Analysis of the Economic, Environmental, and Social Benefits of the Adoption of Ant Colony Optimization in Maritime Transport: Bibliometric and Systematic Literature Review.

Faioli, R.A. and de Oliveira Neto, G.C., 2026. Analysis of the economic, environmental, and social benefits of the adoption of ant colony optimization in maritime transport: Bibliometric and systematic literature review. Journal of Coastal Research, 42(3), 492–504. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. Maritime transportation generates environmental pollution because it consumes fossil fuels for transportation, generating CO2 emissions, which is a very aggressive gas for the environment, further exacerbating the climate problems present in terrestrial life and society in general. Maritime transport is also a costly operation, which requires means of economic optimization. Therefore, it is important that companies adopt ant colony optimization (ACO) to optimize distance in maritime transport. The aim of this study was to carry out a bibliometric and systematic review of scientific research on the adoption of ACO in maritime transport, (1) to evaluate the number of publications, journals, sectors, and research methodologies that relate to the use of ACO in maritime transport and (2) to identify the mathematical and computational modeling techniques associated with ACO that can optimize routes in maritime transport, allowing economic, environmental, and social gains to be generated. Articles on the subject were analyzed, revealing a significant trend in the growth of publications related to ACO from 2013 to 2023, particularly in maritime transport. The findings indicate that ACO has been effectively used to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impacts. Most studies highlight economic gains, while few address environmental and social benefits, suggesting the need for further exploration of these aspects. The study concludes that while ACO offers promising avenues for optimizing maritime transport, further research is essential to comprehensively assess environmental and social impacts, aligning the sector with global sustainability goals and addressing the urgent need for decarbonization in maritime transport, contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda's sustainable development goals (SDGs) of reducing CO2 emissions, contributing to sustainable cities and communities (SDG11), taking climate action (13), and protecting terrestrial life (SDG15). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]