Supply chain digitalization and green innovation in maritime enterprises: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

Driven by China's “dual-carbon” strategy and the development of the marine economy, understanding how supply chain digitalization affects green innovation in maritime enterprises is crucial. Previous studies primarily focus on economic performance and ESG outcomes, while evidence regarding green innovation in resource-dependent industries remains limited. Characterized by high R&D intensity, strong resource dependence, and financing constraints, marine enterprises provide an ideal context for this investigation. This study treats the “Supply Chain Innovation and Application Pilot” (SCIAPP) policy as a quasi-natural experiment. Panel data from 167 listed maritime enterprises in China from 2012 to 2023 are utilized. Difference-in-differences (DID), PSM-DID, and multidimensional fixed-effects models are employed for analysis. The results indicate that: (1) Supply chain digitalization significantly enhances green innovation by increasing both green invention and utility model patents, without crowding out non-green innovation inputs. The policy effect is persistent. (2) Mechanism analysis reveals three channels: alleviating information asymmetry, easing financing constraints, and strengthening managerial learning. (3) Heterogeneity analysis shows stronger effects in state-owned enterprises, non-heavy polluting enterprises, and enterprises in central China. Marine-specific factors, including coastline length and marine disaster frequency, do not significantly change the positive policy effect.