Bibliometric analysis of smart port cybersecurity research

Given the pace of port digitalisation, this study provides a mapping of the smart port cybersecurity literature to clarify its intellectual structure and emerging research directions. Bibliographic records period 2010–2025 were retrieved from the Scopus and analysed Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny. The dataset comprises 460 publications from 344 sources, with an annual growth rate of 11.02% and an average of 9.97 citations per article, indicating a expanding research domain. The analysis examines publication trends, co-authorship and citation networks, and conceptual structures through bibliometric and text-mining techniques. Results show a sharp increase in publications after 2017, driven by the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and automation in port systems. International collaboration is prominent, with research leadership concentrated in the USA, China, India and the UK. Conceptual analysis highlights network defence, intrusion detection and AI-based security, while revealing gaps at the intersection of governance, cyber–physical resilience and operational security in smart ports.