Summary of Maritime Piracy Research Overview
Introduction
Maritime piracy, a historical issue dating back centuries, continuously evolves due to geopolitical shifts and technological advancements. Recent decades have spotlighted piracy incidents, notably off the Somali coast, heightening global maritime security concerns. The rise of cyber piracy has introduced new challenges to maritime operations, necessitating updated security protocols and technology. Collaborative European projects such as ISOLA and TRUST reflect the international focus on enhancing maritime safety. With an increase in academic publications on piracy since 2009, this study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the research landscape surrounding maritime piracy by examining various domains and trends.
Related Works
Literature reviews are crucial for identifying key research themes, and various methodologies exist to synthesize findings. Bibliometric analysis, particularly effective in exploring scientific literature, reveals trends and knowledge gaps in piracy studies. Tools like VOSviewer facilitate data visualization and analysis, while guidelines for bibliometric studies, such as PRISMA, help in systematically reporting findings. Studies addressing maritime piracy often focus on legal, economic, and historical perspectives but lack a comprehensive overview.
Research Methodology
A mapping review was conducted alongside a systematic analysis of existing literature to uncover research gaps and categorize findings. The bibliometric analysis used data from the OpenAlex dataset, filtered to exclude irrelevant studies. With the aim of constructing a comprehensive dataset, the analysis focused on publications in English with significant citations. Various bibliometric tools aided in visualizing connections among articles, authors, and journals.
Analysis and Results
The analysis identified six key research clusters within maritime piracy, focusing on geographical and thematic concerns. For example, connections between regulatory frameworks and regional piracy issues were highlighted. Journals such as “Marine Policy” emerge as significant contributors in this field. Citation analysis revealed influential articles addressing alternative navigation routes and historical perspectives on piracy. Key authors with notable contributions, like Bueger and Germond, underscored interdisciplinary dialogues involving geopolitical and socio-economic factors.
Identified Research Topics and Current Trends
The study categorizes research topics into seven main areas, confirming the complexity of maritime piracy, which intersects with economics, law, and technology. Recent analyses point to the ongoing significance of regions like Africa and China in pirate activity, alongside the emergence of issues surrounding cybersecurity, particularly in light of recent high-profile cyberattacks on maritime entities.
Datasets
A vital section of the study focuses on datasets crucial for piracy research. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the Piracy and Armed Robbery dataset, and the Anti-Shipping Activity Messages (ASAM) dataset are among the most utilized resources for historical attack analysis. Furthermore, Automatic Identification System (AIS) data is increasingly leveraged for real-time vessel monitoring and anomaly detection.
Conclusion
This comprehensive bibliometric review reveals maritime piracy as a multifaceted problem requiring insights from diverse academic fields. The identified trends and datasets lay a foundation for future research, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address the evolving landscape of maritime security. By providing a detailed methodology for replicating this study, the research sets the stage for ongoing exploration in a critical area of maritime studies.
