2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. It showed the possibility of running economic activities remotely, allowing people to learn how to have a more balanced life. As a result, electronic commerce flourished, and it is here to stay. However, only time will tell whether people will sh...

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Main Authors: Ana Cristina Paixão Casaca, Maria Amélia Ramos Loja
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2023-05-01
Series:Journal of Shipping and Trade
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41072-023-00143-y
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author Ana Cristina Paixão Casaca
Maria Amélia Ramos Loja
author_facet Ana Cristina Paixão Casaca
Maria Amélia Ramos Loja
author_sort Ana Cristina Paixão Casaca
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. It showed the possibility of running economic activities remotely, allowing people to learn how to have a more balanced life. As a result, electronic commerce flourished, and it is here to stay. However, only time will tell whether people will shop more online or return to traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. With more people at home, prevented from going out to a cinema, or a theatre, the service industry was severely impacted until governments relieved the confinement measures so that their economies returned to pre-pandemic levels. Certainly that container shipping was the winner of all shipping market segments, given the increased number of finished goods to be carried. When all seemed to return to normalcy, the Russian–Ukraine crisis complicated the economic and political environment. Maritime transport was affected in the Black Sea, and only after many weeks of negotiation did the parties involved reach the Ukraine grain deal enabling Ukraine to transport millions of tonnes of food through the Black Sea despite the ongoing conflict. The number of sanctions against Russia increased, and many countries and regions were forced to look for alternative sources of oil, oil by-products and gas, this time benefiting the gas and tanker shipping markets with increasing freight rates. Apart from this, the maritime industry is still facing extraordinary challenges. Endeavours are being made to accelerate industry decarbonisation, digitalisation and operations optimisation. The quest for finding alternative fuels to power the world fleet is there. For now, LNG and methanol are the most promising alternatives, with the possible installation of carbon storage units to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. These events draw the industry to deal with the market, technology, and regulatory challenges and risks whose outcome is yet to be seen. With this background, seven papers presented at the 2022 World of Shipping Portugal Conference, An International Research Conference on Maritime Affairs, 27–28 January, that took place online via CiscoWebex due to the Covid-19 pandemic were selected to be published in this Special Issue. They open the scope for new research areas and address essential aspects that contribute to the efficiency of the overall maritime sector.
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spelling doaj.art-2b27fadf44864c549d59c43dcbcf1f742023-05-07T11:05:41ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Shipping and Trade2364-45752023-05-01811710.1186/s41072-023-00143-y2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairsAna Cristina Paixão Casaca0Maria Amélia Ramos Loja1‘World of Shipping Portugal’CIMOSM, ISEL - Centro de Investigação em Modelação eOptimização de Sistemas Multifuncionais, Instituto Politécnico de LisboaAbstract The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world. It showed the possibility of running economic activities remotely, allowing people to learn how to have a more balanced life. As a result, electronic commerce flourished, and it is here to stay. However, only time will tell whether people will shop more online or return to traditional brick-and-mortar shopping. With more people at home, prevented from going out to a cinema, or a theatre, the service industry was severely impacted until governments relieved the confinement measures so that their economies returned to pre-pandemic levels. Certainly that container shipping was the winner of all shipping market segments, given the increased number of finished goods to be carried. When all seemed to return to normalcy, the Russian–Ukraine crisis complicated the economic and political environment. Maritime transport was affected in the Black Sea, and only after many weeks of negotiation did the parties involved reach the Ukraine grain deal enabling Ukraine to transport millions of tonnes of food through the Black Sea despite the ongoing conflict. The number of sanctions against Russia increased, and many countries and regions were forced to look for alternative sources of oil, oil by-products and gas, this time benefiting the gas and tanker shipping markets with increasing freight rates. Apart from this, the maritime industry is still facing extraordinary challenges. Endeavours are being made to accelerate industry decarbonisation, digitalisation and operations optimisation. The quest for finding alternative fuels to power the world fleet is there. For now, LNG and methanol are the most promising alternatives, with the possible installation of carbon storage units to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. These events draw the industry to deal with the market, technology, and regulatory challenges and risks whose outcome is yet to be seen. With this background, seven papers presented at the 2022 World of Shipping Portugal Conference, An International Research Conference on Maritime Affairs, 27–28 January, that took place online via CiscoWebex due to the Covid-19 pandemic were selected to be published in this Special Issue. They open the scope for new research areas and address essential aspects that contribute to the efficiency of the overall maritime sector.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41072-023-00143-yMaritime transportCold ironingContainer shippingMaritime securityDigitalisationPort community systems
spellingShingle Ana Cristina Paixão Casaca
Maria Amélia Ramos Loja
2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs
Journal of Shipping and Trade
Maritime transport
Cold ironing
Container shipping
Maritime security
Digitalisation
Port community systems
title 2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs
title_full 2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs
title_fullStr 2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs
title_full_unstemmed 2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs
title_short 2022 World of shipping Portugal: an international research conference on maritime affairs
title_sort 2022 world of shipping portugal an international research conference on maritime affairs
topic Maritime transport
Cold ironing
Container shipping
Maritime security
Digitalisation
Port community systems
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41072-023-00143-y
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