Incorporated Maritime Policy Concept: Adopting ESRS Principles to Support Maritime Sector’s Sustainable Growth

Abstract

The international maritime sector plays an important part in contributing to the global sustainable economy and plays a significant role in achieving sustainable development goals. A variety of regulations and standards power the sustainability management of the global maritime sector, including the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the European Union’s new draft European Sustainability Reporting Standard. Limited research on the potential contribution of maritime policy-making to support sustainable development has led the sector to face multiple challenges. In this study, we analyzed how local policy-making can impact international goals and global sustainable development based on comprehensive datasets of 143 maritime companies. The study recommends the incorporation of sustainability dimensions of the maritime sector into all levels of policy-making and supporting the policy implementation with the local maritime governance structure. A maritime country should have strategic planning objectives that embrace maritime affairs and use the interactions identified between local development and the maritime sector. We propose a framework for maritime policy-making that supports sustainable development. A maturity model for sustainable development in the maritime sector was developed. The results can be used as guidelines for policymakers in planning sustainable development in a maritime country.