Revista Sextante

Sustainable Maritime Transportation Practices and Their Implications for Global Shipping Operations

Isabelle M. Laurent

Department of Maritime Economics and Sustainable Logistics, Atlantic Centre for Sustainable Shipping Studies, Nantes, France

Keywords: sustainable shipping, maritime decarbonisation, alternative fuels, green ports, energy efficiency

Abstract

Maritime transport carries the large majority of world trade by volume and is therefore indispensable to the global economy, yet it also generates significant emissions of greenhouse gases, sulphur and nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, ballast water discharges, and underwater noise. As regulators, cargo owners, financiers, and the public demand cleaner shipping, operators are adopting a wide range of sustainable practices. This article examines these practices and their implications for global shipping operations. It reviews the environmental footprint of the sector, the international regulatory framework, operational and technical measures for improving energy efficiency, alternative fuels and propulsion, port and supply chain integration, economic consequences for shipowners and charterers, and social dimensions affecting seafarers and coastal communities. The analysis shows that no single measure can deliver deep decarbonisation. Instead, a combination of slower and smarter operations, design improvements, new fuels, and supportive port infrastructure is required, and each carries trade-offs in cost, safety, and availability. The article concludes that sustainability is becoming a core operational and commercial consideration, and it outlines policy and managerial directions that can help the industry move toward a lower impact future without disrupting the reliability of global trade.