The 2020–2022 disruption of global supply chains produced severe cargo-ship congestion at United States gateway ports, yet much of the public evidence rests on news reports and proprietary indices rather than open vessel-movement data. This study quantifies and compares cargo-vessel congestion at three major US gateways, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Houston/Galveston, and New York/New Jersey, using open Automatic Identification System (AIS) data from the United States Nationwide AIS archive. To capture within-year variation while controlling for season, two reference months, January and July, were analysed for each of 2020, 2021, and 2022; the analysis therefore rests on selected monthly snapshots rather than a continuous series. Daily indicators of waiting vessels, formally anchored vessels, anchorage dwell time, and throughput were derived, with uncertainty quantified by an autocorrelation-aware moving block bootstrap and robustness confirmed by threshold sensitivity analyses. The congestion signal is strong and spatially uneven. At Los Angeles/Long Beach the mean number of waiting cargo vessels rose from 29 per day in early 2020 to a peak near 69 per day in mid-2021 and remained close to that level into January 2022 before easing to 51 by July 2022; New York/New Jersey stayed comparatively low throughout, and Houston/Galveston surged latest, peaking in mid-2022. All principal contrasts remain significant under the block bootstrap. At Los Angeles/Long Beach waiting grew far faster than throughput (134% versus 23% from January 2020 to 2022), indicating demand exceeding berth capacity rather than merely higher arrivals, and a divergence between formal anchoring and broader waiting is consistent with the offshore queuing system introduced in November 2021. The within-area counts, which the authoritative Marine Exchange of Southern California series tracks, are conservative because part of the queue lay offshore of the study area. Within the limits of its selected-month design, the study is a reproducible comparative assessment rather than a continuous reconstruction of the disruption.
The maritime transport sector faces significant problems of decarbonization until 2050. In this context, nuclear propulsion is gaining popularity as one of potentially low-operational-emissions technologies. One such modern innovation in the field concerns the emergence of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). However, the commercial potential of nuclear merchant ships is hindered by a fragmented and obsolete international legal framework. This study provides the review of the historical process of shifting of paradigms in nuclear maritime transport regulation, from the Operational Safety Paradigm (OSP) in the 1960s via Physical Protection Paradigm (PPP) in the 1990s till the current Decarbonization Paradigm (DP) in the 2020s. This study examines how historical regulatory rigidities may have contributed to the commercial difficulties of Generation I nuclear vessels. The findings suggest that the ongoing International Maritime Organization (IMO)-led revision process should consider goal-based and technology-independent approaches, international liability, port access, and public perception when assessing the potential deployment of modern SMRs.
Forecasting cruise traffic is vital for industry stakeholders seeking to manage port infrastructure, marketing strategies, and service offerings effectively. Unlike other transportation modes, cruise tourism presents unique forecasting challenges due to its dependence on seasonal patterns, destination attractiveness, economic conditions, and geopolitical influences. In this study, we apply seasonal ARIMA and ARIMAX models to forecast cruise passenger demand in Serbia. Models were fitted using the Box–Jenkins methodology, with a Box–Cox transformation applied to stabilize the variance, and comprehensive residual diagnostics were used to ensure robust model specification. The results show that incorporating Germany’s GDP substantially improves both model fit and forecast accuracy, while temperature‑based regressors introduce noise rather than explanatory or predictive value. These findings indicate that the proposed methodology is effective and that seasonal ARIMA and ARIMAX models are useful predictors of cruise tourism demand.
Achieving Good Environmental Status (GES) of the marine environment by 2020 was an objective of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). However, recent research has revealed that biodiversity degradation remains more evident than recovery. Marine protected areas (MPAs) represent one of the important tools for biodiversity conservation within both European and global conservation strategies. Goals for the protection of marine areas have been set at the global level, with different progress among countries in achieving them. The implementation of these goals requires more effective mechanisms for identifying, mapping, and managing protected areas, which highlights the need for integrating technological solutions. Remote sensing (RS) offers a range of technological solutions for environmental monitoring, habitat mapping, change detection, and support for spatial planning in marine protected areas. This paper reviews the recent relevant scientific literature focused on the application of RS technologies in the context of marine protected areas. The thematic analysis reveals several dominant research directions, with a particular emphasis on the growing presence of interdisciplinary approaches that integrate ecological data, geospatial analytics, and management policies. This interdisciplinary approach, utilising new technologies, can contribute to the development of more effective marine protected area management strategies and, consequently, to achieving the set targets.
This study examines the relationship between ESG performance and financial stability in the Greek passenger shipping industry. A customized ESG Proxy is developed and applied to 17 firms over the period 2015–2023. Technical efficiency is assessed using an input‑oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA ), while the financial determinants of ESG performance are examined through Pooled OLS, Fixed Effect, and Logit models. The results show that ESG performance is positively associated with technical efficiency and profitability, and negatively related to credit risk and financial leverage, while firm size also exerts a positive effect. Overall, the findings highlight the strategic relevance of ESG adoption for sustainable growth and provide a practical assessment framework for sectors lacking standardized ESG rating systems, contributing to enhanced transparency and competitiveness in the passenger shipping industry.
