Title: Partnerships for environmental technology development in the shipping industry: two Danish case studies

Authors: Roberto Rivas Hermann; Carla K. Smink; Søren Kerndrup

Addresses: Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Vestre Havnepromenade 9, 3rd floor, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark ' Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Vestre Havnepromenade 9, 3rd floor, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark ' Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Vestre Havnepromenade 9, 3rd floor, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark

Abstract: The shipping industry faces huge challenges with regard to improving its environmental performance. The current regulatory approach has not been successful. Public and private actors increasingly rely on partnerships. The literature on partnerships for sustainability has contributed to a better conceptualisation of the subject. However, less is known about the processes and the outcomes of the partnerships as well as interactions between partnerships. This paper aims to improve the understanding of how partnerships contribute to developing cleaner technologies in the Danish shipping industry. Two partnerships have been analysed: Partnership for Cleaner Shipping and the Green Ship of the Future. Participation, scope and division of roles among partners have influenced both partnerships. Furthermore, both partnerships have developed organisational forms that proved to overcome the tensions in traditional partnerships, between open and information-based networking on the one side and closed and development-oriented collaboration on the other side.

Keywords: eco-innovation; partnerships; shipping; air pollution control; scrubbers; end-of-pipe; maritime industry; environmental technology; cleaner technologies; Denmark; technology development; shipping industry; case studies; sustainability; sustainable development; green ships; networking; collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2016.077503

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.10 No.3, pp.260 - 280

Received: 10 Sep 2014
Accepted: 02 Jul 2015
Published online: 04 Jul 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article