The problems of resource shortage and environmental pollution are becoming increasingly serious due to the growth of the global population and the rapid pace of economic development. The blue economy (BE) promotes economic development, social progress, and sustainable development through the sustainable use of marine resources, and the value and strategic significance of the BE are increasingly being recognized by various countries. To comprehensively understand the research progress and development trend in the field of 1,390 articles related to BE obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database from 2004 to 2023 are used as the original data, and quantitative analyses are conducted based on the bibliometric analysis method and the bibliometric software such as Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and Citespace. The results indicated a growing trend in research findings in this field, and the concentration of publications appeared after 2018, accompanied by an upward trend in both publications and citations. The publications primarily concentrate on the fields of Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, and International Relations. China actively participates in BE research and holds the leading position in terms of publications and citations. Furthermore, its research findings exhibit significant academic influence. The top three journals in terms of publication are the Journal of Coastal Research, Marine Policy, and Ocean & Coastal Management. The current research focuses on the sustainable development of the marine environment, management of marine ecosystems, and marine aquaculture. The aforementioned findings can provide some references for the development planning of the BE and decision-making by government management departments.