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Energies
Volume 18
Issue 3
10.3390/en18030649
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Strategic Dynamics and Decision-Making Models in the Maritime Trade of Biofuels in Spain: Insights into Port Operations and Energy Transition Policies

by
Nicoletta González-Cancelas
1,*,
Javier Vaca-Cabrero
1,
Alberto Camarero-Orive
1 and
Diego Alfonso Álvarez Garzón
2
1
Department of Transport, Territorial and Urban Planning Engineering, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Calle Profesor Aranguren, 3, 28040 Madrid, Spain
2
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Calle Profesor Aranguren, 3, 28040 Madrid, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2025, 18(3), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030649
Submission received: 16 December 2024 / Revised: 22 January 2025 / Accepted: 28 January 2025 / Published: 30 January 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass, Biofuels and Waste: 3rd Edition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

This study examines the maritime trade of biofuels in Spain, focusing on its contribution to the global energy transition and sustainable development. Using data from Spain’s 28 port authorities, the research identifies key trends, trade dynamics, and port-specific roles. This study reveals that Spain is a net biofuel exporter, maintaining a positive balance of 5.20 million tons throughout the study period. Export volumes peaked in 2021 at 1.63 million tons, while imports have shown steady growth over the past seven years. Barcelona and Bilbao emerge as strategic ports with robust connections to the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium, reinforcing Spain’s role in the international biofuel market. This study incorporates hierarchical decision models, including classification trees, to analyze sustainability and efficiency factors in biofuel trade. These models unveil key interactions between variables such as cargo type, origin country, and port characteristics, offering actionable strategies to optimize port operations and enhance Spain’s standing in the global biofuels sector. This research highlights the importance of sustainable port infrastructure and international collaboration to strengthen Spain’s position as a pivotal player in the global energy transition.
Keywords: biofuels; energy transition; maritime trade; Spanish ports; decision models; sustainability biofuels; energy transition; maritime trade; Spanish ports; decision models; sustainability

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MDPI and ACS Style

González-Cancelas, N.; Vaca-Cabrero, J.; Camarero-Orive, A.; Álvarez Garzón, D.A. Strategic Dynamics and Decision-Making Models in the Maritime Trade of Biofuels in Spain: Insights into Port Operations and Energy Transition Policies. Energies 2025, 18, 649. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030649

AMA Style

González-Cancelas N, Vaca-Cabrero J, Camarero-Orive A, Álvarez Garzón DA. Strategic Dynamics and Decision-Making Models in the Maritime Trade of Biofuels in Spain: Insights into Port Operations and Energy Transition Policies. Energies. 2025; 18(3):649. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030649

Chicago/Turabian Style

González-Cancelas, Nicoletta, Javier Vaca-Cabrero, Alberto Camarero-Orive, and Diego Alfonso Álvarez Garzón. 2025. "Strategic Dynamics and Decision-Making Models in the Maritime Trade of Biofuels in Spain: Insights into Port Operations and Energy Transition Policies" Energies 18, no. 3: 649. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030649

APA Style

González-Cancelas, N., Vaca-Cabrero, J., Camarero-Orive, A., & Álvarez Garzón, D. A. (2025). Strategic Dynamics and Decision-Making Models in the Maritime Trade of Biofuels in Spain: Insights into Port Operations and Energy Transition Policies. Energies, 18(3), 649. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030649

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