Hydrogen technology for supply chain sustainability: The Mexican transportation impacts on society

This study sheds light on the Hydrogen technology in transportation for reaching the sustainability goals of societies, illustrated by the case of Mexico. In terms of the affected supply chains the study explores how the packaging and distribution of a fuel-saving tool that allows the adoption of hydrogen as complementary energy for maritime transportation to improve economic and environmental performance in Mexico. This exploratory study performs interviews, observations, simulations, and tests involving producers, suppliers, and users at 26 ports in Mexico. The study shows that environmental and economic performance are related to key processes in Supply Chain Management (SCM) in which packaging and distribution are critical for achieving logistics and transportation sustainability goals. Reusable packaging and the distribution of a fuel-saving tool can help decrease costs -, of transport, and downstream/upstream processes in SCM while at the same time increasing the environmental performance. •Hydrogen represents efficient sustainable energy for the transport sector in Mexico.•A fuel-saving system Oxhidrog™ stands as a cost-effective sustainable choice.•Packaging for distribution of fuel-saving system Oxhidrog™ is sustainable for maritime transportation.•The case of Mexico was relevant for developing an understanding of a wider Supply Chain.•Theoretical contributions for Supply Chain and Sustainability have been created.