Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review

As the global population continues to grow, and trade volumes increase, the demand for efficient and sustainable transportation infrastructure has become increasingly important. Notably, the role of smart ports in advancing sustainability has emerged as a critical concern. This study aims to provide...

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Main Authors: Umut Dağıstan, Murat Atalay, Duygu Aydın Ünal, Sonay Zeki Aydın
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-08-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251363339
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author Umut Dağıstan
Murat Atalay
Duygu Aydın Ünal
Sonay Zeki Aydın
author_facet Umut Dağıstan
Murat Atalay
Duygu Aydın Ünal
Sonay Zeki Aydın
author_sort Umut Dağıstan
collection DOAJ
description As the global population continues to grow, and trade volumes increase, the demand for efficient and sustainable transportation infrastructure has become increasingly important. Notably, the role of smart ports in advancing sustainability has emerged as a critical concern. This study aims to provide a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) of smart port sustainability, capturing key research trends and proposing a research agenda based on an analysis of 68 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) between 2017 and 2023. In this respect, four themes were determined according to the thematic analysis. (1) Digital Transformation for Enhanced Efficiency and Sustainability; (2) Green Port Initiatives: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Integration; (3) Smart Port Governance and Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Development; (4) Challenges and Opportunities for Smart Port Sustainability. The findings reveal that while significant progress has been made in digitalization and environmental sustainability, gaps remain in balancing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The study offers policymakers, port managers, and researchers recommendations to improve operatinonal efficiency, mitigate negative environmental effects, and promote inclusive governance. Future research could involve scaling digital solutions, furthering the maturity model, and other under-researched areas, including cybersecurity and financial incentives for sustainable technologies. By bridging these gaps, smart ports can evolve into resilient, future-ready ecosystems capable of thriving in an increasingly complex global maritime landscape.
format Article
id doaj-art-e024143515434edb972786073cb9eb3a
institution Kabale University
issn 2158-2440
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
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series SAGE Open
spelling doaj-art-e024143515434edb972786073cb9eb3a2025-08-23T15:04:48ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402025-08-011510.1177/21582440251363339Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature ReviewUmut Dağıstan0Murat Atalay1Duygu Aydın Ünal2Sonay Zeki Aydın3Social Sciences Vocational School, Akdeniz University, Antalya, TurkeyKemer Maritime Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, TurkeyKemer Maritime Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, TurkeyKemer Maritime Faculty, Akdeniz University, Antalya, TurkeyAs the global population continues to grow, and trade volumes increase, the demand for efficient and sustainable transportation infrastructure has become increasingly important. Notably, the role of smart ports in advancing sustainability has emerged as a critical concern. This study aims to provide a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) of smart port sustainability, capturing key research trends and proposing a research agenda based on an analysis of 68 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) between 2017 and 2023. In this respect, four themes were determined according to the thematic analysis. (1) Digital Transformation for Enhanced Efficiency and Sustainability; (2) Green Port Initiatives: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Integration; (3) Smart Port Governance and Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Development; (4) Challenges and Opportunities for Smart Port Sustainability. The findings reveal that while significant progress has been made in digitalization and environmental sustainability, gaps remain in balancing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The study offers policymakers, port managers, and researchers recommendations to improve operatinonal efficiency, mitigate negative environmental effects, and promote inclusive governance. Future research could involve scaling digital solutions, furthering the maturity model, and other under-researched areas, including cybersecurity and financial incentives for sustainable technologies. By bridging these gaps, smart ports can evolve into resilient, future-ready ecosystems capable of thriving in an increasingly complex global maritime landscape.https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251363339
spellingShingle Umut Dağıstan
Murat Atalay
Duygu Aydın Ünal
Sonay Zeki Aydın
Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review
SAGE Open
title Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review
title_full Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review
title_fullStr Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review
title_full_unstemmed Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review
title_short Sustainability of Smart Ports: A Systematic Literature Review
title_sort sustainability of smart ports a systematic literature review
url https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251363339
work_keys_str_mv AT umutdagıstan sustainabilityofsmartportsasystematicliteraturereview
AT muratatalay sustainabilityofsmartportsasystematicliteraturereview
AT duyguaydınunal sustainabilityofsmartportsasystematicliteraturereview
AT sonayzekiaydın sustainabilityofsmartportsasystematicliteraturereview