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Open research questions in Maritime Ports and Logistics

136 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 890 Maritime Ports and Logistics papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The need to handle dynamic yard-to-ferry loading, which requires executable decisions between yard planning and vessel stowage. The restrictive operational interface between yard and vessel, which requires careful selection of the source queue, number of vehicles to move, and receiving location. The need to ensure that the selected action does not violate geometry, mass, discharge sequence, or vessel-balance restrictions.

    Endogenous FIFO-Batch Control for Dynamic Yard-to-Ferry Loading: A Deterministic Two-Stage Receding-Horizon Rollout · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the effect of forecasting future arrivals, - exploring the application of the proposed method to other domains, - analyzing the trade-off between computational complexity and solution quality

    Endogenous FIFO-Batch Control for Dynamic Yard-to-Ferry Loading: A Deterministic Two-Stage Receding-Horizon Rollout · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for more efficient, reliable inland corridors. The under-utilization of overland routes like R9 through Laos and Vietnam due to poor road conditions, higher logistics costs, and operational uncertainty.

    The effect of the China-Thailand railway on Thailand’s trade with China Guangxi Province · 2026 · DOI

  • Workforce resistance to digitalization and automation. Financial constraints and regulatory complexities. Need for universities to develop courses tailored to global challenges such as digitalization, sustainability, and supply chain resilience.

    Essential Competencies in Maritime and Port Logistics: A Study on the Current Needs of the Sector · 2025 · DOI

  • Further studies should investigate how innovation and emerging technologies are reshaping competency requirements - Continuous curriculum development, informed by direct industry feedback, is therefore essential -

    Essential Competencies in Maritime and Port Logistics: A Study on the Current Needs of the Sector · 2025 · DOI

  • There is a lack of publications on the use of intermodal terminals for smart city freight handling. There is a lack of publications on the study of the energy efficiency of such facilities.

    Analysis of the Overhead Crane Energy Consumption Using Different Container Loading Strategies in Urban Logistics Hubs · 2024 · DOI

  • Despite efforts to regulate offshore firms, these entities remain widespread and influential in the global economy – yet their role in studies on global production has been understudied.

    Offshore companies in global production and financial networks: the case of the Ukrainian sunflower oil industry · 2026 · DOI

  • This study addresses the critical gap in the literature regarding the energy efficiency of intermodal terminals in smart cities, mainly focusing on crane operations during train loading processes.

    Analysis of the Overhead Crane Energy Consumption Using Different Container Loading Strategies in Urban Logistics Hubs · 2024 · DOI

  • The study is based on a single case study. The sample size is limited to nine PPP practitioners.

    Capacity building challenges in public-private partnerships: institutional insights from port privatization case in Malaysia · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can explore the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. Further studies can examine capacity building challenges in other sectors or countries.

    Capacity building challenges in public-private partnerships: institutional insights from port privatization case in Malaysia · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of how artificial intelligence empowers marine firm resilience. The study notes that prior research has not fully explored the relationship between AI and marine firm resilience.

    How artificial intelligence improves the resilience of marine firms: insights from China’s A-share market · 2026 · DOI

  • The mechanism analysis confirms that AI increases Overseas Sales Ratio (OSR) through mitigation of cross-border information asymmetries, but does not empirically measure the magnitude of this information asymmetry reduction or identify which specific digital network capabilities (real-time market data access, automated trade documentation, cross-border logistics optimization) drive international market expansion in marine firms.

    How artificial intelligence improves the resilience of marine firms: insights from China’s A-share market · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research could explore the application of the model to other ports or logistics systems, - Future studies could investigate the impact of different uncertainty levels on the model's performance, - Additional research could focus on developing more advanced algorithms for solving the model

    Continuous-Time Scheduling of Berths and Onshore Power Supply in Cold-Chain Logistics: A Chance-Constrained Stochastic Programming Model and RL-ALNS Algorithm · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a robust tool for port decision-making under dual uncertainties in vessel arrivals and operations. The need for a chance-constrained stochastic programming model to manage heavy-tailed operational delays. The requirement for a reinforcement learning-based algorithm to solve the NP-hard continuous-time problem.

    Continuous-Time Scheduling of Berths and Onshore Power Supply in Cold-Chain Logistics: A Chance-Constrained Stochastic Programming Model and RL-ALNS Algorithm · 2026 · DOI

  • Data gaps, particularly among traditional ports, restrict comprehensive year-over-year analysis. The study lacks consistent data frameworks that would enable robust evaluation of IoT-driven sustainability.

    Scaling IoT maturity for sustainable global ports · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in understanding the interdependencies between operational and documentation challenges in freight forwarding. The study highlights the need for an integrated failure architecture to address these challenges.

    A Study on the Operational and Documentation Challenges Faced by Freight Forwarders in India: A Quantitative Investigation of an Integrated Failure Architecture · 2026 · DOI

  • Formalise written SLAs with all CHA partners specifying maximum response windows for shipping bill filing, query resolution, and OOC issuance; quarterly performance scorecards with volume reallocation triggers Build a layered transport vendor ecosystem: primary pool of pre-empanelled operators with committed capacity, secondary digital aggregator platform access, pre-negotiated emergency rate cards Implement mandatory two-stage pre- submission documentation based completeness validation and senior officer crossverification of HS code, gross weight, consignee, and POL before submission Deploy standardised cargo acceptance checklists: calibrated weighbridge, piece- count vs packing list, dimensional measurement, photographic documentation and link to the shipment file systemaudit: R5 Documentation &…

    A Study on the Operational and Documentation Challenges Faced by Freight Forwarders in India: A Quantitative Investigation of an Integrated Failure Architecture · 2026 · DOI

  • Excess zeros and unobserved heterogeneity in disruption outcomes. Difficulty in attributing reductions in vessel activity to cyclone impacts in low-traffic ports. Need for a comprehensive dataset to analyze port disruptions.

    U.S. port disruptions under tropical cyclones: Resilience analysis by harnessing multiple-source dataset · 2026 · DOI

  • Further analysis of the CyPort Dataset to identify additional factors that influence port disruptions. Application of the RPNB-Lindley model to other types of extreme weather events. Development of resilience planning strategies that consider regional factors.

    U.S. port disruptions under tropical cyclones: Resilience analysis by harnessing multiple-source dataset · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the existing literature, which often relies on linear or additive approaches to analyze port efficiency. These approaches provide limited insight into how governance dimensions interact in practice. The study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

    The Role of Governance and Sustainability Indicators in Explaining Port Economic Efficiency: A Random Forest Approach · 2026 · DOI

  • Delays in yard operations often exceed national standards. There are efficiency gaps among container types. Terminal operators need to balance standardized procedures with adaptive mechanisms for specific conditions.

    Three-Factor ANOVA Approach to Identify Dominant Factors of Dwelling Time at New Makassar 1 Container Terminal · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to identify the dominant factors of dwelling time at New Makassar 1 Container Terminal. Prior studies have not analyzed the effects of sector, container size, commodity type, and their interactions on average monthly dwelling time.

    Three-Factor ANOVA Approach to Identify Dominant Factors of Dwelling Time at New Makassar 1 Container Terminal · 2026 · DOI

  • The study is limited to Indian Port and Inland Container Depot operations implementing PCS1x. The research faces challenges related to infrastructure, literacy, and data security issues. The study acknowledges the complexity of systems and processes as a barrier to PCS adoption.

    Role Of Port Community Systems (PCS) In Digitizing Port – ICD Operations · 2026 · DOI

  • in PCS Secondary literature identifies challenges to the adoption of PCSS despite apparent benefits (such as untapped benefits of collaboration). Some studies indicate that these barriers to PCSS implementation have varying levels of access to digital infrastructure at ICDs, no common data formats, user resistance to change, and/or low digital literacy among users, especially in underdeveloped countries (Alagöz et al., 2021; De La Peña Zarzuelo et al., 2020). and about cybersecurity Increased sharing of data due to PCs has raised concerns privacy. Cybersecurity risks are introduced by the increased amount of potential cyberattacks on systems; thus, enhanced cybersecurity may diminish or eliminate future interoperability (Tijan et al., 2009). Other factors dissuading some small logistics providers from adopting PCSS are high upfront expenses and uncertain return on investment (Moros-Daza et al., 2020). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 508 | P a g e Khushi Pandey, Int. J. Sci. R. Tech., 2026 3(5), 500-512 |Research According to the World Bank (2024), although the progress of India's PCSS1x program has been noteworthy, there continue to be challenges related to achieving full interoperability across the port, ICD, the and private limitations of PKMS implementation suggest that multiple factors impact how PCs are used or will be implemented in the future. logistics systems.

    Role Of Port Community Systems (PCS) In Digitizing Port – ICD Operations · 2026 · DOI

  • The operational efficiency of dry ports remains scarcely examined in existing literature - Limited number of studies specifically focused on evaluating the operational efficiency of dry ports

    Measuring the operational efficiency of dry ports using DEA approach · 2026 · DOI

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136 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 890 Maritime Ports and Logistics papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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