Smart Ship Technologies is a gold open access (Gold OA) journal. All articles are freely available in the version of record (VOR) after peer review, and readers can access them permanently without a subscription. This principle breaks down traditional academic barriers and ensures the immediate global dissemination of research findings. The journal operates under the CC BY 4.0 license, which allows users to freely copy, distribute, display, and adapt the content, provided that the authors and source are credited. It supports both commercial use and derivative works, maximizing the open sharing of academic outcomes.

The core advantages of this open access model include:

1. Visibility and Impact: Open access articles experience significantly increased downloads and citations.  
2. Policy Compliance: The model aligns with international open science initiatives, such as the EU’s Horizon Europe and the OSTP Nelson Memo, meeting the requirements for free access to research outcomes.  
3. Knowledge Democratization: It removes geographical and economic barriers, enabling policymakers, industry professionals, and the general public to access supply chain resilience research on an equal footing, thereby accelerating the application of knowledge.
This model promotes the broad and timely exchange of academic communication while ensuring the open sharing of research outcomes.