Sea Region, and the Mediterranean Sea Region, three specific decision-making tools are suggested for managerial applications to facilitate and reinforce transition in SMSPs for environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic efficiency.

How to Measure Environmental Performance in Ports

Oceans, seas, and marine resources are highly relevant for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Such relevance has given rise to the blue economy approach, where scholars and policymakers see activities carried out in cargo ports from a different perspective. The blue economy approach stresses the emergence of multiple transnational networks in relation to these topics and the development of green ports plus environmental measurements at seaports in general. In this context, our study aimed to review the various scientifically documented methods for measuring environmental performance in ports, ports companies, or port authorities in the maritime transport and inland waterways framework. The study followed a scientometric meta-analytic methodology to accomplish its goals. The study strictly referred to the Environmental Performance in Ports (EPP) and extracted the corpus to analyze data held in five databases embedded in the Web of Science Core Collection. Then, the selection was processed and refined with the PRISMA guidelines to establish the eligibility criteria for articles with the PICOS (Population, Interventions, Comparators, Outcomes, and Study) tool. A limited study set was identified. This included port environmental performance indicators and studies that were strongly influenced by the European Sea Ports Organization and Green Marine networks. These were compared based on the ecological Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), scale structure, and diversity in application. Finally, we assessed two measurement forms documented in the scientific research on the subject at a global level and discussed their pros and cons.

Influence of Strategic Interrelationships and Decision-Making in Chilean Port Networks on Their Degree of Sustainability

An extensive literary review is carried out to determine the strategic and business advantages, and difficulties that non-smart ports must face to develop sustainability. Based on a two-port case study, the strategic text of the corporate missions of port administrators and operators is analyzed and classified in order to understand to what extend economic, social and environmental aspects are fulfilled. A conceptual model is designed for an information system based on indicators that can determine the state or degree of sustainability in the critical operational activities of the ports studied. A system is proposed that is based on a data warehouse core and a multidimensional database, which can be implemented in the ROLAP mode, allowing taking advantage of the good characteristics of relational databases without losing the OLAP approach. A discussion of the strategic feasibility of implementing this conceptual model of case study monitoring and its long-term benefits is delivered. The conclusions state that the development of this green technology requires cultural changes, public policy initiatives and the incorporation of new actors. In addition, more research is needed in this area to identify other relevant sustainable variables.

Optimization of Shore Power Deployment in Green Ports Considering Government Subsidies

Shipping trade and port operations are two of the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The emission of air pollutants brings severe problems to the marine environment and coastal residents’ lives. Shore power technology is an efficient CO2 emission reduction program, but it faces sizeable initial investment and high electricity prices. For shipping companies, energy such as low-sulfur fuels and liquefied natural gas has become an essential supplementary means to meet emission reduction requirements. This research considers the impact of government subsidies on port shore power construction and ship shore power use. It constructs a multi-period dual-objective port shore power deployment optimization model based on minimizing operating costs and minimizing CO2 emissions. Multi-combination subsidy strategies, including unit subsidy rate and subsidy demarcation line, are quantitatively described and measured. The proposed Epsilon constraint method is used to transform and model the dual-objective optimization problem. Numerical experiments verify the effectiveness of the model and the feasibility of the solution method. By carrying out a “cost-environment” Pareto trade-off analysis, a model multi-period change analysis, and a subsidy efficiency analysis, this research compares the decision-making results of port shore power construction, ship berthing shore power use, and ship berthing energy selection. Government subsidy strategy and operation management enlightenment in the optimization of port shore power deployment are discussed.

Cost-Benefit Evaluation on Promising Strategies in Compliance with Low Sulfur Policy of IMO

According to the amendment of the “International Convention for the Marine Prevention of Pollution from Ships” (MARPOL), Annex VI stating that the sulfur content in marine fuel oil cannot exceed 0.5 wt. % came into effect in 2020. This study uses cost-benefit analysis method to evaluate the feasibility and implementation benefits of those strategies. A container ship serving on the ship route is selected as a representative. It is found that the very low-sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) strategy has a higher total incremental cost than the scrubber strategy in the first 4.14 years, but then, the trend is reversed. After this container ship is equipped with a scrubber, the pollutant emission reduction is 5% higher than the condition of VLSFO only in the first year. The SOx and PM emission reduction rates of VLSFO strategy are higher than that of the scrubber strategy by 9% and 25%, respectively, within five years. In addition, during 3.3 years after the scrubber is installed, the cost-benefit ratio is higher than that of the VLSFO strategy. Hence, the scrubber for the ocean route container ships is merely a short-term compliance strategy within 3.3 years. In contrast, the low sulfur fuel oil strategy that less pollutant is emitted is a compliance strategy for periods longer than 3.3 years.

Sustainability Accounting—Cognitive and Conceptual Approach

Nowadays, the speed of changes in practical activities and scientific research in the field of sustainable development has not yet allowed to clearly indicate the role of accounting in this area. Therefore, the main goal of the paper is to present sustainability accounting in the light of positive and normative accounting theory and to propose its conceptual framework as a normative solution. Positive theories allow the author to use inductive reasoning and thus indicates the state of accounting development (opportunities and risks) in sustainable business, identifying three key gaps: theoretical, empirical and methodical. In turn, by means of normative theories, on the basis of deductive reasoning, the paper recognizes the desired directions and normatives of sustainability accounting changes. The research methodology is based on theoretical and methodological triangulation, using descriptive and comparative analysis. The main findings of the research focus on an original normative solution in the form of the author’s concept of sustainability accounting based on conclusions drawn in the light of positive and normative accounting theories. The presented potential research areas are meant to pose the directions of sustainability accounting development. The results of research may determine the future growth, importance and character of sustainability accounting in business, and thus help both shareholders and stakeholders to perceive and use company achievements for sustainable development.

Quick Wins Workshop and Companies Profiling to Analyze Industrial Symbiosis Potential. Valenciaport’s Cluster as Case Study

Industrial symbiosis (IS) improves resource efficiency and creates sustainable opportunities by encouraging synergies between industries. However, managers still have difficulties in promoting IS, given the lack of appropriate managerial tools to efficiently obtain an overview of IS potential. In this paper, a procedure merging the Quick Wins Workshop format with clustering techniques is proposed, in order to both identify IS opportunities and support IS creation in the industrial cluster of Valenciaport. A total of 18 stakeholders took part in the study. As a result, 79 different resources classified into eight categories—materials (16), goods (14), space (11), expertise (11), energy (9), services (8), hydrocarbons (7), and water (3)—were derived and a total of 78 possible matchings were found. The creation of IS was supported by the clustering methods, which allow for the definition of common symbiotic features among stakeholders, classifying them into groups with similar IS potential. Three IS profiles were identified (high, medium, and low IS potential) and two strategic projects were devised, accordingly. It can be concluded that the proposed procedure provides useful managerial tools to identify resource flows, uncover patterns of exchange, identify possible matchings, and devise projects in communities interested in fostering IS from scratch.

Variables affecting the plankton network in Mediterranean ports

Attention on port waters is increasing since these economically important infrastructures are embedded in the coastal environment and their management needs to be considered in the monitoring programmes of coastal ecosystems. To implement the sustainable development (blue growth) of port areas, a general knowledge on the ongoing processes in their waters needs to be obtained, considering both abiotic and biotic variables. The present study aimed at inspecting the relationships among plankton components to provide insights into the ecology of ports. Seasonal samplings were carried out in three Mediterranean touristic ports where bacterio-, phyto- and zoo-plankton were simultaneously assessed at a large spatial scale and compared with respect to environmental variables and anthropogenic inputs. Factor analysis revealed the effects of load of inland waters, seasonality, water turbulence and hydrocarbon pollution on the planktonic components and zooplankton variability in port sectors characterized by different depths and uses.

Artificial Intelligence in the Agri-Food System: Rethinking Sustainable Business Models in the COVID-19 Scenario

The aim of the paper is to investigate the artificial intelligence (AI) function in agri-food industry, as well as the role of stakeholders in its supply chain. Above all, from the beginning of the new millennium, scholars and practitioners have paid an increasing attention to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in operational processes management and challenges for new business models, in a sustainable and socially responsible perspective. Thus, the stakeholders can assume a proactive or marginal role in the value creation for business, according to their own environmental awareness. These issues appear still “open” in some industries, such as the agri-food system, where the adoption of new technologies requires rethinking and redesigning the whole business model. Methodologically, we brought forward an in-depth review of the literature about major articles in this field. Especially, the study has been conducted following two phases: firstly, we extracted from scientific databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar) and studied relevant articles; secondly, we analyzed the selected articles. The findings highlight interesting issues about AI towards a “space economy” to achieve sustainable and responsible business models, also in the perspective of the COVID-19 pandemic scenario. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Impacts of Anthropogenic Pollutants on Benthic Prokaryotic Communities in Mediterranean Touristic Ports

Ports and marinas are central nodes in transport network and play a strategic role in coastal development. They receive pollution from land-based sources, marine traffic and port infrastructures on one side and constitute a potential pollution source for the adjacent coastal areas on the other. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic co-contamination on the prokaryotic communities in sediments from three Mediterranean ports. The structure and composition of the bacterial and archaeal communities were assessed by targeted metagenomic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, and the links of prokaryotic communities with environmental and pollution variables were investigated. The harbors presented pronounced site-specificity in the environmental properties and pollution status. Consistently, the structure of archaeal and bacterial communities in surface sediments exhibited a strong spatial variation among the three investigated ports. On the contrary, a wide overlap in composition of prokaryotic assemblages among sites was found, but local variation in the community composition and loss of prokaryotic diversity was highlighted in a heavily impacted port sector near a shipyard. We provided evidences that organic matter, metals and PAHs as well as temperature and salinity play a strong role in structuring benthic bacterial communities significantly contributing to the understanding of their responses to anthropogenic perturbations in marine coastal areas. Among metals, copper was recognized as strongly associated with the observed changes in bacterial assemblages. Overall, this study provides the first assessment of the effects exerted by multiple organic and inorganic contaminations on benthic prokaryotes in ports over a large spatial scale and designates bacterial community as a candidate tool for the monitoring of the sediment quality status in harbors.

The Method to Decrease Emissions from Ships in Port Areas

Nowadays great attention is being paid to the ecological aspects of maritime transport functioning, including the problem of pollution and emission of poisonous substances from ships. Such emissions have a significant impact on the environment and sustainable operation of ports, especially those located close to intensive waterways. A decrease in emissions from ships may be achieved by implementing different methods, among others, through the use of environmentally friendly fuels, electrical and hybrid vehicles, as well as through the improvement of port approach and inside navigational channels, optimization of the transport processes organization, etc. However, the size of the influence of ships’ crew and ports pilots’ qualification on the possibility to decrease the emissions from ships during maneuvering in port areas remains a question. This article aims to develop a method to assess the possible decrease of the emissions from ships in ports, considering human factor influence. The method has been developed and verified on the selected case study example. The influence of ships’ crew and ports pilots’ qualification on time spent on maneuvering operations by ships in port areas and consequently the volume of emissions has been investigated. The research results show that for the set conditions it is possible to reduce emissions from ships up to 12.5%. For that reason, appropriate education and training are needed to improve the qualifications of decision-makers performing ship maneuvers at ports areas.

Distributed Ledger Technology as a Tool for Environmental Sustainability in the Shipping Industry

In recent years, many industries have adopted technology and digital systems to automate, expedite and secure specific processes. Stakeholders in maritime transport continue to exchange physical documents in order to conduct business. The monitoring of supply chain goods, communication among employees, environmental sustainability and longevity control, along with time framing, all create challenges to many industries. Everyday onboard work, such as cargo operations, navigation and various types of inspections in shipping, still requires paper documents and logs that need to be signed (and stamped). The conversion of traditional paper contracts into smart contracts, which can be digitalized and read through automation, provides a new wave of collaboration between eco systems across the shipping industry. Various data collected and stored on board ships could be used for scientific purposes. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) could be used to collect all those data and improve shipping operations by process expediting. It could eliminate the need to fill in various documents and logs and make operations safer and more environmentally friendly. Information about various important procedures onboard ships could be shared among all interested stakeholders. This paper considers the possible application of distributed ledger technology as an aid for the control of overboard discharge of wastewater from commercial ships. The intended outcome is that it could help protect the environment by sending data to relevant stakeholders in real time, thus providing information regarding the best discharge areas. The use of a structured communal data transference would ensure a consistent and accurate way to transmit data to all interested parties, and would eliminate the need to fill in various paper forms and logs. Wastewater overboard discharges would be properly monitored, recorded and measured, as distributed ledger technology would prevent any possibility of illegal actions and falsification of documents, thus ensuring environmental sustainability.

RUE Index as a Tool to Improve the Energy Intensity of Container Terminals—Case Study at Port of Valencia

A container terminal is a high energy demanding organization. Giving priority to the investments that have a better impact on the minimization of energy consumption is a prime concern of the management board of the Port Authority and container terminals. This study presents a tool for the classification of the processes that take place in the port. The Relevant Use of Energy (RUE) index is described and applied to a case study, the Port Authority of Valencia, which is the main port of the Mediterranean in container traffic. Three different functional units have been discussed for the assessment: Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEU), cargo handled, and several container ships that operate in the port. The implementation of specific projects following the recommendation of the RUE Index validated the tool and allowed a reduction of the energy intensity of 29.5%, and a 40% reduction of the cost of energy per TEU between 2008 and 2016. However, there is still room for improvement, and project lines are proposed for this matter. A partnership between the RUE Index and an energy management system ISO 50001 certified and ensures quality data giving confidence to the decision-making process of the management board.

Seaports as Nodal Points of Circular Supply Chains: Opportunities and Challenges for Secondary Ports

This paper focuses on the development of secondary ports in the circular economy model (as a node of circular supply chains) to implement sustainable seaports in the context of the structural changes taking place in the global economy, trade, and maritime transport. The purpose of this article is to identify the opportunities, challenges, and key actions to be taken by secondary ports in circular supply chains. The research method applied was a single case study. The object of the study was the seaport of Szczecin (Poland). Our study showed that the secondary ports lacking technical conditions to serve large vessels, but with available space to develop their transshipment, storage, industrial, distribution, and logistics activities, may become major participants in circular supply chains. Taking advantage of the opportunities associated with participating secondary ports in the circular supply chain requires facing a number of challenges identified in the current literature, such as return-flow uncertainty, transport and infrastructure, the availability of suitable supply chain partners, coordination and information sharing, product traceability, and cultural issues. Our study partially confirms the significance of these challenges for secondary ports. The significance of these challenges depends on the kind of circular supply chain, i.e., whether the supply chain is a producer or a consumer chain. Our study shows that a very important challenge for both types of chains is the problem of internal resistance to change. This still-unsolved issue involves the persistent linear mindset of the port authority, which is manifested mainly as investor evaluation policy based exclusively on the declared annual transshipment volume, which fails to take actions to provide the available land plots with the infrastructure necessary for the terminals and industrial plants that participate in circular supply chains. Simultaneously, for secondary ports, we proved that it is stevedores (who are flexible and fast in adapting to new market conditions, strongly determined to search for new cargo types to replace those that have vanished, and who adapt the scope of their services) who play a key role in stimulating the development of circular supply chains. As a main managerial implication for the authorities of secondary ports, such authorities should create appropriate policies for investor assessments and the utilisation of available areas within the port premises to encourage the enterprises engaged in circular supply chains to invest in and develop their businesses within the port’s premises. It is also necessary to develop appropriate communication between port authorities and their external stakeholders. As a managerial implication for the stevedores in secondary ports, these entities should first develop their service offers to address cargo as part of the circular supply chains (with more comprehensive service offers and added-value services, such as freight forwarding services, stuffing, packing, and mixing of cargo) and develop cooperation with other stakeholders of circular supply chains.

Exploring Relationships between Environmental Performance, E-Government and Corruption: A Multivariate Perspective

In order to improve environmental performance, the participation of effective and transparent citizens and governments that help counteract corruption in environmental matters is crucial. In this sense, this work focuses on exploring relationships between e-participation, e-government, the corruption index and environmental performance indicators. To this end, a sample comprising 116 countries from varying geographic regions is used in conjunction with indicators of environmental performance, e-participation, e-government and the corruption index. Through the use of the HJ-biplot and STATIS multivariate statistical techniques, it will be possible to observe the role that these variables play in countries’ behavioural patterns with respect to environmental performance. The results show a correlation between the indicator ‘perception of corruption’ and environmental performance; therefore, the lower the level of corruption, the higher the environmental performance index. We conclude that countries that exhibit more e-participation, lower levels of corruption and better level income are more likely to follow policies and programmes aimed at achieving better environmental performance.

Sediment management in coastal infrastructures: Techno-economic and environmental impact assessment of alternative technologies to dredging

The presence of anthropic activity in the coastal or riverine environment modifies the wave as well as the water and sediment current regime. In particular, the body of water around ports is an area where intense currents and sediment transport rates are usually present and can be affected by low water velocities that take place close to the entrance and inside the port basin. Consequently, sediment can be entrained and accumulated in such areas, creating problems to navigation. Ports and moorings are filled with fine sediments due to deposition resulting from solid transport. In particular, silt particles settle because of the weak vertical and lateral shearing of the velocity field. The result is that harbours frequently require ordinary maintenance dredging. The dredging process involves the removal of sediment in its natural deposited condition by using either mechanical or hydraulic equipment. Dredging is a consolidated and proven technology, but involves considerable drawbacks. In particular, dredging has a notable environmental impact on marine flora and fauna, contributes to the mobility and diffusion of contaminants and pollutants already present in the silted sediments, obstructs navigation and is characterized by relatively high and low predictable costs. This paper aims to provide an original structured overview of technologies alternative to dredging that have been tested in the past 50 years. More than 150 articles have been analysed to compare standard dredging technologies with market-ready competitors from techno-economic and environmental perspectives. In particular, the paper focuses on anti-sedimentation infrastructures and on innovative plant solutions characterized by low maintenance costs and by a very limited environmental impact. The final aim of the paper is to describe the currently available technologies that prevent port inlet and channel siltation and to classify them through a techno-economic and environmental impact assessment. The comparison shows that dredging has both the higher costs and environmental impact, while fixed sand by-passing plants are characterized by the lowest environmental impact and operation costs that are competitive with dredging.

Selective Adoption: How Port Authorities in Europe and West Africa Engage with the Globalizing ‘Green Port’ Idea

The scholarly debate on ‘green ports’ since it emerged in the policy discourse of international maritime organizations has largely focused on exploring the economic benefits associated with implementing related policies and developing green guides and codes of conduct for port authorities. In contrast, it has received little attention how the green port idea and according measures are taken up and what role is played by contextual factors in places of such uptake. By engaging with the expanding literature on policy mobilities and drawing on empirical information collected through interviews with port officials from four ports in Europe and West Africa, we argue that context-specific factors strongly influence what we call the selective adoption of green port tools and measures for transitioning ports towards sustainability. They include environmental priorities, regulatory requirements, financial resources and the immediate areas of competence of port authorities, which all vary widely across regions and specific ports.

Maritime National Single Window—A Prerequisite for Sustainable Seaport Business

This paper presents a comprehensive review of National Single Window concept and its impact on sustainability in maritime transport and seaports. The theoretical frameworks of sustainability, maritime transport, seaports, the National Single Window and the Maritime National Single Window is provided. The importance of stakeholder connectivity in maritime transport and seaports in improving sustainability is demonstrated, as well as the advantages of smoother data exchange through global analysis of National Single Window examples, the majority of which present national and regional best practices and initiatives. Empirical data has been provided in order to demonstrate the impact of National Single Windows and Maritime National Single Windows on seaport sustainability (economic, environmental, and social).

A System Dynamics Model for CO2 Mitigation Strategies at a Container Seaport

With the rapid development of the container shipping industry, the mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from container seaport activities have become an urgent problem. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate dynamic problems in mitigation strategies at a container seaport. As a result, a system dynamics model for CO2 mitigation strategies at a container seaport was established. Three methods were combined to construct the system dynamics model: the activity-based method to estimate CO2 emissions; the representation of a container seaport as a system with several sub-systems; the system dynamics modeling for strategic decision-making in CO2 mitigation strategies. The key model component was the amount of CO2 emissions produced by container seaport activities. The other components represented container seaport operations and the main spots of CO2 concentration at berth, yard, gates, and region areas. Several CO2 mitigation strategies were included in the model to be simulated. The real case of Qingdao Port in China was used to simulate the scenarios of the current situation with CO2 emission amounts and the increasing container throughput. The other scenarios demonstrate the effects from CO2 mitigation strategies, such as operating time optimization, spatial measures, equipment modernization, and modal shift. The obtained results enable container seaport executives to evaluate which mitigation scenario is more effective for every container seaport area. The system dynamics model serves as a useful decision-making mechanism providing flexibility and variability in strategic planning.

The Influence of Management Innovation and Technological Innovation on Organization Performance. A Mediating Role of Sustainability

Organizations have several objectives, including competitiveness, high profit and long-term survival. However, sustainability has become a diligent act of business and non-business organizations because it moves organizations toward superior performance. Sustainability does not come itself; it requires enough resources and capabilities. Extant studies have examined the factors that influence sustainability, but have rarely touched on innovation in this perspective. The present study examines the influence of management innovation and technological innovation on organization performance with the mediating role of sustainability. To test the model, we applied structural equation modeling in the analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) on the empirical evidence collected from 304 Pakistani CEOs and top managers. The results indicate that management innovation and technological innovation significantly positively contribute to sustainability and organization performance. Sustainability plays a partial mediating role between management innovation and organization performance and also a partial mediating role between technological innovation and organization performance. We recommend CEOs and top managers to give due attention to management innovation and technological innovation to enhance sustainability and survive the long run. Implications are discussed.

A Stakeholder Perspective of Port City Sustainable Development

As world seaborne trade continues to grow, especially in view of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), there is a mounting demand for a sustainable balance among the economic, social, and environmental performance of the port cities involved. This study aims to first conduct a review of existing sustainability frameworks; second, conduct a stakeholder analysis for port city sustainable development. The case studies of two major port cities in China—Guangzhou and Shenzhen, are conducted. According to the findings, a structured framework with main categories of economic, social and environmental indicators would be recommended for port cities. Dealing with diversified stakeholders and their interests is a major challenge for policy makers to overcome but opportunities do co-exist. Policy makers of Guangzhou and Shenzhen have made progress in balancing economic, social, and environmental interests in recent years. This study has taken a step forward in the research area, with a view to provide reference to stakeholders and governments in progressing towards sustainable development in port cities.

Social Network Analysis of Sustainable Human Resource Management from the Employee Training’s Perspective

Employee training is not only important for the continuous growth of human resources but also guarantees sustainable human resource management in enterprises. It is very important to understand corporate behaviour related to employee training not only from the perspective of a single enterprise but also from that of multiple enterprises. The purpose of this study is to explore multiple enterprises’ employee training behaviours by conducting a content analysis of corporate social responsibility (sustainability) reports and a social network analysis. This study also seeks to find a way to achieve sustainable employee training by analysing the similarities in the different types of corporate training behaviours. Our analysis shows that, in 2017, 108 types of training activities were implemented by 53 enterprises; the key employee trainings (e.g., security training and skills training) and enterprises (e.g., bank of communication) are identified. The training behaviours of some of the enterprises are similar to some extent, and eight groups of firms that are very similar are identified. The results of this study show that social network analysis performs well for studying corporate employee training behaviours. Some suggestions to minimize the investment costs of training and to improve the sustainability of human resource management from the employee training perspective are provided.

A Method for Determining the Required Power Capacity of an On-Shore Power System Considering Uncertainties of Arriving Ships

The contribution of this paper is to provide a method for determining the required power capacity of an on-shore power system (OPS) considering the stochastic nature of arriving ships. In order to cope with such complicated and stochastic operation processes in container terminals, simulation models are established with arrival intervals of ships ranging from 1 to 100 h as inputs. Firstly, the mobile pattern of OPS adopted in the container terminal is introduced. Then, patterns of arriving ships are analyzed to explain why a simulation method is necessary. Next, a series of simulation experiments based on a container terminal in China are constructed and carried out. Finally, the required power capacity of an OPS under different arrival intervals is given when considering all berthed ships using an OPS. Besides, with the consideration of reducing environmental impact of ships at different levels, the required power capacity is provided with different proportions of arriving ships using an OPS. The results obtained, and the proposed method can be used to provide references for government policy making and green container terminal construction.

Container Transport Network for Sustainable Development in South Korea

The ever-increasing tendency toward economic globalization highlights the importance of sustainable container transport networks to a country’s international trade, especially for an economy that is highly dependent on exports. This paper aims to develop a transport network connectivity index (TNCI) to measure the container transport connectivity from a multi-modal perspective. The proposed index is based on both graph theory and economics, considering transport infrastructure and capacity, cargo flow, and capacity utilization. Using the case of South Korea as an example, we apply the TNCI to assess the connectivity of the Busan, Gwangyang, and Incheon ports, representing approximately 96% of the container throughput in South Korea. The calculated TNCI not only provides insight into the assessment of sustainable port competitiveness, it also helps policymakers identify bottlenecks in multi-modal transport networks. To eliminate these bottlenecks, this paper offers some appropriate measures and specific strategies for port development, which in turn improves the connectivity of container transport networks for sustainable development.

Inland Shipping to Serve the Hinterland: The Challenge for Seaport Authorities

The competitiveness of seaports is predominantly affected by factors external to the ports themselves, connected mainly with the quality of the hinterland and foreland infrastructure. Measures taken in these areas are reflected in the main objectives of the port strategies. Concurrently, the measures may have adverse environmental impacts (pollutant emissions, noise, land occupancy, etc.) and deteriorate the life quality of the port city’s communities. Therefore, measures taken by seaport authorities to improve their competitiveness must also heed the idea of sustainable development (sustainable port strategy). The answer to this challenge is the idea of green ports, being an element of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies of seaports. One of the elements of this concept is promoting more environmentally friendly transport modes/transport chains in serving the hinterland as an alternative to road transport. Inland shipping is the most environmentally friendly and also cost-competitive mode of transport. Therefore, a modal shift from road to inland waterways is one of the elements of the European Union sustainable transport policy, as well as also gaining importance in the development policies of seaport authorities as an element of a green port strategy. However, this issue has been relatively rarely addressed in the seaport economics literature. In particular, there has been a lack of studies that would make it possible to answer the question of what kind of action should be taken by seaport authorities in order to increase the share of inland shipping in hinterland transport. This article aimed to develop a concept of a promotion policy to be applied by seaport authorities to increase the share of inland shipping in hinterland transport. The study used the elements of a multiple case study design method which included the following seaports: Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and the Marseilles–Fos port complex. This article was dedicated to identifying, analyzing, and classifying the policies implemented by these European seaports to promote inland waterway transportation. The research showed that these actions were quite similar in terms of their scope. The actions were classified as external and internal initiatives. The most common external actions included initiatives that improved the quality of inland waterways and the quality of shipping connections with the hinterland. Internal initiatives focused on improving the port’s infrastructure for barges and on implementing an appropriate information policy. The presented concept of a promotion policy can be a road map for all port authorities aiming to improve the quality of inland shipping as a mode of hinterland transport.