China's Belt and Road Initiative: Motivations for Strategic Decision-Making in Global Transport Operations from a Maritime and Marine Engineering Perspective

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), announced in 2013, is a mega project designed to enhance global transportation infrastructure and stimulate economic development. This study aims to identify and prioritize the key motivational sources driving China's BRI, with a particular focus on economic, political, and strategic considerations. Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) systematic literature review and focus group methods, we identified 26 motivational factors, 16 of which are primarily economic in nature. Among these, 'New business opportunities for Chinese investors' emerged as the most significant driver. In addition to economic motivations, this study highlights the critical importance of marine engineering, ship risk management, and ship machinery innovations in the success of BRI's maritime routes. Safe, efficient maritime transportation is identified as a crucial element for ensuring the operational effectiveness of the Maritime Silk Road. The study further emphasizes the role of maritime safety protocols, infrastructure modernization, and risk mitigation strategies in achieving China's broader geopolitical and economic ambitions through the BRI. Our findings suggest that China’s internal motivations, particularly those related to economic growth and maritime transport infrastructure, play a more prominent role than external factors. This underscores the need for policymakers, marine engineers, and transport operators to align their long-term strategies with China’s ambitions, focusing on maritime safety, operational efficiency, and the global competitiveness of China’s maritime technologies. The insights gained from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the strategic importance of maritime infrastructure in shaping the future of global transportation systems under the BRI.