Abstract
The relationship between ports and energy markets is undergoing a transition in their functions as suppliers, consumers, and energy processors. Environmental factors increasingly force the maritime sector to reduce its carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency. Governing the maritime sector’s environmental performance requires leveling decarbonization through integration with energy supply chains and rethinking green strategies and environmental sustainability. This paper highlights that a port’s energy management system can be an example of supply–demand equalizing sustainable alternative energy sources. Such systems engage more profoundly within the energy value chain by assessing green and environmental indicators in port operations, strategies, and investments. This manuscript investigates the challenges in ports’ operations, strategies, and investments, considering their energy transition and decarbonization. Therefore, this research conducted a qualitative study on ports’ energy efficiency and greening using an in-depth interview method in three seaports in the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Sea basins. The paper proposes a framework for analyzing green variables in the ports’ operations, strategies, and investments to improve their environmental performance. The framework examines a set of green variables, researching their cause-and-effect relationship, enabling testing and evaluation of the determined relationships, and identifying asynchrony in the balanced development of green investments and energy efficiency.
Published Version
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