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Sustainability Transitions in Baltic Sea Shipping: Exploring the Responses of Firms to Regulatory Changes

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  • Ignė Stalmokaitė

    (School of Natural Sciences, Technology and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, SE-14189 Huddinge, Sweden)

  • Johanna Yliskylä-Peuralahti

    (Centre for Maritime Studies, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland)

Abstract

This study investigates how the introduction of more stringent environmental regulation regarding sulphur and nitrogen emission control areas induced shipping companies to react to a new situation and opened up a window of opportunity for build-up of niches for alternative vessel energy sources. By drawing on a multi-level perspective from the socio-technical transition literature, the study provides empirical evidence for how realignments in the environmental regulatory regime alter incumbent actors’ positions and produce varying environmental innovation responses to reduce air-borne pollution from shipping. The study illustrates that the stringency of a regional command-and-control regulation in combination with evolving pressures in the external landscape environment and shipping companies’ task environments are essential components shaping the adoption of environmental innovations. Although incremental innovations seem to dominate in a fossil fuel-based maritime transportation socio-technical system, our results demonstrate the role of regulations and the behaviour of frontrunners in the context of regime fragmentation and sustainability transition processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Ignė Stalmokaitė & Johanna Yliskylä-Peuralahti, 2019. "Sustainability Transitions in Baltic Sea Shipping: Exploring the Responses of Firms to Regulatory Changes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:7:p:1916-:d:218546
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yuzhe Zhao & Yujun Fan & Jingmiao Zhou & Haibo Kuang, 2019. "Bi-Objective Optimization of Vessel Speed and Route for Sustainable Coastal Shipping under the Regulations of Emission Control Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-24, November.
    2. Dedy Arianto & Edward Marpaung & Johny Malisan & Windra Priatna Humang & Feronika Sekar Puriningsih & Mutharuddin & Tetty Sulastry Mardiana & Wilmar Jonris Siahaan & Teguh Pairunan & Abdy Kurniawan, 2022. "Cost Efficiency and CO 2 Emission Reduction in Short Sea Shipping: Evidence from Ciwandan Port–Panjang Port Routes, Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-13, May.
    3. Suneet Singh & Ashish Dwivedi & Saurabh Pratap, 2023. "Sustainable Maritime Freight Transportation: Current Status and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-23, April.
    4. Oskari Lähdeaho & Olli-Pekka Hilmola & Riitta Kajatkari, 2020. "Maritime supply chain sustainability: South-East Finland case study," Journal of Shipping and Trade, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-15, December.

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