(HNP photo: the Piraeus container terminal)
This has been a question that I have struggled to answer recently. This blog is intended for those who consider themselves as maritime economists. If you do not, you may disregard it.
The answer to this question is (depending on one's perspective):
a. YES
b. NO
c. MAYBE
A bit of rationale:
First of all, how is the field of "maritime economics" defined? The Stanford/Elsevier 2% global scientists database, which is based on the Science-Metrix journal classification system, has some 174 scientific "subfields", and "maritime economics" is not one of them (incidentally, "economics" and "agricultural economics" are). So a scientist can not identify himself/herself as a maritime economist based on what is in the Stanford/Elsevier database. People who consider themselves as maritime economists (and there can be many) will have to settle for another subfield of the Stanford/Elsevier database as their primary subfield (for instance, logistics and transportation, economics, business and management, operations research, or other). Incidentally, this is not a matter of a direct, personal choice, as the database makes this determination for you automatically, based on the journals in which you publish. My own primary subfield is logistics and transportation. Obviously, there is an indirect, but very clear choice here, for it would be very unlikely for Stanford/Elsevier to assign me in the L&T category if the bulk of my papers were in (say) astronomy, neuroscience, or psychology.
To h@ll with this database, one may say. Who needs it? Is there another way to say if I am a maritime economist?
Well, as far as education goes, I have a diploma in naval architecture and marine engineering (NTUA), a MSc in the same area (MIT), a MSc in shipping and shipbuilding management (MIT), and a PhD in ocean systems operations research (MIT). Do these degrees prove that I am a maritime economist? Not sure.
Also I am a member (and also Council Member) of the International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME). According to IAME, “maritime economics” shall include the study of economic, managerial and governance- related issues and effects appearing in a maritime context, including related to shipping markets, ports and the associated supply chains. Note however that there may be scientists who may consider themselves as maritime economists but who are not IAME members (or may not have paid their dues). So IAME membership may be a clue on whether someone is a maritime economist, but not a perfect one.
How about teaching? Well, I have taught courses on maritime transport economics at MIT (together with the late Zenon Zannetos) and at NTUA (in fact 3 courses). Plus I have taught a variety of other maritime transport related courses at DTU and other places. Does this make me a maritime economist? Maybe yes, maybe no.
How about research? Here things get more complicated. Below is a list of the various research areas that I have dealt with in my official active academic career (1979-2023), as I compiled them about a year ago (in parentheses are number of journal papers, plus books, book chapters and refereed conference papers in each area- NUMBERS MAY NOT BE UP TO DATE):
Vehicle routing etc (18)
Ocean acoustic detection (7)
