International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE) ISSN: 2278-3075, Volume-9 Issue-3, January 2020 2697 Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering & Sciences Publication Retrieval Number: C9229019320/2020©BEIESP DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.C92290.019320 Abstract: This study examines in what way SSS) has been researched through an inclusive review of papers published in well-known journals over the 2002–2019 period. Systematic exploration shows that Maritime Policy and Management plays a dominant role in publishing SSS research. At the same time, classification and identification of important on determinants and barriers for successful SSS has been found as the main research area, followed by attractiveness and competitiveness of SSS; policy and subsidizations in SSS and multimodal transportation network; energy efficiency, emission and environmental issue and protection; ports and transport system efficiency; cargo operations, inventory management, competitive SSS technology and ICT; potential demand, opportunity and competitive advantage; sustainable development and influence of meteorological and weather conditions on SSS operations as popular topics. Since 2002, the use of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques has progressively increased in SSS in order to help researchers make decisions through selected scientific methods. With this work, present and prospective researchers can understand the contemporary development and popular research topics in SSS. By presenting a review on the common research instruments and techniques used in SSS research, this study is expected to seal the gap in the present literature through the collation of information on the research approaches in contemporary SSS studies. Keywords: short sea shipping (SSS), information communication technology (ICT), quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis. I. INTRODUCTION This paper is systematized as follows; first section identifies the main research area topics in SSS. Section 2 presents the collection of relevant papers and a review process. In the organized paper, data analysis techniques in Sections 2 and present a conclusions and discussion in Section 3. II. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Historically, the first academic meaning of SSS is more than 20 years old, when Balduini presented SSS an oceanic conveyance between seaports of a nation-state as well as concerning a countries harbor and the ports of bordering countries [13]. This classification comprises the type of facility, being cabotage or seaside within the seaports of a nation that may prolong the geographic coverage to adjacent Revised Manuscript Received on January 5, 2020 Amayrol Zakaria*, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology, Lumut, Malaysia. amayrol@ unikl.edu.my Aminuddin Md Arof, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology, Lumut, Malaysia. aminuddin@unikl.edu.my Abdul Khabir, Mitrans / Faculty of Business Management, UiTM, Malaysia. abdulkhabir@uitm.edu.my nations. In 1992, the European Commission presented its initial SSS periodical that expresses SSS as a transport of passengers and cargoes by ocean among seaports situated on the continental of one-member state deprived of calling at islands, or services amongst seaports of one-member state wherever one or more ports are situated on islands and offshore supply services [25]. Consequently, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) describe SSS as a marketable maritime conveyance that does not passage an ocean. It is additional method of commercial conveyance that employs coastal waterways and inland to transfer marketable freight from main local harbors to its destination [122].Constant with the MARAD definition, [130]reveal the following basics to the above mentioned explanations: feedering, inter modals, inter-regional cargo, transshipment, spoke and hub networks and a substitute to road transport for trailers or container [130]. In a more inclusive approach, [5]indicate that SSS commonly involves the carriage of freight, vehicles and passengers by vessels beside the shores, to and from near islands, within internal waters such as rivers and lakes but deprived of route crossing an ocean. For nation, SSS not only ensures the transportation of resources needed for production processes but also facilitates the transshipments of vehicles, which accumulates more advantages for the nation. It is argued by [110]that SSS has some advantages which are decreased environmental impact, better utilization of infrastructure, potential cost efficiencies and coastal economic development. Along similar line of argument,[3]reveals that a feasible SSS that could be alternately connected by road transport will minimize road congestion, reduce road construction and maintenance costs and improve the surrounding environment. On the other hand, since maritime conveyance compromises greater fuel economy and lesser emissions of risky pollutants, SSS has been measured among the most sustainable and parsimoniously competitive means of transport [72]. III. RESEARCH AREA IN SSS The SSS sector has traditionally been regarded as an important component of a nation’s economic system. Therefore, research on SSS has received a countless deal of attention from scholars worldwide. For instance, an impressive volume of studies have been conducted for classification and identification of important determinants for its successful undertaking ([89],[4], [6],[7],[36], [127],[63],[114], [10],[11],[72],[113] ,[88],[84], [86],[88],[14],[105],[73],[107],[16],[54] ,[65], [18], [17],[15],and [79]). Instruments Used in Short Sea Shipping Research between 2002 and 2019 Amayrol Zakaria, Aminuddin Md Arof, Abdul Khabir