Challenges and opportunities for autonomous vessels in the era of the smart ports

Mohamed Elhussieny

Abstract


The study explores how Autonomous Ships can transform sustainability and operations in smart green ports. Amid the burgeoning pressures on the global maritime trade to mitigate environmental impacts, the shift to autonomous vessels creates a distinct opportunity for ports to harmonize their operational strategies with sustainability goals. The study identifies some of the specific barriers and requirements, including infrastructure limitations and legislative barriers that need to be overcome to facilitate integration. By providing an overview of existing case studies and technological developments, this study illustrates how autonomous vessels can streamline logistics, mitigate emissions, and enable energy efficiency in port functions. With the use of real time data and technological upgrades, these ships intend to modernize the structures in your operations and contribute to the construction of intelligent green ports which are now becoming the broader environmental goals for nations. The study highlights the need for cooperation between shipping companies and port authorities to develop innovative solutions for a sustainable maritime ecosystem. The study sheds light on the benefits of integrating autonomous vessels with smart green ports and offers insights into the potential of such synergies to drive sustainability and efficiency in maritime operations.

Keywords: Autonomous Shipping, Smart Green Ports, Maritime Sustainability, Port Operations, Environmental Impact Mitigation, Logistics Optimization

Received on: 09 January 2025

Accepted on: 24 February 2025

Published on: 12 March 2025


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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21622/MRT.2025.04.1.1180

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Copyright (c) 2025 Mohamed Elhussieny

Maritime Research and Technology
E-ISSN: 2812-5622
P-ISSN: 2812-5614 

Published by:

Academy Publishing Center (APC)
Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)
Alexandria, Egypt
mrt@aast.edu