Emerging Fuels, Energy Sources, and Technologies for a Just and Sustainable Transition for the Maritime Sector

This thematic issue will address the emergence of alternative fuels, new energy sources, and new technologies that can help the shipping industry reach net-zero emissions by mid-century. The topic arises from the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 2023 Strategy for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Shipping which set the goal for the industry to achieve net-zero emissions by or around 2050. While new fuels, energy sources, and technologies have been tested, achieving this ambitious goal requires a rapid energy transition within the maritime sector. Although significant efforts have been made in this direction, there is still a long way to go to reach the ultimate goal.

In this context, the thematic issue focuses on emerging fuels, energy sources, and technologies currently being considered, tested, and implemented in the maritime sector. This makes the issue both timely and relevant, offering valuable insights into cutting-edge scientific advancements, best practices, pilot projects, and empirical evidence.

Through this thematic issue, we expect to receive manuscripts presenting the latest theoretical and practical research on the adoption of new fuels, energy sources, and technologies. We also expect papers that explore the key drivers and barriers to their adoption and that propose actionable pathways for their commercial deployment. As the issue of maritime decarbonization encompasses environmental, economic, social, and political dimensions, the thematic issue will welcome studies covering all aspects of a green and just transition.

By bridging academic, industrial, social, and policy perspectives, this thematic issue will support informed decision-making and contribute to the global effort to decarbonize maritime transportation from an academic and practical perspective.

Authors interested in submitting a paper for this issue are asked to consult the journal's instructions for authors and submit their abstracts (maximum of 250 words, with a tentative title) through the abstracts system (here). When submitting their abstracts, authors are also asked to confirm that they are aware that Ocean and Society is an open access journal with a publishing fee if the article is accepted for publication after peer-review (corresponding authors affiliated with our institutional members do not incur this fee).

Readers across the globe will be able to access, share, and download this issue entirely for free. Corresponding authors affiliated with any of our institutional members (over 90 institutions worldwide) publish free of charge. Otherwise, an article processing fee will be charged to the authors to cover editorial costs. We defend that authors should not have to personally pay this fee and encourage them to check with their institutions if funds are available to cover open access publication costs. Further information about the journal's open access charges can be found here.