Digitalization in Maritime Transport and Seaports: Bibliometric, Content and Thematic Analysis

Abstract

In this paper, a bibliometric, content and thematic analysis of digitalization in maritime transport and seaports was performed. The research was primarily motivated by the scarcity of similar works offering a comprehensive and recent literature analysis, the advancements of the maritime digitalization itself, and its influence on all related processes. The initial investigation phase considered 8178 publications, leading through the research steps to the final inclusion of 280 papers, the thematic and content analysis of which were performed using various bibliometric tools. The research encompassed various criteria, ranging through databases, keywords, topics, research areas and others. The resulting concept map emphasized the main concepts that digitalization in maritime transport relies on, or strives towards. The aim of the study was to address the fundamental research questions, with the tendency to define the main key points in the current maritime transport and seaport digitalization process. It can be concluded that an increasing number of authors recognize the importance of new digital technologies in maritime transport and seaports. However, with new digital technologies come specific risks such as spoofing or data manipulation that need to be further analyzed.

Keywords

• digitalization
• maritime transport
• seaports
• bibliometric analysis
• content analysis
• thematic analysis