Author Guidelines

Submission email

All manuscripts are submitted by email to technical.icmtt2026@gma.edu.ng using the subject line:

IJMSMT Manuscript Submission: [Short Title of Manuscript]

Open a pre-filled submission email

Originality and exclusivity

Submitted manuscripts must be original work that has not been published previously and is not under consideration by another journal. Disclose any closely related publications, preprints, conference papers or earlier versions of the manuscript. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals is not permitted.

Cover letter

Each submission must include a brief cover letter confirming that:

• The manuscript is original and falls within the journal's scope.
• The manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.
• All listed authors have approved the submission.
• Any relevant conflicts of interest, funding sources and ethical approvals have been disclosed.
• The corresponding author is authorised to communicate with the journal on behalf of the co-authors.

Double-blind peer review: two separate files

1. Title page: the manuscript title, full names of all authors, institutional affiliations, the corresponding author's email address and any other required author information.
2. Anonymised manuscript: the full paper with author names, affiliations, acknowledgements and other identifying information removed.

Where practicable, also remove identifying information from the document properties.

Before submitting, confirm that you have prepared:

• A separate title page
• An anonymised manuscript
• An abstract and keywords
• Tables and figures with appropriate captions
• A complete reference list in APA 7th edition style
• A cover letter
• Declarations on ethics, funding and conflicts of interest
• Evidence of ethical approval or informed consent, where applicable

Incomplete submissions may be returned to authors for correction before editorial assessment.

Language and file format

Manuscripts must be written in English. British or American English is acceptable, provided it is used consistently. Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) is the preferred submission format.

Font and layout

Font

Times New Roman, 12 point

Line spacing

Double spaced

Margins

1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides

Alignment

Left aligned, unless otherwise required for specific elements

Page numbers

Numbered consecutively

Headings

A clear and consistent heading structure

Manuscript length

• Original research articles: typically 4,000–8,000 words, including references and tables.
• Short communications and technical notes: generally fewer than 3,000 words.
• Review articles: may exceed the standard range where the subject and depth of analysis justify it. Consult the editorial team where a substantial departure is necessary.

Tables, figures and equations

• Tables must be editable, not embedded as images. Number them consecutively, give descriptive titles and identify the source of any reproduced or adapted material.
• Figures must be clear and legible. At least 300 dpi is recommended for raster images. JPEG, PNG and other suitable formats are accepted, depending on figure type.
• Equations should use Microsoft Equation Editor or another suitable typesetting method. Number equations where necessary and define all variables, symbols and parameters.
• Permissions: authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted material.

Language and style

Use clear, precise and academically appropriate language. Manuscripts must be logically organised, free from avoidable grammatical errors and consistent in terminology, abbreviations, units and presentation. Define abbreviations at first use and avoid unnecessary jargon. Claims should be supported by evidence, and conclusions should not extend beyond what the findings justify. Manuscripts may be returned for language editing where presentation prevents effective evaluation; language editing does not guarantee acceptance.

Organise the manuscript in the following order, adapting it where the research design requires.

1. Title page: a concise, descriptive title; full names of all authors; affiliations; corresponding author's email.
2. Abstract: a single paragraph of no more than 250 words summarising the problem, objectives, methodology, principal findings and conclusions. It should be self-contained, without unnecessary abbreviations or citations.
3. Keywords: four to six keywords, e.g. Port Logistics, Maritime Safety, Green Shipping, Supply Chain Performance, Maritime Transportation.
4. Introduction: the research problem, background, research gap, objectives and significance of the study.
5. Literature review and theoretical framework: a critical evaluation of relevant empirical studies and the theoretical foundations, not a study-by-study summary.
6. Materials and methods / methodology: research design, population or data sources, sampling, variables, analytical methods and ethical considerations, in enough detail to allow reproduction. For modelling and statistical studies, state the model specification, assumptions, estimation procedures and diagnostic tests.
7. Results: the principal findings presented clearly and accurately with appropriate text, tables, figures and statistical outputs.
8. Discussion: the meaning and significance of the findings, compared with previous studies, with theoretical and practical implications. Interpret rather than repeat the results.
9. Conclusion and recommendations: the main findings, how the objectives were addressed, evidence-based recommendations, limitations and directions for further research.
10. Declarations: see Declarations below.
11. References: all cited sources in APA 7th edition style.

Every in-text citation must have a corresponding reference list entry, and every reference list entry should be cited in the manuscript, except where APA rules provide otherwise.

Parenthetical

(Okonkwo, 2024)

Two authors

(Okonkwo & Smith, 2023)

Narrative

Okonkwo (2024)

Direct quotation

(Okonkwo, 2024, p. 15)

Journal article reference format:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Journal Title, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx

Arrange references alphabetically by the first author's surname. Verify author names, years, titles, journal details and DOI links before submission. Do not include sources you have not consulted, and never use fabricated or unverifiable references.

Include the following declarations where applicable. All declarations must be accurate and complete.

Ethical approval

The approving institution or ethics committee and approval reference, or why formal approval was not required.

Informed consent

Confirmation that informed consent was obtained where the research involved participants and consent was required.

Funding

All funding sources, including grant names, funders and grant numbers, and the funder's role in the study; or a statement that the research received no external funding.

Conflicts of interest

Relevant financial, professional, personal or institutional relationships, or a statement that there are none.

Data availability

Whether the underlying data are publicly available, available on reasonable request, restricted by ethical or legal considerations, or not applicable.

Author contributions

The substantive contribution of each author, where required.

Acknowledgements

Individuals or organisations that provided meaningful assistance but do not qualify for authorship.

AI tool disclosure

Where required, the tools used and their contribution. Authors remain responsible for the final content. See the AI policy.

Permissions

Confirmation that permission has been obtained for any reproduced copyrighted material.

• The APC is payable only after a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication.
• Confirm the applicable amount with the editorial office before payment, particularly where exchange rates or payment arrangements change.
• The APC supports editorial administration, manuscript preparation, online hosting, production and dissemination.
• Payment does not guarantee acceptance, influence peer review or override editorial decisions.
• Payment instructions are provided through the official editorial email after acceptance. Never make payments to personal accounts or unofficial intermediaries.
• Any waiver or reduction must be confirmed with the editorial office.

Copyediting and proofs

Accepted manuscripts undergo editorial and production checks. The corresponding author may receive page proofs for final verification. Proof corrections should be limited to typographical, formatting and factual or production errors; substantial changes to the research, authorship or conclusions require editorial approval. Authors are responsible for carefully checking the final version.

Copyright and publication agreement

Authors retain copyright in their work, subject to the publication agreement. Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), applied consistently and stated on each article.

Online publication

Accepted articles are scheduled for online publication once editorial, production and administrative requirements (including the publication agreement and APC, where due) are complete, and may be assigned to the next available issue. Final citation details are provided on publication, together with a DOI where the journal has an active DOI registration arrangement and the DOI has been registered.

Indicative timeline

• Initial screening: approximately 7 to 14 days.
• First review decision: approximately 4 to 8 weeks after the manuscript enters review.
• These are targets, not guarantees. Contact the editorial office for a status update if review exceeds the expected period.