Bibliometric and Qualitative Analysis of Workload Studies in the Maritime Sector

Abstract

Maritime traffic is a socio-technical system that requires the collaboration of many elements such as stakeholders, equipment, environment, and technology. The workload for stakeholders in marine traffic has increased due to the growing number of monitored ships in coastal areas, as well as the variety and amount of operations. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of workload studies conducted in the maritime domain, encompassing all stakeholders. In doing so, the goal is to reveal changes over the years, identify collaborative areas, and enhance the understanding of the concept. The Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were used as the data collection tool. A search was conducted with keywords associated with the concept of 'workload in maritime,' leading to the analysis of 372 relevant documents. VOSviewer Bibliometric Data Analysis Tool and MAXQDA Analytics Pro 22 Software were employed in the analyses. After the data from the two databases were combined, it was found that the authors with the most publications (P) and citations (C) in this field are Murai K. (P-41; C-200), Hayashi Y. (P-30; C-196), and Okazaki T. (P-15; C-82). With 56 publications, Japan is in first place, followed by the US (39), China (35), and the UK (27). Additionally, Japan and the US are two countries in collaboration. Among the commonly used terms in this research are mental workload, vessel, safety, performance, human factors, tiredness, simulator, and physiological measuring techniques including heart rate, nasal temperature, EEG, and salivary amylase. In workload studies, psychosocial variables were most prominently expressed in 2021. While the analysis of workload studies indicates a focus on “mental workload” studies involving Vessel Traffic Services Operators (VTSOs), research related to seafarers, cadets, marine pilots, and ship masters is seen to dominate this field which is “bridge team”.