The Impact of Maritime Transport on Economic Growth and Sustainability of the Blue Economy in Southeast Asia

This study analyzes the interactions among marine transport networks, carbon emissions, port investments, marine regulations, and other factors affecting the Southeast Asian blue economy, including their interplay. Drawing on sample data from 1995 to 2023, the study explores the maritime dimensions of the blue economy to argue for its role in the region’s environmental and economic development. The researcher employed the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator, which better addresses endogeneity and provides more accurate estimates. The focus of this empirical study is the intersection of GDP growth, investments in infrastructure, carbon emissions inventories, cargo throughput, consumption of fossil fuels, environmental policies, and green maritime technologies. The study demonstrated a strong positive association between cargo throughput and GDP growth. This was at the expense of the strong negative association between the maritime sector's carbon emissions and the blue economy’s viability. The study showed that investments in ports with an efficient design had both positive and negative associations with transport sector efficiency and sustainability. ASEAN's efforts to harmonize environmental and maritime regulations among member states further supported the implementation of the blue economy. The study emphasizes the need for an integrated, resilient regulatory approach, green infrastructure financing, and cooperative regional governance within and beyond Southeast Asia's maritime transport systems and blue economy.