Shore power for reduction of shipping emission in port: a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Shore power not only reduces ship emissions and noise in berthing but also has shown practical implications for maritime competitiveness. However, the existing literature and industry reports reveal that a limited number of ships have access to shore power. This highlights the need for research into the constraints faced by the sector and the development of solutions to enhance its adoption. Addressing these issues will enable the port and shipping industries to enjoy the associated benefits. Currently, existing research on shore power remains dispersed, yet it fully addresses such questions and lacks an integrated framework, making it challenging to extract pivotal insights. This paper aims to conduct a state-of-the-art review of shore power by the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases as a pivotal solution to shipping emissions reduction in ports and advancing the maritime sector towards carbon neutrality. This analysis is grounded in a bibliometric analysis of existing literature on this topic, with a focus on the need to devise robust strategies to fully harness the potential of shore power for carbon neutrality. The valuable findings are revealed, including (i) The adoption of shore power by ports is predominantly propelled by regulatory mandates and incentives, inclusive of government subsidies in leading regions such as China, the U.S., and Europe; (ii) Due to the implementation of Emission Control Areas and carbon neutrality regulations, an increasing number of port operators in Europe are turning to shore power to fulfil both the governmental or industrial requirements, especially regarding cruise ships; (iii) The literature on shore power primarily delves into four main research areas: the inherent features of shore power, emission inventory assessments, practical applications of shore power, and energy management strategies; and (iv) Emerging directions in shore power research include cooperative optimisation among stakeholders, integration of new technologies into shore power, a holistic evaluation of the multifaceted advantages of diverse emission reduction strategies, and critical examinations of any unintended consequences stemming from shore power adoption. They offer invaluable insights on enhancing the adaptation and effectiveness of shore power.

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ORCID for Huanhuan Li: orcid.org/0000-0002-4293-4763

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