Governments, businesses and society all have a growing interest in the theme of sustainability. For example, a recent MIT survey (Kiron et al., 2012) shows that the majority of CEOs interviewed already invest in corporate sustainability and that attention to issues concerning sustainability will be increasing in the coming years.
However, some sectors still need to be studied further with regard to the motivations, challenges and practices involved in more sustainable management. Among these sectors, shipping and transport logistics stand out both for the economic importance and for the impact that will be generated by this growth (e.g. environmental and social impact).
Lai et al. (2011) state that society is more conscious about the environmental impact of shipping companies, requiring firms to adopt green practices. Wuisan et al. (2012) argue that sustainability in shipping would avoid many of this sector’s environmental impacts, such as emission of greenhouse gases, environmental accidents, waste generation and loss of biodiversity, among others. Logistics activities in the field of transport (e.g. road transport) are also under pressure to become more sustainable.
For example, estimates for Brazil (Antt, 2012) indicate that in 2010 the heavy trucks used for transport logistics were responsible for 82% of carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions. Another recent study conducted by Hao et al. (2014) indicated that China’s TGE by urban passenger transport reached 335 million tons CO2 equivalent in 2010. Overall, among developing economies, greater pressure from stakeholders for more environmentally sustainable logistics require that firms respond with the adoption of green practices in this arena (Lai and Wong, 2012). Because of the economic growth that is taking place, countries with developing economies, such as BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), need to quickly adapt their shipping and transport logistics sectors for sustainability.
Thus, the objective of this special issue is to publish high-quality original articles that deepen our theoretical and practical understanding of how shipping and transport logistics can be managed, considering the most urgent questions for truly sustainable development.
Methodologically, preferred papers can consider:
- Qualitative methodologies (multiple case studies)
- Quantitative methodologies (mathematical modelling, indicators or surveys
- Mixed methodologies
- Comparative studies (cross-country studies of developing economies)
Publishing a set of diverse and high-quality articles should enhance the awareness of sustainable shipping and transport logistics in developing economies.
References
ANTT – Brazilian National Agency of Transport. ANTT faz inventário sobre emissões atmosféricas do transporte ferroviário. Accessed: June 2012. Available at: www.arsal.al.gov.br
Eyring, V., Isaksen, I.S.A., Berntsen, T., Collins, W.J., Corbett, J., Endresen, O., Grainger, R.G., Moldanova, J., Schlager, H., Stevenson, D. 2010. Transport impacts on atmosphere and climate: Shipping. Atmospheric Environment 44(37): 4735-4771.
Hao, H., Geng, Y., Wang, H., Ouyang, M. 2014. Regional disparity of urban passenger transport associated GHG emissions in China. Energy, in press.
Kiron, D., Kruschwitz, N., Haanaes, K., Velken, I.V.S., 2012. Sustainability nears a tipping. MIT Sloan Management Review 53(2), 69-74.
Lai, K. H., Lun, V. Y., Wong, C. W., Cheng, T. C. E. 2011. Green shipping practices in the shipping industry: Conceptualization, adoption, and implications. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 55(6), 631-638.
Lai K, Wong CWY. Green logistics management and performance: Some empirical evidence from Chinese manufacturing exporters. Omega 2012; 40: 267–282.
Wuisan, L., van Leeuwen, J., van Koppen, C. S. A. 2012. Greening international shipping through private governance: A case study of the Clean Shipping Project. Marine Policy , 36(1), 165-173.
Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Sustainable practices in shipping and transport logistics
- Climate change as a challenge and an opportunity for shipping and transport logistics
- Green issues in shipping and transport logistics
- Social issues in shipping and transport logistics
- Shipping and transport logistics and millennium development goals
- Role of environmental legislation in shipping and logistics
- Shipping and transport logistics, challenges and opportunities for developing economies
- Innovative policies on sustainable shipping and transport management in developing countries
- Metrics and indicators on measuring the overall performance of shipping and transport sectors in developing countries.
Important Dates
Manuscript submission: 1 August, 2014
First editorial decisions: 1 February, 2015
First editorial decisions: 1 February, 2015
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