Abstract: To provide a more intuitively analysis the current state,key topics and trends of formal safety assessment（FSA）within maritime research,this paper reviews nearly 30 years of FSA-related literature in two prominent databases:China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）and Web of Science（WoS）. Using CiteSpace,a knowledge mapping software,the study examines institutions,topics,hot spots and trends of FSA research through bibliometric analysis,co-occurrence analysis and cluster analysis,aiming to offer insights for expanding applications and research directions in the maritime field. Results indicate a fluctuating increase in the volume of FSA research literature both domestically and internationally. The primary research institutions are maritime universities and affiliated organizations. In terms of research topics and hot spots,domestic studies focus primarily on the practical applications of FSA,with empirical studies and case analyses as main areas of interest. In contrast,international FSA research emphasizes formalized methodologies and technical applications,presenting a wider array of topics and hot spots,particularly accident analysis and methodological research. Looking forward,potential research directions include advancing risk assessment and decision-making models,integrating human factor analysis,and broadening technical approaches and applications in FSA.