Sustainability in the Global Shipbuilding Industry

The global shipbuilding industry plays a crucial role in international trade and economic growth. However, it also contributes significantly to environmental pollution, resource depletion, and social issues and thus faces mounting pressure to reduce its environmental footprint and improve labour and supply chain practices. From emissions and waste to resource-intensive manufacturing and complex global supply networks, the industry must adapt to meet international sustainability targets, including those set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a UN agency regulating shipping, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Despite growing awareness, the industry’s transition has been uneven, with significant variation in regulatory compliance, technological adoption, and stakeholder engagement across regions.

The proposed PhD project explores how the global shipbuilding industry can transition towards more sustainable practices, with a focus on selected market segments such as luxury yachts, naval vessels, cruise ships, or commercial tankers. Each segment presents distinct environmental, technological, and governance challenges, from emissions and energy use to materials sourcing and lifecycle management. The candidate will have the flexibility to focus on one or more of these segments, exploring how innovation, regulation, and stakeholder collaboration shape sustainability practices.

They will benefit from the supervisor’s longstanding collaboration with the German Maritime Museum – Leibniz Institute for Maritime History in Bremerhaven (Germany), which would support the project with in-kind contributions.

The project aims to develop a strategic framework that supports environmental and social transformation across the shipbuilding value chain, contributing to both academic knowledge and industry practice.Research questions (suggestions):

  1. What are the primary environmental and social impacts of the shipbuilding industry?
  2. How can the shipbuilding industry reduce its carbon footprint and energy consumption?
  3. What are the emerging technologies and materials that can enhance the sustainability of ship construction and operation?
  4. How can the shipbuilding industry improve its social performance, including labour rights and working conditions?
  5. What are the economic implications of sustainable shipbuilding?

A comparative case study design, allowing the candidate to examine sustainability practices across different shipbuilding segments (e.g., cruise ships vs. naval vessels) or regions (e.g., South Korea, Norway, UK), lends itself well to the exploration of sustainability in the shipbuilding industry.

This may entail semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, such as shipbuilders, naval architects, sustainability officers, and regulators, and document and policy analysis, such as ESG reports, sustainability disclosures, corporate strategies from major shipbuilders, and international maritime regulations.

The findings of this research may have implications for the shipbuilding industry, policymakers, and environmental organisations.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

  1. Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
  2. Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
  3. Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Carolin Decker-Lange - I am a Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Brunel Business School (BBS) that I joined in February 2023. Previously, I held academic positions at The Open University, UWE Bristol Business School, the University of Bremen (Germany), and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management (Germany). I passed a PhD in Management and a post-doctoral lecture qualification (“Habilitation”) at Freie Universität Berlin (Germany). My interests in research and teaching are at the intersection of strategy and entrepreneurship, including corporate restructuring, interorganisational relationships, family business governance, innovation in SMEs, and entrepreneurship education. I am a Visiting Research Fellow at the German Maritime Museum – Leibniz Institute for Maritime History in Bremerhaven (Germany). This fellowship allows me to explore the Blue Economy from a multidisciplinary perspective.