Digitalization in Shipping Industry: Embracing Industry 4.0 Technologies in the Sultanate of Oman

The shipping industry is an essential sector of a country’s economic activities, requiring adaptation to current technological advancements. However, there is a need to understand which technologies require priority, as these advancements cannot occur instantaneously. In this context, Sultanate of Oman located in Middle East area is expected to experience improvement and diversification in economy through significant development in shipping industry. The adoption of digitalization and embracing Industry 4.0 should be prioritized by Oman’s government to improve various aspects, including efficiency, productivity, safety, and security, ensuring compliance with sustainability issues and competitive advantage. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the requirements of Oman’s shipping industry regarding the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies using mixed methods. Thematic analysis was used to identify the essential technologies, while fuzzy multicriteria decision-making was applied for prioritization. A total of eight expert opinions were collected to rank qualitative attributes and technologies for Industry 4.0 implementation. The fuzzy AHP was used to measure the weight of qualitative attributes, while fuzzy TOPSIS determined the values of each attribute for selected technologies and calculated prioritization for adoption. The result showed that among Industry 4.0 technologies, Big Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain required prioritization. Meanwhile, challenges such as IT infrastructure, employee readiness, and stakeholder coordination must be addressed to ensure the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies.