The paper highlights the urgent need for comprehensive, globally networked ocean research due to human impacts on the marine environment and the growing blue economy. It emphasizes the importance of the UN Decade of Ocean Science (UNDOS) and Sustainable Development Goal 14 ("Life Below Water") in achieving sustainable ocean development. However, a significant imbalance exists between countries with advanced ocean science programs and those most affected by ocean changes, particularly SIDS and resource-limited countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. These countries heavily rely on the blue economy and face increased vulnerability due to factors such as small land mass, remoteness, and fragile ecosystems. The paper reviews existing UN reports and academic work that have employed bibliometrics and scientometrics to understand global ocean science publication patterns. This study aims to provide a scientometric analysis of global ocean basin science literature from 2000 to 2020 to quantify the structure of the ocean science community and identify ways to enhance its sustainability and global connectedness. The breadth of ocean science, encompassing biological, chemical, geological, physical, and human-ocean interaction aspects, necessitates a comprehensive analysis of publication trends and collaborative networks.

The authors review previous UN reports and academic research on the global state of ocean science, highlighting the use of bibliometrics and scientometrics to analyze publication patterns. These studies include analyses of publications funded by NOAA, contributions to the International Ocean Discovery Programme, surveys of research activity in oceanography and marine geoscience, and analysis of ocean remote-sensing research. The literature emphasizes the value of scientometric analysis in providing a top-down perspective on global research trends and identifying areas for improvement. This paper builds upon this existing work by focusing specifically on ocean basin research and collaborative networks.

The study used Web of Science data (2000–2020), including its Expanded API, to retrieve research articles and metadata. Specific title and abstract term searches were employed for each of the five ocean basins (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, Southern). The search yielded approximately 106,000 articles. Each document was assigned to one or more ocean basins based on the search terms. Institutional and national affiliations were extracted from author metadata, and internationally collaborative articles were defined as those with authors from at least two different countries. International collaboration counts were calculated for each country pair. Article output was compared using absolute output and world share. Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) and researchers per million inhabitants were used as proxies for research capability. Some affiliation metadata were incomplete; however, previous studies have indicated that this should not significantly affect the results given the large sample size. The methodology involved careful consideration of data classification to ensure high precision in identifying ocean basin-relevant documents, prioritizing accuracy over a broader, less specific dataset.

The total ocean basin research output increased at a rate three times greater than the overall research indexed in Web of Science. The Atlantic Ocean was the most studied basin (47,368 articles), but its relative share decreased from almost 50% to 40%, primarily due to a rapid increase in Pacific Ocean studies (40,275 articles). At the country level, the USA was the largest producer of ocean basin research, but its relative share also decreased. China experienced rapid growth, surpassing the UK as the second-largest producer in 2011 and significantly increasing its share of Pacific research (from 5% to over 40%). Brazil's relative share also increased, particularly in Atlantic Ocean research. The USA holds a large share of research across all basins except the Indian Ocean; China's output is generally below its world share except in the Pacific. G7 countries (Germany, France, and UK) maintain a sizeable share across all oceans. Russia dominates Arctic research, while the USA and UK have large shares of Southern Ocean research. International collaboration increased from 27% in 2000 to 36% in 2020. The USA and China are the largest collaborators, but collaboration rates vary widely among countries. The global collaboration network shows a central Americas-European nexus, with China as a central partner in an Asian network and SIDS participating globally. Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa, shows limited participation despite its extensive coastline. South America more than doubled its global share of ocean basin papers, largely due to Brazil's growth. Ocean basin research is mainly conducted by research institutes and government organizations due to its resource-intensive nature. This analysis also highlights significant institutional concentration of research output within several countries, demonstrating the importance of robust research infrastructure in driving productivity. Furthermore, the study finds that multilateral collaborations are more frequently cited than domestic research, implying greater influence and broader impact. Despite the overall increase in collaboration, Sub-Saharan Africa's participation remains low, likely due to factors such as low research output, GERD, and limited infrastructure.

The findings reveal an uneven distribution of ocean research, with the Atlantic and Pacific basins receiving the most attention, largely due to their size and proximity to major research economies. China's rapid growth in Pacific Ocean publications reflects multifaceted motivations (scientific, political, technological). Increased collaboration is observed, but it is not always equitable, and geographical distance can hinder effective collaboration. Sub-Saharan Africa's underrepresentation is attributed to low research output, GERD, and limited infrastructure. South America's significant increase in research output, particularly driven by Brazil, is partly due to higher GERD and collaboration with American institutions. SIDS also exhibit high collaboration rates but have not significantly increased their output. The research infrastructure's resource-intensive nature is a significant barrier for less-developed countries. The study's focus on Web of Science data might underestimate the contributions from the Global South. Highly multilateral collaborations tend to receive more citations, suggesting greater influence, but domestic research can also be highly impactful.

The study highlights the unequal distribution of ocean science research globally, particularly regarding the UN Decade of Ocean Science and SDG 14. The findings on research output, collaboration patterns, and infrastructural limitations offer valuable insights for policymakers and funding agencies. To create a more sustainable and diverse global ocean science network, increased investment in education, infrastructure, and equitable collaborations—particularly engaging sub-Saharan African nations and SIDS—is essential. Further research should investigate the specific motivations behind national and regional research priorities and explore ways to improve the effectiveness and equity of international collaborations.

The study's reliance on Web of Science data might underrepresent research from the Global South, particularly those published in local languages. The analysis focuses on publication volume and does not directly assess the impact of the research. The study does not directly analyze the impact of the ocean basin research. The analysis is based on the keyword search terms used to identify ocean basin-specific publications and therefore might miss some relevant studies.