Renewable energy integration for seaports and coastal transport infrastructure: International experience and research directions for Vietnam

Abstract

The global maritime sector is entering a period of deep energy transition driven by the 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy of the International Maritime Organization and national climate commitments. This paper reviews technologies and integration pathways for renewable energy in seaports and coastal transport infrastructure, drawing on 51 publications from 2010 to 2026. Three groups of solutions are examined: shore power and port microgrids on the port side; wind-assisted propulsion and weather routing on the ship side; and tidal and wave energy for maritime infrastructure. International experience shows that the effectiveness of each solution depends strongly on local resource characteristics, grid carbon intensity, and port operating models, so no model can be transplanted as-is. Benchmarking against Vietnam's policy framework and domestic research landscape, the paper proposes four priority research directions: infrastructure-scale resource data; energy converters tailored to local wind and current regimes; operational optimization of coastal shipping; and system integration under monsoon-driven seasonality.