The relationship between technical innovation and financial performance in shipping firms
File(s)
Journal
Maritime Economics and Logistics
Date Issued
2023
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between financial performance and technical innovation of 21 listed shipping firms employing a panel data methodology. Using vessel-level and firm-level data over the period 2013 to 2019, we show that vessels’ technical innovation exhibits a positive relationship with firms’ financial performance. We identify three types of technical innovation for listed shipping firms, namely ice-class, eco, and propulsion types, and show that shipping firms operating eco-type ships exhibit higher financial performance on average during the sample period examined. This result has important implications not least on the decision-making of shipping firms to invest in technically innovative ships.