"Passenger Ferry Operations: A Bibliometric Review of Contemporary Management Guidelines"

Author : Tanja Poletan Jugovic, Miljen Sirotic, Drazen Zgaljic, Marijan Brubnjak

Abstract :Management of the ferry system includes overseeing the operation of vessels, safety procedures, maintenance, scheduling and customer service to promote safe and efficient travel. Contemporary research in ferry management guidelines is fragmented, as varied approaches and themes make it challenging for scholars to form a clear outlook of current managerial. To bridge the identified gap, this article conducts a bibliometric analysis of 154 articles regarding the main features of nautical tourism ports. The articles were published in 104 academic journals and authored by 529 authors. Bibliometric data from the Web of Science database were extracted and processed using the Bibliometrix package in R. This method facilitated the revealment of the most impactful articles, journals authors, and institutions, as measured by various bibliographic indices. The application of the bibliographic coupling methodology in VOSviewer software enabled the identification of two distinct research clusters: (1) Enhancing Maritime Safety and Efficiency; and (2) Ferry Environmental and Safety Assessment. Content analysis of identified clusters indicates that contemporary sustainable ferry management revolves around strategies such as Vessel Speed Reduction, On-Shore Power Supply and Improving Crew Training and Emergency Preparedness. The findings offer a scientifically robust foundation for scholars and practitioners aiming to understand how the ferry management can be advanced for sustainability

Keywords :Passenger ferries; ferry management; safety assessment; bibliometric analysis.

Conference Name :International Conference on Sea Transportation and Logistics (ICSTL-25)

Conference Place Paris,France

Conference Date 24th Nov 2025