IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transe/v195y2025ics1366554525000122.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Bibliometric analysis of maritime cybersecurity: Research status, focus, and perspectives

Author

Listed:
  • Peng, Peng
  • Xie, Xiaowei
  • Claramunt, Christophe
  • Lu, Feng
  • Gong, Fuzhong
  • Yan, Ran

Abstract

Maritime cybersecurity has emerged as a critical and rapidly evolving research field, necessitated by the increasing reliance on digital technologies and interconnectivity within the global maritime industry. In this paper, we adopt a bibliometric analysis method to review the existing academic publications pertaining to maritime cybersecurity, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the development status and research focus. The results show that: 1) Research on maritime cybersecurity is currently undergoing significant development; 2) Most articles on marine cybersecurity are published by researchers from North America and Europe, with most of them stem from the US, Norway, and UK; 3) Most international collaborations are limited at a regional level, and the major regions include North America and Europe; 4) Five closely related research keyword communities show that maritime cybersecurity research hotspots focus on transport-related cyber-attacks, autonomous vessel, AIS, maritime communication, and UAV. The above thorough examination of the current research on maritime cybersecurity also shows that there are some weaknesses in existing studies. For example, the research topic of maritime cybersecurity has not yet received adequate attention and the research hotspot is relatively concentrated. Based on the findings, we propose perspectives of the research on maritime cybersecurity from the aspects of the effectiveness of regulations, funding and investment opportunities, digitalization in the maritime industry and cybersecurity, advances in maritime communication systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles and maritime cybersecurity.

Suggested Citation

  • Peng, Peng & Xie, Xiaowei & Claramunt, Christophe & Lu, Feng & Gong, Fuzhong & Yan, Ran, 2025. "Bibliometric analysis of maritime cybersecurity: Research status, focus, and perspectives," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transe:v:195:y:2025:i:c:s1366554525000122
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tre.2025.103971
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1366554525000122
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tre.2025.103971?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aria, Massimo & Cuccurullo, Corrado, 2017. "bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 959-975.
    2. Konstantinos Kotis & Stavros Stavrinos & Christos Kalloniatis, 2022. "Review on Semantic Modeling and Simulation of Cybersecurity and Interoperability on the Internet of Underwater Things," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-35, December.
    3. Cheung, Kam-Fung & Bell, Michael G.H. & Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee, 2021. "Cybersecurity in logistics and supply chain management: An overview and future research directions," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Philippe Mongeon & Adèle Paul-Hus, 2016. "The journal coverage of Web of Science and Scopus: a comparative analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 106(1), pages 213-228, January.
    5. Harilaos N. Psaraftis, 2019. "Decarbonization of maritime transport: to be or not to be?," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 21(3), pages 353-371, September.
    6. Nguyen, Son & Shu-Ling Chen, Peggy & Du, Yuquan, 2022. "Risk assessment of maritime container shipping blockchain-integrated systems: An analysis of multi-event scenarios," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    7. Bolbot, Victor & Kulkarni, Ketki & Brunou, Päivi & Banda, Osiris Valdez & Musharraf, Mashrura, 2022. "Developments and research directions in maritime cybersecurity: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    8. Tijan, Edvard & Jović, Marija & Aksentijević, Saša & Pucihar, Andreja, 2021. "Digital transformation in the maritime transport sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    9. Valdez Banda, Osiris A. & Kannos, Sirpa & Goerlandt, Floris & van Gelder, Pieter H.A.J.M. & Bergström, Martin & Kujala, Pentti, 2019. "A systemic hazard analysis and management process for the concept design phase of an autonomous vessel," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    10. Wang, Jinggai & Li, Huanhuan & Yang, Zaili & Ge, Ying-En, 2024. "Shore power for reduction of shipping emission in port: A bibliometric analysis," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    11. Kimberly Tam & Kevin D. Jones, 2018. "Maritime cybersecurity policy: the scope and impact of evolving technology on international shipping," Journal of Cyber Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 147-164, May.
    12. de la Peña Zarzuelo, Ignacio, 2021. "Cybersecurity in ports and maritime industry: Reasons for raising awareness on this issue," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 1-4.
    13. Wang, Tingsong & Cheng, Peiyue & Zhen, Lu, 2023. "Green development of the maritime industry: Overview, perspectives, and future research opportunities," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    14. Kechagias, Evripidis P. & Chatzistelios, Georgios & Papadopoulos, Georgios A. & Apostolou, Panagiotis, 2022. "Digital transformation of the maritime industry: A cybersecurity systemic approach," International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dušan Nikolić & Dragan Ivanović & Lidija Ivanović, 2024. "An open-source tool for merging data from multiple citation databases," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(7), pages 4573-4595, July.
    2. Ruth Zárate Rueda & Yolima Ivonne Beltrán Villamizar & Luis Eduardo Becerra Ardila, 2023. "A Retrospective Approach to Pro-Environmental Behavior from Environmental Education: An Alternative from Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Shruti Agrawal & Nidhi Sharma & Karambir Singh Dhayal & Luca Esposito, 2024. "From economic wealth to well-being: exploring the importance of happiness economy for sustainable development through systematic literature review," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 58(6), pages 5503-5530, December.
    4. Trotta, Annarita & Rania, Francesco & Strano, Eugenia, 2024. "Exploring the linkages between FinTech and ESG: A bibliometric perspective," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    5. Abdelkebir Sahid & Yassine Maleh & Karim Ouazzane, 2025. "Changing landscape of fake news research on social media: a bibliometric analysis," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 901-954, April.
    6. Esra Şahin & Vedat Yiğitoğlu & Zuhal Gök Demir & Çiğdem Karakaya & Fulya Erendağ Sümer & Beysun Güneri, 2024. "Circular Economy for Sustainability: A Bibliometric Analysis for the Tourism/Hospitality Field," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Nguyen, Minh-Hoang & Huyen, Nguyen Thanh Thanh & Pham, Thanh-Hang & Yen, Nguyen Thi Quynh & Vuong, Quan-Hoang, 2020. "On the 50-year research landscape of entrepreneurial finance: A sign of Western ideological homogeneity?," OSF Preprints qf62s, Center for Open Science.
    8. Shome, Samik & Hassan, M. Kabir & Verma, Sushma & Panigrahi, Tushar Ranjan, 2023. "Impact investment for sustainable development: A bibliometric analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 770-800.
    9. Saïd Echchakoui, 0. "Why and how to merge Scopus and Web of Science during bibliometric analysis: the case of sales force literature from 1912 to 2019," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    10. Biru Desta Kassaye & Yitbarek Takele Bayiley & Zerihun Kinde Alemu, 2025. "Returnee migrant entrepreneurship: a bibliometric analysis (1993–2024)," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, December.
    11. repec:osf:osfxxx:qf62s_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Corbet, Shaen & Dowling, Michael & Gao, Xiangyun & Huang, Shupei & Lucey, Brian & Vigne, Samuel A., 2019. "An analysis of the intellectual structure of research on the financial economics of precious metals," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    13. Benjamin Tawiah & Emmanuel A. Ofori & Fei Bin, 2023. "Scientometric Review of Sustainable Fire-Resistant Polysaccharide-Based Composite Aerogels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-34, August.
    14. Eungi Kim & Eun Sil Kim, 2020. "A critical examination of international research conducted by North Korean authors: Increasing trends of collaborative research between China and North Korea," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(1), pages 429-450, July.
    15. Şehide Kilinc, 2025. "Research Trends on Political Participation of School Aged Children and Adolescents: Bibliometric Mapping and Content Analysis," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 18(2), pages 753-787, April.
    16. Saumyaranjan Sahoo & Satish Kumar & Uthayasankar Sivarajah & Weng Marc Lim & J. Christopher Westland & Ashwani Kumar, 2024. "Blockchain for sustainable supply chain management: trends and ways forward," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1563-1618, September.
    17. Julián D. Cortés & Daniel A. Andrade, 2022. "Winners and runners-up alike?—a comparison between awardees and special mention recipients of the most reputable science award in Colombia via a composite citation indicator," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, December.
    18. Adriana Ana Maria Davidescu & Margareta-Stela Florescu & Liviu Cosmin Mosora & Mihaela Hrisanta Mosora & Eduard Mihai Manta, 2022. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Publications of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies in Time of Pandemics: Implications for Teachers’ Professional Publishing Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-36, July.
    19. Rakshith Bhandary & Sandeep S. Shenoy & Ankitha Shetty & Adithya D. Shetty, 2024. "Education loan repayment: a systematic literature review," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(4), pages 1365-1376, December.
    20. Tripathy, Prajukta & Jena, Pabitra Kumar & Mishra, Bikash Ranjan, 2024. "Systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of energy efficiency," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    21. Jin Su & Mo Wang & Mohd Adib Mohammad Razi & Norlida Mohd Dom & Noralfishah Sulaiman & Lai-Wai Tan, 2023. "A Bibliometric Review of Nature-Based Solutions on Urban Stormwater Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:transe:v:195:y:2025:i:c:s1366554525000122. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600244/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.