As we step into 2026, the editorial team of Smart Ship Technologies (SST) extends our heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes to the global community of researchers, engineers, industry experts, and academic partners who have contributed to the journal’s mission throughout the past year.

We are deeply grateful to our Editor-in-Chief, our distinguished Editorial Board, and our international network of peer reviewers—scholars and practitioners from maritime institutions, research centers, and technology enterprises across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Your expertise, timely feedback, and unwavering commitment to technical rigor and innovation ensure that SST remains a credible and forward-looking platform for cutting-edge scholarship in smart shipping.

To our authors: thank you for sharing your pioneering work with us. From legal frameworks for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) and hybrid green propulsion systems for inland watercraft, to electromechanical servo drives for maneuverable vessels and sustainable ballast water management strategies—your research exemplifies the journal’s vision: advancing the integration of digital intelligence, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence in the global maritime sector. Your contributions are shaping the future of safe, efficient, and sustainable shipping.

We also thank all readers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders who engage with our open-access content. In an era of rapid technological transformation—from AI-driven navigation to zero-emission vessel design—your interest underscores the vital role of interdisciplinary collaboration between academia and industry.

Looking ahead to 2026, Smart Ship Technologies reaffirms its core commitments:

• To uphold the highest standards of peer review, research ethics, and scholarly transparency;
• To publish original, technically sound, and application-oriented research that addresses real-world challenges in smart ship design, autonomous operations, energy efficiency, and regulatory adaptation;
• To foster global dialogue among naval architects, marine engineers, data scientists, legal scholars, and sustainability experts;
• To remain a fully open-access journal, ensuring that knowledge flows freely to support innovation across the maritime ecosystem.

The journey toward intelligent, green, and resilient shipping requires collective effort, shared vision, and scientific excellence. Therefore, we warmly invite researchers, engineers, and industry innovators from around the world to submit your manuscripts to Smart Ship Technologies. Whether your work explores cyber-physical ship systems, AI-enabled decision support, alternative fuels, human–machine interaction in bridge operations, or policy frameworks for autonomous fleets—we welcome contributions that push the boundaries of what smart shipping can achieve.

Wishing you a safe, innovative, and prosperous 2026—on land, at sea, and in every endeavor that advances the future of maritime technology.

With sincere appreciation,
The Editorial Office
Smart Ship Technologies (SST)