Seaport innovation trends: Global insights

Abstract

The basis for initiating research in the area of innovation in seaports emerges from the fact that there are numerous innovative trends in the world, which should be identified and taken into account in the decision-making processes of seaports. The article aims to identify the most important innovation trends currently observed in seaports around the world and the most frequently implemented innovations within them. The results of this research may help port managers make decisions related to implementing innovations. An analysis of the literature has revealed 22 global innovative trends in the economy. On this basis, a survey was conducted using the LimeSurvey.com application, in which respondents (n = 203) from 49 countries, representing the largest seaports in the world, participated. The survey found that the implementation of innovations in seaports takes place in line with practically all identified global innovation trends. The most frequently implemented innovative projects in seaports included solutions that meet the following trends: innovative business models for global competitiveness, servitisation, the sharing economy and smart management - Smart Port. Among the innovative projects already implemented in seaports, the following were the most popular: social media projects for internationalisation, soft business models and productivity-enhancing solutions in the workplace. In turn, the greatest number of planned innovative projects in seaports are related to environmentally friendly technology, energy efficiency improvement, energy storage, and provision of low-carbon LNG fuel.