As part of the maritime transport industry’s aim to reduce its environmental and climate impact, there is a need to develop alternative marine fuels with lower emissions than the fossil fuels currently in use. This article presents the details of a study that assessed the potential of seven alternative fuels ranked using weighted criteria covering economic, environmental, technical and social aspects, and included inputs from different stakeholder groups including ship owners, fuel producers, engine manufacturers and public authorities.

Maritime 4.0 describes the increasing use of interconnected technologies and digitalisation in vessel design, manufacturing and operations. Maritime transport accounts for around 90% of international freight trade. It is a competitive market that is driven by dynamic policies, a dynamic marketplace and technological evolution. The digitalisation of the industry is expected to unlock more value for global trade and is guided by a demand for innovation, sustainability, safety and automated operations.

Market-based measures (MBMs) can be used as policy instruments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using monetary incentives. They may be implemented in the form of carbon prices, carbon taxes, offsetting mechanisms or emission trading systems. This article presents a review of MBMs that have been discussed by international organisations and scientific literature as potential cost-effective solutions to reduce the GHG emissions from international shipping.

This article highlights an editorial, which presents eight studies that have explored various themes around port logistics with a focus on sustainability. The studies aim to provide insights for decision makers to help develop their understanding on current issues, and to assist them in developing more sustainable policies and management decisions.

The TRIMIS database includes several national and EU-funded projects that focus on the decarbonisation and digitalisation of maritime transport.