Maritime piracy bibliometric analysis: A literature overview and map review

Abstract Maritime piracy represents a significant international challenge, impacting both economic stability and political dynamics. Researchers from diverse disciplines have been drawn to this multifaceted issue, each aiming to understand and address different aspects of piracy’s impact and implications. This study offers a comprehensive overview of maritime piracy research based on bibliographic analysis. Its objective is threefold. First, to delineate the key domains of inquiry within maritime piracy research. These domains encompass a wide range of topics, including the socio-economic drivers of piracy, the legal frameworks governing maritime security, and computer science to analyse piracy acts. Second, to identify major contributions in the field, recognising seminal works, influential authors and significant findings related to maritime piracy. Lastly, to discern emerging research trends within maritime piracy, and to identify novel areas of inquiry, innovative methodologies and promising avenues for future exploration. Furthermore, the most popular datasets from these studies that include relevant information are presented in this work.