This study highlights the financial, operational and strategic implications of circular economy (CE) strategies in the Tanzanian pharmaceutical industry. The continued generation of hazardous waste emphasises the urgent need for sustainable paradigms. While the circular economy is gaining momentum in developing countries, its customised application in the pharmaceutical sector is an area that has yet to be scientifically explored.

Using a survey-based approach, data from selected pharmacies in Tanzania was analysed to highlight the different dimensions of circular economy adoption and the associated impacts. The results show that practitioners recognise the fiscal benefits of cost savings and income diversification as well as barriers such as significant capital investment and the need to maintain quality.

From a strategic perspective, the adoption of CE goes beyond its environmental role; it represents an excellent opportunity to enhance a company's brand equity and gain a competitive advantage through resource optimisation and innovative paradigms. We advocate a paradigm shift towards a circular economy ethos that transcends archetypal industry boundaries and favours synergies within the supply chain. The implications of our findings lead to a compelling directive: adopting the principles of the circular economy requires a fundamental realignment of cognitive schema and operations. It becomes clear that fostering a collaborative ethos within the supply chain ecosystem, moving away from previous compartmentalisation in favour of holistic, ecosystemic integration, is a sine qua non. This also underlines the need for a "circular mindset" that embraces the ethos of resource optimisation, waste minimisation and value maximisation. By improving resource accessibility, reducing environmental impact and expanding commercial opportunities, the circular economy is crystallising as a strategic imperative for business resilience and competitiveness.

Therefore, the creation of platforms for collaboration and the dissemination of information between actors to promote synergies and operational efficiency within the supply chain is essential. At the same time, investments must be made in infrastructure that is suitable for the circular economy. Infrastructural foundations such as logistics hubs and knowledge dissemination centres must be created to support the circular economy. Fostering innovations in product design, packaging, and transportation to augment resource efficiency and environmental sustainability is vital. Finally, the existing legal framework must be improved in order to incentivise the introduction of the circular economy and promote compliance with sustainability principles.

Purpose

Digital Twin (DT) concepts are widely discussed in the context of the Industry 4.0 paradigm, and recognized as a key opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises. Yet, the concept of the Logistics Digital Twin (LDT) has received comparatively scarce attention. LDT applications offer improved visualization and comprehension of logistics operations, enabling advanced analysis, simulation, and optimization. Despite various scientific studies, there is still no unified understanding regarding the definition and practical implementation of DT concepts in the logistics sector. This paper addresses the use of DT applications in logistics operations, presenting a relevant use case, its intended purpose, and the current state of technological readiness. The authors explore common definitions, characteristics, and functionalities of DT applications, highlighting recent developments and their implications. Additionally, based on the research findings, the authors identify current research gaps, and present potential directions for future research in the field of logistics operations. The purpose of this paper is to explore mechanisms of supply chain inclusion in Base of the Pyramid (BOP) settings. It distinguishes micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSME)-led local supply chains on the one hand and multinational enterprises (MNEs)-led global supply chains on the other hand. This paper aims to answer the following research question: Which mechanisms of supply chain inclusion are employed empirically by MSMEs and how can these mechanisms influence social impact creation in MNE-led global supply chains?

Design/methodology/approach

A large-scale empirical study of MSMEs operating in BOP markets is performed and a cluster analysis conducted to systematically categorize supply chain inclusion. The cluster analysis and current literature yield theory-based implications for MNE-led global supply chains.

Findings

The cluster analysis reveals three meaningful clusters of supply chain inclusion in BOP markets and highlights two main aspects. They include direct vs indirect mechanisms of inclusion and diversity in supplier relationships with local organizations aimed at either “sourcing” local capabilities needed for inclusion or “outsourcing” the inclusion. Based on these aspects, two scenarios are proposed and evaluated for local-global supply chain symbiosis.

Research limitations/implications

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature with a more fine-grained understanding of the inclusion of BOP actors in local supply chains and by proposing alternative trajectories for global supply chain inclusion. This local-global distinction is a new addition to the logistics and supply chain strategy management discourse.

Practical implications

The findings outline several important decisions that logistics managers need to make to include BOP actors in supply chain activities. This enhances strategic capabilities of logistics service providers within supply chain settings across all industries.

Originality/value

This paper contributes a novel, combined perspective of local supply chains (MSMEs) and global supply chains (MNEs) towards the issue of strategic base of the pyramid management in logistics.

Although seen as a central enabler of the Circular Economy (CE), inter-organizational information sharing to facilitate repair, reuse and recycling remains insufficient (Jäger-Roschko and Petersen 2022; Plociennik et al. 2022). Driven by regulations of the European Union, digital product passports mirror a suitable opportunity to store, update and retrieve needed information digitally (Psarommatis and May 2024; Preut et al. 2021). As a product-specific dataset, they encompass information such as contained materials, usage data or repair manuals. This study explores the crucial role of information sharing in the context of the CE, shedding light on the digital product passport. We aim to illustrate what needs to be done to improve information sharing in this domain and how it can be enhanced by digital product passports.

A grounded theory approach was applied to gain comprehensive insights into what information is needed, whether companies are willing to share data, and how digital product passports might assist here. In this context, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders of the CE from different sectors were conducted, including manufacturers, repairers, and recycling companies.

Our analysis reveals various needs for CE-relevant information due to challenges to extend product life. Fortunately, e.g., customer demands and regulatory requirements have made many companies that could potentially provide required information recognize the importance and urgency of sharing CE-relevant information. However, the study also demonstrates the uneven willingness to share information and put intentions into practice because of missing clarity about the detail level of information to be shared and accompanying concerns regarding data security and loss of competitive advantages. Also, efficient information exchange is often hindered by companies´ low level of digitization.

The interview results highlight that digital product passports have great potential to ease information sharing in the CE and that collaboration and exchanging information among stakeholders create leverage. Being vital to jointly generate value and overcome reluctance, a collaborative mindset and incentives to share information in the CE have to be established. Moreover – using the full potential of digital product passports – an environment that fosters a balance between transparency and data protection must be built to effectively deal with the mentioned challenges.

This research is of utmost relevance for policymakers and stakeholders involved in the CE and adds to the current academic discourse by addressing challenges related to the adoption of digital product passports. It encourages information sharing in the CE and contributes to a better understanding of the vital role digital product passports play in this relation. Moreover, it underlines the need for strategies that ensure transparency while maintaining data security, enhance information sharing willingness and collaboration, and support the adoption of digital product passports. In giving guidance on what information to share and how, this research derives recommendations for information sharing in the CE and contributes to its accelerated transition.

Logistics operations embedded in global supply chains generate a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions which, until recently, have only been viewed from a more holistic perspective. Scope 3 emissions include indirect emissions that occur in the upstream and downstream activities of an organisation e.g., from transportation providers, suppliers, retailers, employees, and customers. Scope 3 emissions make up a majority of the carbon footprint of most organizations, but studies show that they are hard to measure and manage in the context of companies due to several reasons (Kojo, 2023), e.g., data availability and quality. Also, the reporting and verification of Scope 3 emissions are not consistent and transparent. Therefore, we need new solutions that can make it easier to collect, combine and share emissions data in the logistics service chain.

End-to-end visibility in the logistics chain goes beyond a focal company’s boundary and extends to freight ecosystem partners, such as customers, suppliers, freight forwarders, and logistics service providers. This requires a means to organise the collaboration. The concepts of digital platforms and digital ecosystems have emerged within this context bringing different ecosystem stakeholders together, allowing them to communicate, share data and interact and, therefore, also simplify the complexities of day-to-day transactions among cargo stakeholders (Wang & Sarkis, 2021).

Our study provides insights on how a digital logistics marketplace including emissions data is developed in a project consortium consisting of four development cases connected by the marketplace. The cases focus on different logistics service operations (truck, train, port). The three-year development process is still ongoing, and at this point we can report the observations and findings from the first year.

This research follows a qualitative approach to examine the development of a digital marketplace for emissions-aware logistics services in the context of the EU co-funded project ADMIRAL. Currently we have an initial concept of an emission-aware logistics marketplace as well as the first experiences of defining such a platform. However, several issues are challenging the development of such a marketplace – such as data sharing, governance model and overcoming the chicken and egg problem. The marketplace aims to facilitate interaction between the sellers (producers) and the buyers (users). The sellers operating on the platform offer their logistics services according to rules set by the platform operator. The emission-aware buyers acquire these services via the platform. The marketplace is not only a transaction platform, but it also provides capability for application developers and integrators to build and integrate applications on top of the marketplace utilising the developer portal. The marketplace operator facilitates the operation and enables value creation between the different parties of the platform. Furthermore, the operator determines and controls who can access the platform and under what conditions (e.g., curation). Thus, the marketplace has many challenges to tackle, and it remains to be seen how we will succeed in our journey towards a multimodal marketplace platform for Scope 3 emission-aware logistics.

The global logistics industry faces the urgent challenge of reducing its CO2 emissions. With increasing pressure from governments, consumers, and investors to adopt more sustainable practices, proactive measures to decarbonize are essential. Transport and logistics account for approximately 14% of global CO2 emissions, highlighting the urgency to make significant progress in this sector. This presentation at the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics outlines a comprehensive roadmap to reduce Scope-3 emissions in the transport sector. Scope-3 emissions encompass all indirect emissions in a company’s value chain and are particularly difficult to manage. Reducing these emissions is crucial for achieving global climate goals and ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the logistics industry. Companies must follow several steps to successfully decarbonize:

• Transparency: Calculate the CO2 footprint using primary data or emission factors
• Hot Spot Identification: Identify “CO2 hotspots” to prioritize decarbonization activities
• Define Decarbonization Roadmap: Identify decarbonization levers, create a timeline, and assign responsibilities
• Track Measures: Develop data dashboards to visualize the current status and progress of decarbonization efforts

A specific project example illustrates the practical applications and successes of this strategy. A leading logistics provider based in Hamburg identified its most emission-intensive routes and conducted a detailed analysis of the main sources of emissions. Innovation workshops with suppliers led to sustainable transport solutions such as alternative fuels and more efficient transport methods. A global network of sustainability champions coordinated the implementation of these solutions across different regions.

Supported by a “Green Solution Map,” which provided a clear overview of available green offerings, and a tracking tool to monitor progress, the project achieved a significant reduction in Scope-3 emissions and set new benchmarks for sustainable practices in the logistics industry.

Decarbonizing the logistics industry offers the opportunity to innovate in sustainability and lead the way. With a strategic roadmap, targeted interventions, promotion of innovation, and global collaboration, significant emission reductions can be achieved. This presentation aims to inspire logistics professionals and equip them with the knowledge and tools to drive decarbonization efforts within their organizations, contributing to a more sustainable future.

3D Printing (3DP) has been regarded as a disruptive technology with myriads of benefits, this includes decentralized manufacturing, rapid prototyping, reorchestration and domestication of supply chains, lowering logistics costs, as well as sustainable and circular implications. However, limited focus has been given to integrating 3DP technologies with traditional manufacturing, particularly in the context of demand and production disruptions.

This study investigates the impact of utilizing a single 3DP as a production tool to mitigate disruptions, through considering production of 5 auto parts (side mirror cover, sun visor clip, door lock knob, rear view mirror cover, and a door handle), with a predefined set of demand and production size, the study assumes production, shortage and holding costs as percentages for traditional manufacturing, while calculating the actual production costs for 3DP, including two different infill rates.

On the other hand, to evaluate the effect of disruptions, a Monte Carlo simulation is employed to simulate different probabilities affecting the demand and supply quantities across a large set of instances. This allows to observe the effect of using a 3DP on different part sizes and through different scenarios of demand and production instances. The study uses MS Excel to perform various calculations.

Moreover, we assess the effect through considering several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): demand fulfillment rate, holding cost, shortage cost, total production costs and unit production costs. Notably, the model shows that holding cost increased when combining with 3DP, as holding cost is a percentage of produced parts, suggesting that other manufacturing strategies as Make to Order, Engineer to Order and Just in Time are better fit for 3DP, thus decreasing holding costs and increasing demand fulfillment rates.

Additionally, part weight plays a major role as a variable, smaller parts mean more parts to be produced, increasing production and holding costs as well as demand fulfillment rate, while decreasing shortages. This is observed for instance for the sun visor clip, door lock knob, and door handle as demand fulfillment rates increase by 28%, 19%, and 15% respectively at a 20% infill rate. Conversely, as part weight increases, the benefits of 3DP regarding demand fulfillment rates diminish. Hence, reducing part weight through utilizing better 3DP designs approaches as Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) practices would yield the positive benefits of higher fulfilment rate while minimizing production and holding costs.

This analysis also shows that 3DP can be beneficial under conditions of low production and high demand instances, with high shortage costs and low holding cost percentages. The practical implications of this study include providing stakeholders with a tool to assess the deployment of 3DP and study its effect on covering disruptions. While future development of the study and the tool can include change in 3DP costs, specifically labor costs, the consideration of other parts, different sets of demand and production quantities, and different production and inventory models. Moreover, validation based on practical case studies should be considered for more robust insights for stakeholders.

Introduction

Offshore wind energy is a pillar in the decarbonization strategy of the German government as there is enough space and steady winds in the North and Baltic Seas to make this a viable and important energy source. The logistics however pose a great challenge especially during the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) phase due to the great distances, harsh winds, and weather conditions at sea. AIS (Automated Identification System) data transmits every vessel’s position, speed, and course-over-ground, at certain intervals based on said speed, which can allow the routes of O&M vessels to be traced. The research was done within the LogReview project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Methodology

To trace the routes of O&M vessels, a large AIS-dataset provided by the Danish Maritime Authority was used. This dataset consisted of 3.5 Terabytes of public available data, in addition to data collected in the LogReview project from three receivers based in the North Sea at the FINO 1, and FINO 3 research platforms, as well at the island of Heligoland. To extract meaningful data from this data set, the following steps had to be done: Data Pre-processing, Data Cleaning, Data Slicing and Data Analysis through means of the Panda library of Python. After these steps, the data was filtered for crew transfer vessels (CTV) and stored in a SQL Lite database. The coordinates in latitude and longtitude of offshore wind turbines, from the research platforms mentioned above, were stored in a library created for this project. The meaningful data was filtered into days and months with both statistical graphs and plotted tracks created using the Python library Folium. With the completion of these steps, it was possible to derive the exact tracks of the Offshore Wind O&M Vessels within the wind farms including the duration of their visit to a particular wind turbine. This further allowing the deduction of the time of O&M procedures.

Findings

The tracks of the Offshore O&M vessels based on AIS-data shows the O&M processes over a longer time period and can help to improve these processes. Better processes will lead to shorter distances travelled and thus lower costs which is one key part to make offshore wind more cost effective.

Discussion

By using AIS data, wind farm operators can use a new tool to make data driven decisions for their CTVs doing O&M. During the first few years of its lifespan, the original equipment manufacturer is responsible for O&M. But after the initial contract is settled, the responsibility shifts to the wind farm owner. Manufacturers typically are unwilling to share their O&M strategies, citing business secret protection. The analysis of AIS patterns will allow for identification of the optimal O&M schedule used by the manufacturer, to decrease costs for the wind farm owner when O&M ownership changes hands.

Conclusion

In conclusion this approach shows that AIS-data can be used to get a better insights into offshore wind O&M processes and provide an opportunity to improve these.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is rapidly advancing from prototyping to industrial serial production but faces persistent quality issues. Most current research occurs in lab settings, focusing on successful print quality and neglecting real-life data and errors that interrupt or spoil print jobs.

To address these shortcomings, we conduct a case study and conduct 13 interviews with AM service providers, AM manufacturers, and AM operators. We target companies in the transportation industry that have substantial experience with AM. This industry is particularly well-suited for AM adoption due to the long operational lifespan of vehicles and the relatively low installed base. With this study, we contribute to a better understanding of main AM printing challenges by asking (i) which factors lead to build failures? and (ii) how can firms develop learning curves to reduce build failures? We focus on the print job itself and excludes the preceding (e.g., part design, data preparation, or material supply) and subsequent (e.g., post-processing, quality assurance) processes. We use an exploratory research design building on qualitative interview data from various AM experts.

We find that build failures occur mainly due to three reasons. First, build failures often occur during the initial setup phase, typically within the first one to three print jobs, due to machine settings, part design, or material characteristics. While these failures are common in the ramp-up phase and must be planned for, they become rare in the serial production phase once print job repeatability is established, although software tools cannot eliminate them. Second, build failures often occur during the first few layers of a print job due to adhesion issues on the build plate, temperature or humidity issues with the material, or calibration of the extruder nozzle and its movement. Operators can mitigate these failures by closely observing the initial phase of the print job, thoroughly preparing and calibrating the printer, build plate, and nozzle, and storing materials in cabinets with controlled temperature and humidity as per ISO/ASTM DIS 52920 standards. Third, build failures can occur due to unforeseen external influences like power blackouts or physical movement of the printer, causing issues such as vibrations, clogged extruders, uneven layers, and extrusion stops. Although difficult and costly to mitigate completely, firms can plan for these events by installing backup energy supplies and positioning printers in locations with minimal physical impacts, though eliminating all possible external influences remains challenging.

We find that learning curves play a major role in mitigating build failures. If firms collect data about print jobs and build failures over time, they become capable of understanding the weaknesses of the print job and mitigating build failures. Learning curves can be developed over time, production volume, and knowledge of operators. Firms can achieve learning curves by focusing on single AM technologies and following quality standards (e.g. ISO/ASTM DIS 52920). Our findings contradict the image of using AM as “plug and play” and support the perspective that companies with little experience should consider using third party AM service providers.

A systematic review guided by standards of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) Statement was employed whereby different databases including Emerald, Nature and Science Direct were consulted. PRISMA was used to uncover knowledge about CE business models practiced by industries for sustainable logistic operations, the degree of ReSOLVE model implementation in SSA and alignment of Environmental Management Act, 2004, National Environmental Management Policy (NEMP 1997), Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP 2021/22 - 2025/2026) and the Sustainable Industries Development Policy (SIDP 1996-2020) in Tanzania with the United Nations General Assembly, 2015. Five (5) mostly practiced CE business models for sustainable logistic operations were established namely big data driven supply chain management, sustainable production and consumption, crowd sourced logistics, industrial ecology and ReSOLVE framework. These business models have enabled a strategic shift towards circular approaches. Presently, Uber and Bolt operations in Tanzania was highlighted as the best example of urban transport transformation. Also, the ReSOLVE model was found to motivate adoption of renewable energy technologies, resource sharing, and virtualization of processes, although its widespread adoption in SSA is still emerging. Implementation of CE is intrinsically linked to sustainable logistic operations that showed improvements in materials distribution and enhancing reverse logistics such that it is difficult to differentiate the CE practices and sustainable logistic operations.

In addition, this study indicated varying degrees of ReSOLVE model implementation in product design, production planning and sustainable logistic operations in SSA especially Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, Togo, Kenya and South Africa. Despite the limited adoption CE business models, industrial application of the six ReSOLVE components have been realized. For example, industrial symbiosis is exemplified by a Tanzanian sugar factory whereby wastes from one unit serves as input for another that enhanced resource efficiency and industrial sustainability. Finally, alignment of the Environmental Management Act, National Environmental Management Policy, Five-Year Development Plan (FYDP 2021/22 - 2025/2026) and the Sustainable Industries Development Policy (SIDP 1996-2020) policy instruments in Tanzania with the United Nations sustainability goals is evident. Such that all policies collectively promote polluter pays principle, CE practices, sustainable consumption and shift to renewable energy which are all aligned with the United Nations General Assembly 2015 goals mainly Goal 12.2, 12.5 and Goal 7. However, the FYDP does not explicitly mention the polluter pays principle with the assumption that the EMA and its regulations will be enforced accordingly. Hence, this study provides vital contribution to government policy making institutions in SSA about appropriate CE practices for sustainable logistic operations.

Tanzania's economy heavily relies on agriculture, with 80% of the population employed in this sector, contributing 30% to the GDP. The primary crops for rural households are maize, rice, wheat, cassava, and bananas. Sustainable supply chain management is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the agricultural industry. Recent studies have shown that implementing sustainable practices in the farming transport sector can significantly reduce environmental impact and operational expenses. For example, firms embracing sustainable supply chain management have reduced fuel consumption by 15% and decreased their carbon footprint by 20% over five years.

The study employed three theories – resource Dependency Theory, Stakeholder Theory, and Institutional Theory – to underpin sustainable supply chain management practices in the transportation sector. These theories promoted environmental conservation, efficiency, and social responsibility within the supply chain.

The research methodology involved in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with transporters in Tanzania's Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using NVIVO, which allowed for the organization, coding, and exploration of audio recordings, transcripts, and other relevant documents from the interviews and discussions.

The study found that sustainability awareness in supply chain management is increasing, but transporters still need to improve their sustainable practices. Transporters utilizing renewable energies are few. Those adopting sustainable practices gain a competitive advantage because they offer lower costs. By implementing sustainable practices, transporters can reduce operating costs, offer lower prices, and gain a competitive edge. However, limited resources and cultural barriers hinder the widespread adoption of sustainable practices. Collaboration with stakeholders and government support are necessary to overcome these challenges. This collaborative approach can address these challenges and promote economic development and environmental sustainability in the agricultural supply chain. By emphasizing the role of each stakeholder in this cooperative effort, the study aims to empower and motivate the audience to take action.

The study's findings have direct and practical implications for owners/managers and policymakers. It is recommended that owners/managers embrace the use of renewable energies and SSCM initiatives as a source of competitive advantage. On the other hand, policymakers are urged to develop policies to guide transporters using cleaner energies by making them cheaper and easily accessible. These recommendations are not only feasible but also necessary for the sustainable development of the agricultural supply chain in Tanzania.

In conclusion, the study reiterates its key findings, emphasizing the crucial role of transporters in the agricultural sector in the SSCM framework. It underscores their direct impact on environmental protection, social responsibility, and the overall viability of businesses in Tanzania's agricultural supply chain. The study also underscores the importance of a collaborative approach involving businesses, government, and civil society to address the challenges of implementing sustainable practices within the supply chain. By highlighting the audience's role in this collaborative effort, the study aims to make them feel valued and integral to the process. These findings are significant and provide a clear road map for the future of sustainable supply chain management in Tanzania's agricultural sector.

Global warming and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have reached unsustainable levels leading to drastic changes that need to be implemented to reduce and reverse the current GHG outputs. Notably, the automotive industry is seeing a paradigm shift in transitioning from the traditional internal combustion engines (ICE) towards electric powered vehicles (EV). This can be seen in Europe, where there has been a remarkable demand increase of EVs in line with governmental policies on reducing the sales of ICEs. Consequently, automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are actively pursuing updating their capabilities to accommodate this new manufacturing shift. One of the challenges arising with this shift is how to manage end-of-life battery recycling of EVs.

This study investigates, how OEMs, can gain a competitive advantage within the automotive industry by managing the end-of-life of batteries. Hence, this study develops a critical review of relevant literature, integrating the current state of manufacturing shift from ICE vehicles, EV battery technologies and battery recycling methods. The paper introduces a conceptual framework consolidating the different business functions required to develop a core competence in EV battery recycling. The study then presents an empirical case on one of the leading automotive OEMs in Europe, in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior experts responsible for the identified business functions.

The research highlights three main crucial aspects to be considered by OEMs. Namely, understanding the complexity and interdependences of the major factors within the industry, such as regulatory, technological, and financial factors. Secondly, ensuring that the external variables are considered, such as competition rivalry, supplier power and how the company’s internal capabilities can shape these dynamics. Finally, to create a lasting competitive advantage, it is crucial to develop a strategic fit between the business strategy, level of technological and infrastructure maturity within the industry’s evolving market dynamic.

The study concludes that for OEMs to create a competitive advantage via battery recycling, they will need to assess their internal competencies as well the external environment to create a strategy enabling them to become market leaders. Hence, the recommendation for the case in focus is to first capitalise on their current internal strength points as their manufacturing know-how, skilled workers, and their dealer’s network. Second, to create a hub-spoke network to facilitate the efficient and effective management, collection, and relevant processing of the end-of-life batteries within Europe. Finally, developing close collaborations with different stakeholders in the battery recycling industry, to achieve cost advantages through a closed loop supply chain.

Given the persistent energy crisis and the increasing demand for green electricity, the significance of producing green hydrogen is continually rising. The state-of-the-art process for generating green hydrogen is electrolysis which requires large amounts of pre-treated freshwater as the feedstock. This poses challenges for global drinking water supply and demands significant amounts of energy for treatment.

In contrast, the SeaEly project aims to use seawater directly as the feedstock for the electrolysis. This approach leverages the abundance of seawater worldwide and has potential to save substantial amounts of energy that would otherwise be used for water pre-treatment. To achieve the project’s goals, special membranes are being developed to withstand the high salinity of seawater.

A byproduct of this electrolysis process is seawater brine. Current disposal strategies for similar seawater brines, such as those from desalination plants, often involve returning them to the sea, despite the known negative effects on the marine ecosystems.

As part of the SeaEly project, this work provides an in-depth analysis of sustainable and environmentally friendly applications for seawater brine, instead of returning it to the sea. It also includes economic feasibility estimations for mineral extraction and commercialization. Therefore, this approach emphasizes social and environmental responsibility within the supply chain.

In this study separation strategies for the fractionated extraction of various minerals are being developed, considering the abundance of different elements in the Weser River near Bremerhaven. The considered separation strategies include ion exchange, adsorption, liquid-liquid extraction, precipitation/crystallization, and membrane processes.

The economic feasibility of the separation is estimated considering market demands and raw material prices, extraction yields and occurring investment and operating costs. This study concludes that the extracting of chlorine (Cl), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) from the resulting brine holds significant economic potential. Over a three-year period, the extraction of Cl, Na, Rb, Mg, and Ca from the brine can yield substantial net revenues ranging from 2 × 10³ , to 80 × 10³ based on the volume of untreated seawater, depending on the method employed and local market conditions.

A SWOT analysis reveals the project's unique strengths, including the production of green hydrogen from an abundant resource and the scalable extraction of raw materials. However, challenges such as complex extraction processes and limited technological adaptability pose internal weaknesses. External opportunities include supplying a variety of raw materials through environmentally favorable byproduct utilization within a circular economy and therefore counteracting existing supply chain risks. Yet, the project faces threats, such as the complex and variable composition of seawater at different locations and uncertainties regarding large-scale implementation necessitate careful consideration of the project's viability.

Many countries around the globe have taken a variety of strategic policies aiming at meeting energy needs more sustainably. Hydrogen energy demand has grown remarkably to support commercial, transport, and residential applications. In this study, we assess the upstream process of the Hydrogen Supply Network (HSC) based on the green hydrogen concept, in which electricity from a renewable energy source such as solar renewable energy is used in the electrolysis technique to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. Initially, multiple criteria based on geographic, climate, and sun-earth interaction data are collected inclusive of locational area, population density, precipitation level, days with rainfall, air temperature, humidity percentage, wind force, sunshine hours, solar irradiation, and photovoltaic power. Then, these conflicting criteria are modeled using one of the well-known Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) called the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique to evaluate the relative efficiency of each investigated regional location for a potential solar energy plant. The DEA technique, in particular, is a linear programming and production theory-based nonparametric approach generally used for efficiency analysis and optimization. The technique thus allows for the measurement of the relative efficiency of alternatives called Decision Making Units (DMUs) simultaneously to capture the interaction between multiple input and output criteria.

Next, given several efficient DMUs, the super-efficiency DEA technique (SDEA) is further used as a basis for ranking efficient DMUs under consideration. The SDEA score, in particular, can be used to measure the proportional increase in the inputs for a DMU that could take place without destroying the ‘efficient’ status of that DMU relative to the efficiency of the remaining DMUs. Thus, the SDEA score can further provide a measure of stability for obtained results. The case study of the state of Saxony-Anhalt in Germany inclusive of eleven districts and three independent cities is further used as DMUs to explore the district/city’s relative efficiency. Our initial DEA analysis suggests that about 57% of all DMUs (i.e., eight DMUs) perform relatively efficient, which are found to be Börde district (BK), Burgenland district (BLK), Harz district (HZ), Mansfeld-Südharz District (MSH), Saalekreis (SK), Salzlandkreis (SLK), City of Halle (Saale) (HAL), and State capital Magdeburg (MD) with all reported 1.00 efficient scores. This result suggests benchmarking locations for solar energy plants in the green HSC. Additionally, the SDEA technique is further used, which enables efficient DMUs to be ranked. That is, the efficiency score in SDEA allows the efficiency score for efficient units to be higher than 100% and thus the efficiency score from the SDEA technique can be taken as a basis for a complete ranking of efficient units. Accordingly, our analysis suggests that the top three efficient locations for solar energy plants in the green HSC based on the SDEA technique are HAL followed by HZ and MD, respectively. We note that this study is the first phase of our ongoing research framework to model and analyze HSC to integrate the upstream, midstream, and downstream operations.

In the discussion of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in the road transportation sector, particularly in freight transportation, is regarded as one option to reduce mobility-based emissions. In this context, the efficient supply of hydrogen refuelling stations is crucial element in the total hydrogen supply chain. Various options for supplying hydrogen refuelling stations from a source, in terms of transportation and storage technologies, already exist, and with advances in research new options continue to emerge. These options, also referred to as pathways, are associated with different costs and also emission characteristics, which strongly depend on the considered scenario. In this paper, a methodology is proposed that allows for flexible modelling and evaluation of hydrogen delivery pathways. The methodology is based on the concept of activity analysis. Delivery pathways are modelled as sequences of activities with all associated material flows and emissions. This allows for both economic and environmental assessment of different hydrogen delivery pathways. The applicability of this approach is demonstrated within a case study for two different use cases. First, we show how different delivery pathways for a specific sourcing option can be evaluated. Second we apply the proposed method for the integrated assessment of different sourcing options, locally procured grey hydrogen and imported green hydrogen. Enabling an economic and environmental evaluation, the methodology allows for the identification of efficient solutions.

Globally, organizations are developing strategies to address climate change, with decarbonization and net-zero commitments emerging as essential steps for sustainable development. Achieving a net-zero future relies on increasing research, development, and testing of existing technologies.

Maritime ports play a critical role in logistics networks. Given the complexities of port decarbonization, a combination of measures is necessary, as no single solution fits all scenarios. However, several barriers hinder low-carbon operations, making it challenging for ports to plan and implement decarbonization strategies. Existing studies usually focus on the barriers of specific measures, which is insufficient for port decarbonization. Also, previous research has identified a need to explore further port decarbonization barriers (Fadiga et al., 2024).

This review aims to identify the barriers hindering maritime port decarbonization and provide a systematic categorization of the identified barriers to help researchers and industry stakeholders prioritize interventions and customize strategies. We have selected 33 publications through the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology to investigate the key barriers hindering maritime port decarbonization. By doing so, 25 barriers were identified and categorized, offering detailed definitions for each barrier. Additionally, the study describes mitigation strategies to overcome port decarbonization barriers. These suggestions provide actionable solutions that stakeholders may implement to facilitate the transition to sustainable port operations. They also assist policymakers and port authorities in effectively overcoming these obstacles and advancing decarbonization efforts.

A significant gap was revealed as most articles do not comprehensively categorize the barriers and those that do lack the application of any theoretical lens in their categorization. Regarding the theoretical lenses used, most articles do not specify a theoretical framework, with the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) model and the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework being the most referenced.

We suggest that future studies employ other theoretical lenses, such as the Sociotechnical Systems (STS), to categorize the identified barriers and provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to develop strategies to overcome these barriers and promote sustainable maritime operations. By categorizing these barriers through the STS theoretical lens, it is possible to explore the complex relationships between socio-technical components and various actors in the maritime transportation sector, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches for effective decarbonization strategies.

The study further highlights the barriers' interrelationships, emphasizing the importance of a multifaceted approach to addressing the complexities of port decarbonization. Future research should focus on the interdependence of challenges to decarbonizing maritime ports to ensure sustainable operations in the maritime transport sector.

References

Fadiga, A., Ferreira, L. M. D., & Bigotte, J. F. (2024), “Decarbonising Maritime Ports: A Systematic review of the literature and insights for new research opportunities”, Journal of Cleaner Production, 142209, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.142209

Container Terminals are often subject to high load peaks, which can be caused by fluctuations in truck arrivals, delays in train and ship arrivals during the day. As a result, these peak times lead to longer waiting times for trucks within the terminal. At the same time, this has a negative impact on operational efficiency of the terminal, as it can cause inconsistent utilization of the handling equipment at various times of the day. In order to improve the organization of their processes, most of the seaport container terminals are introducing truck slot booking systems that can clearly define the time slots in which trucking companies can deliver and collect containers. These truck slot booking systems primarily have the effect of smoothing the peak load from the terminal's perspective throughout the day. However, for the trucking companies, they increase the complexity of transport planning and thus shift inefficiencies between the parties involved.

Aim of the FLEXIKING project is to develop a collaborative and flexible truck slot booking system, which continuously recalculates the available time slots at the combined transport terminal, considering the current ETAs of inbound and outbound traffic. At the same time, the system balances the interests and degrees of freedom of the trucking companies and the terminals by enabling a dynamic adjustment in the event of changing framework conditions, achieving consensual rescheduling of time slots.

Within the project, five innovation areas were defined to achieve this goal. Aim of this publication is to predict the waiting time of trucks in each time slot to find the intended truck quota for each of the slots, considering the operational parameters of the terminal. This should help trucking companies plan their routes and terminals to optimize the use of their equipment as well. Therefore, existing queuing models will be adapted for calculating the waiting times within the time slots. As the first step, the processes of a combined transport terminal were mapped at a particular terminal location of a project partner and analysed in detail. Moreover, the length of time slots was determined. In the second step, the queuing model was developed. In addition to arrival rates and waiting time probabilities, the queuing model also considers other parameters such as the share of direct transshipments, predicted rail delays, operational efficiency, or the inventory levels. A transferability check ensures that the assumptions made in the model development are transferable to other terminals.