Digital green shipping innovation : conception, adoption, and challenges

Abstract

Coupled with digital-enabled Industry 4.0 development, shipping operators increasingly leverage popular digital technologies to innovate green shipping practices. This study provides insights into the concept, adoption, and challenges of digital green shipping innovation (DGSI) to advance knowledge in the field. Such innovation elevates green shipping for environmentally friendly cargo handling and movement by digital technology applications. Against this backdrop, this study reviews literature involving DGSI and identifies four categories of practices. We develop propositions concerning its antecedents and outcomes to understand its adoption. The challenges and opportunities for adopting DGSI are also identified with managerial guidance to plan green innovation in the shipping industry. This research enriches the knowledge of green shipping in the digital-enabled era with insights and guideposts for managers and policymakers to understand the value of digital technologies for greener shipping operations.