This paper presents a comprehensive review of National Single Window concept and its impact on sustainability in maritime transport and seaports. The theoretical frameworks of sustainability, maritime transport, seaports, the National Single Window and the Maritime National Single Window is provided. The importance of stakeholder connectivity in maritime transport and seaports in improving sustainability is demonstrated, as well as the advantages of smoother data exchange through global analysis of National Single Window examples, the majority of which present national and regional best practices and initiatives. Empirical data has been provided in order to demonstrate the impact of National Single Windows and Maritime National Single Windows on seaport sustainability (economic, environmental, and social).
The OBOR-One Belt One Road initiative has potential to enable further development of the Port of Rijeka. The European seaports are important for China in the development of the OBOR initiative, especially the ports on the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) corridor of the OBOR. Chinese investors i.e. terminal operators in the past two decades have strategically invested in the European seaports to strengthen their position and obtain the OBOR goals. European seaports got the opportunity to improve their business through Chinese infrastructure investments and through China’s trade dominance which can bring more cargo to the European seaports. Thus, the OBOR i.e. Maritime Silk Road-MSR provide new possibilities for further development of the Port of Rijeka. The Chinese investors expressed their interest to invest in the Port of Rijeka, but concrete investments and collaboration regarding OBOR have not been realized. In this paper, the OBOR goals in Europe and the current status of OBOR in Europe will be identified. Strategic activities of China in the European seaports will be analyzed. The perspective the Port of Rijeka in the OBOR initiative i.e. MSR corridor will be elaborated according to the analyzed Chinese strategic activities in the European seaports and relevant aspects of the Port of Rijeka business: geo-traffic position, position on the OBOR corridors i.e. MSR corridor, membership in the NAPA – North Adriatic Port Association, shipping services and railway services, port infrastructure and investments.