Socio-technical Transition Pathways in Norwegian Maritime Transport

This report presents a qualitative case study on socio-technical transition pathways and bottlenecks in Norwegian maritime transport. It identifies the challenges of decarbonizing the transport sector, particularly in maritime transport, where alternatives to fossil fuels are limited. The report outlines the barriers to deploying alternative fuels, including economic costs, infrastructure needs, and societal acceptance. It discusses emerging innovations such as battery-electric solutions, hydrogen, ammonia, and biofuels, highlighting their potential roles in the future maritime fuel mix. The study employs a hybrid perspective that integrates techno-economic and socio-technical analyses to assess recent developments and trends in the sector. It also examines transition bottlenecks related to technological substitution, social change, and radical transformation pathways, focusing on factors like maturity of options and political feasibility. The findings contribute to understanding energy transitions by identifying current patterns of change and potential challenges in implementing sustainable solutions in the maritime industry.