Intelligent Maritime Shipping: A Bibliometric Analysis of Internet Technologies and Automated Port Infrastructure Applications

Amid the dual imperatives of global trade expansion and low-carbon transition, intelligent maritime shipping has emerged as a central driver for the innovation of international logistics systems, now entering a critical window period for the deep integration of Internet technologies and automated port infrastructure. While existing research predominantly focuses on isolated applications of intelligent technologies, systematic evaluations of the synergistic effects of technological integration on maritime ecosystems, policy compatibility, and contributions to global carbon emission governance remain under-explored. Leveraging bibliometric analysis, this study systematically examines 488 publications from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection (2000–2024), yielding three pivotal findings: firstly, China dominates the research landscape, with a 38.5% contribution share, where Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and port automation constitute the technological pillars. However, critical gaps persist in cross-system protocol standardization and climate-adaptive modeling, accounting for only 2.7% and 4.2% of the literature, respectively. Secondly, international collaboration networks exhibit pronounced “Islamization”, characterized by an inter-team collaboration rate of 17.3%, while the misalignment between rapid technological iteration and existing maritime regulations exacerbates industry risks. Thirdly, a dual-track pathway integrating Cyber–Physical System (CPS)-based digital twin ports and open-source vertical domain-specific large language models is proposed. Empirical evidence demonstrates its efficacy in reducing cargo-handling energy consumption by 15% and decision-making latency by 40%. This research proposes a novel tripartite framework, encompassing technological, institutional, and data sovereignty dimensions, to resolve critical challenges in integrating multi-source maritime data and managing cross-border governance. The model provides academically validated and industry-compatible strategies for advancing sustainable maritime intelligence. Subsequent investigations should expand data sources to include regional repositories and integrate interdisciplinary approaches, ensuring the adaptability of both technical systems and international policy coordination mechanisms across diverse maritime ecosystems.