Futures of shipbuilding in the 22nd century : Explorative industry foresight research of the long-range futures for commercial ship-building, using elements of OpenAI.

The shipbuilding industry has historically shaped global trade, logistics, research, and cultural globalization. It was instrumental in exploring and colonizing new continents, thereby significantly shaping our society. Today, it's essential to consider the industry's current transformations and speculate on what shipbuilding might look like in the 22nd century. This study is dedicated to exploring the possible futures of shipbuilding over a long-range time horizon of 70 -100 years. This thesis applied futures research methods to data collected using OpenAI tools and explored possible transformative pathways within the industry. The research offers potential future scenarios and delineates change pathways from external pressures and internal shifts within the shipbuilding system. Additionally, the study highlights the possible applications and implications of utilizing OpenAI technology in a research context. The analysis of shipbuilding incorporates the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) concept, viewing the industry as a system involving ten groups of key actors. This structure guided the data collection process for the input of the research. The primary research process adheres to traditional futures research methods, which include horizon scanning, systems thinking, scenario building, and causal layered analysis (CLA). Furthermore, the methodology was expanded to incorporate AI-assisted techniques. This includes using AI technology for automated data collection and a separate pathway using ChatGPT-4 for computer-generated scenarios and CLA narratives development. The outcomes from both methodologies are compared, and additional literature research about the applicability and implications of using AI in futures studies. The research has identified critical external drivers of change, originating from fields such as technology, energy, and social development, as well as internal drivers, including biotechnology and diversifying floating structures. The external drivers could influence the future direction of shipbuilding, while the internal factors represent potential changes originating from within the industry. The constructed scenarios are designed to stimulate discussion and provide context for future developmental trajectories of shipbuilding

Transport 2040 : Impact of Technology on Seafarers - The Future of Work

https://commons.wmu.se/lib_reports/1091/thumbnail.jp

Stakeholder Management in Maritime Logistics Ecosystems: How tackling the main challenges of the industry

This PhD thesis deals with stakeholder management theoretical constructs and empirical practices within maritime logistics ecosystems. The rationale of the study grounds on the recent shift of the academic literature\u2019s focus on maritime logistics from the single organisation to the whole business ecosystem. In this perspective, formal and informal relationships with business partners and related parties have been demonstrated to become fundamental for the survival and success of firms and organisations belonging to maritime logistics ecosystems. The constant dialogue and coordination of strategic and operational activities between the heterogeneous actors constitute the preconditions to build wider and more resilient networks as well as to generate benefits for all parties and stakeholders involved. In this context, stakeholder management theoretical constructs can provide maritime logistics firms and organisations with useful managerial practices and best practices for identifying and exploiting unprecedented opportunities to handle relationships and interactions with both business parties and different categories of stakeholders. The variety of actors belonging to maritime logistics ecosystems as well as the array of related stakeholders, that unveils heterogeneous needs and interests, urge further empirical research to disentangle multiple practices of stakeholder management that have not all been investigated yet. In this vein, collaborative and responsible behaviours from maritime logistics firms and other involved organizations may support key actors with facing the new environmental, social, and technological challenges shaping the industry. In this perspective, this PhD thesis examines the main theoretical constructs of stakeholder management by performing an extensive literature review to comprehend the foundations and managerial benefits of stakeholder relationship management and corporate social responsibility. Then, it provides four empirical research to disentangle both strategies and behaviours of different maritime logistics actors, stressing the business benefits and managerial opportunities emerging from the adoption of well-defined and planned stakeholder management practices. Each empirical research addresses multiple challenges (i.e., environmental, social, and technological challenges) and assumes the perspective of one of the key actors of the maritime logistics ecosystem (i.e., once port managing bodies, once shipping companies, and twice terminal operators). The thesis investigates specific dimensions related to the strategic objectives, behaviours, and managerial options of these actors for effectively managing the relationships with their salient stakeholders. The outcomes of empirical research provide four valuable exploratory and qualitative studies grounding on stakeholder management literature. Managerial implications for private, public and hybrid actors of maritime logistics are extensively debated to pave the way for future studies on stakeholder management within this business ecosystem. In this perspective, this PhD thesis would take a step forward in the research on new managerial practices to effectively manage stakeholder relationships in the maritime logistics ecosystem

Capacity-building project to progress the implementation of international instruments to combat IUU fishing (CAPFISH)

https://commons.wmu.se/lib_reports/1084/thumbnail.jp

Research for PECH Committee - Small-scale fisheries and “Blue Growth” in the EU

This study presents an overview of Blue Growth emerging industries and investigates the linkages with the traditional maritime activity of fisheries with emphasis on small-scale fisheries. Positive synergies are investigated as well as possible opportunities (and threats) that Blue Growth can or should offer to small-scale fisheries and coastal communities in the context of economic growth, employment and innovation

GREEN INVESTMENT OPTIONS IN FERRY, RO-RO AND RO-PAX INDUSTRY - From theory to practice

An increased focus on sustainability issues and climate change from customers as well as the whole society, jointly with more restrictive regulatory requirements, are triggering shipping lines to progressively adopt green strategies, aiming at reducing emissions and pursuing higher (energy) efficiency standards (Pallis and Vaggelas, 2019). In the shipping sector, the Ferry segment expresses global fleet of about 15,400 ships with a total gross tonnage (GT) exceeding 31 million, and globally transports about 4.27 billion passengers per year and 373 million vehicles; furthermore, it has a contribution on world GDP of 60 billion dollars and allows the employment of more than 1 million people (Interferry, 2019). Because of the importance of the traffic volumes handled both in terms of passengers and cargoes, as well as due to the related impacts originating from business operations, the Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax industry is challenged to implement green strategies (Chang and Danao, 2007). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) paradigms and related theoretical constructs are expected to reshape future goals, strategies and implantation trajectories of major Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax companies and improve firm performance (Lun et al., 2015). This PhD thesis scrutinizes green strategies and related investment options which are expected to allow Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax group owners, operating European-flagged vessels, to reach sustainability goals without negatively affecting their economic/financial performance. The document proposes a conceptual framework that addresses the most promising green investment options which Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax companies can exploit for making the business more sustainable, reducing environmental impacts and improving energy and material efficiency during day-by-day operations. Using insights from a systematic literature review conducted in the first sections of this PhD thesis, the most relevant green solutions widely investigated at academic level are examined and discussed for the purpose of this PhD thesis. After an exhaustive description of the state of the art and the state of the play regarding green investment options in Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax industry, this PhD thesis proposes an analysis of the most effective green strategies and practices concretely developed and planned in the industry. Empirical evidence shows that the most promising investment options relate to ship propulsion systems, such as the adoption of hydrogen and fuel cells (Trillos et al., 2021), alternative fuels (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil, Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil and Liquefied Natural Gas), efficiency systems for auxiliary engines and ship design solutions. As confirmed by outcomes gathered in our final empirical dataset, i.e., the “green” sample, among the different solutions analysed, the most adopted green investment options by European companies operating in Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax industry are: a) the refitting of bulbous bow, aimed at the implementation of the current design of the hull to increase the overall hydrodynamics of the ship; b) the installation of onboard batteries as a source of energy for ship propulsion; c) the use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as alternative fuel for the ship propulsion, that contributes to a 100% reduction in sulphur oxides emissions, 80-85% of nitrogen oxides emissions, 95% of particular matter emissions and 20-30% of carbon dioxide emissions compared to HFO/MDO (Burel et al., 2013). The empirical analysis above mentioned is performed on 1,680 Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax ships with flag from European Countries, with data gathered through IHS Maritime & Trade that holds the largest maritime ships database in the world, further integrated with data and information collected from several technical sources (e.g., news press, sustainability report and press release of European companies). Variables investigates within IHS Maritime & Trade regard the type of main and auxiliary engines and fuel type, hull materials, bulbous bow and other technologies and equipment aimed at mitigating the pollution and reducing harmful emissions. The outcomes shed light on the viability and feasibility of some green investments options by shipping companies operating in Ferry, Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax industry at European level. To deal with this limited result, due to the lack of comprehensive dataset capable to scrutinize the diverse green solutions implemented on board European-flagged vessels, it was decided to develop an original and detailed dataset, capable to provide additional information concerning the approaches, decisions and strategies adopted by each group owners and related future trends about the adoption of green strategies in the sector. Through the examination of different sources (e.g., news press, specialised journals, communications by the companies on their corporate website, academic papers, etc.), information related to innovative technical solutions and cutting-edge technologies for mitigating the pollution and reducing harmful emissions have been extracted for each ship of the database, i.e., the “overall” or “extended” sample. In this way, it has been possible to provide an exhaustive overview of the heterogeneous green solutions, equipment and components installed on board of ships that are part of the “green” sample and the related source, to allow the evaluation and examination from the point of view of the institutionalism of the source. In this way it was possible to focus on top ten best performer group owners of the “green” sample, to analyse the managerial and governance behaviours and attitudes implemented by them and to deepen in brief case histories the main strategies adopted by them