Abstract for: Supply Chain Geography and Maritime Decarbonization: A Systems Analysis

International maritime transport covers over 80% of global trade while generating approximately 3% of global GHG emissions. Despite the International Maritime Organization's technical and operational measures to improve ship efficiency, decarbonization remains challenging due to complex interdependencies between supply chain geography and emissions, compounded by recent disruptions prompting firms to reassess offshore strategies. This study employs systems thinking to model the dynamic interdependencies between supplier geography and maritime emissions through a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD). This CLD serves as a hypothesis generation method, illustrating the feedback loops and interdependency relationships we have proposed. A hypothetical CLD was created, and four key dynamics were identified: the maritime cost-regulation trap, the cost–location trade-off, emissions rebound, and the supply chain security-cost trade-off. These dynamics operate either as balancing loops that preserve the status quo by creating economic resistance to costly emission-reduction measures, or as reinforcing loops that can either accelerate or impede the low-carbon transition—such as those driven by geopolitical risks. The transition to a low-carbon maritime industry is shaped by interconnected feedback mechanisms where emission reduction efforts may generate unintended consequences. Effective decarbonization strategies must account for economic, geographic, and political dynamics to avoid emissions rebounds and policy deadlocks. It was used to rephrase and improvement of sentences and grammar verification