Resilience of port logistics under climate risk: adaptation strategies for UK ports

Module: Maritime Operations, Risk & Logistics

Module code: MO‐RL6105
Credit value: 15 (UK)
Level: 6 (or Master’s semester)
Semester: Autumn 2025

Assessment: Individual Research Report / Policy Advisory Paper

Weighting: 60% of final module grade
Word limit: 3,500 words (±10%) excluding appendices, tables, figures, and references
Submission format: Word / PDF via VLE (Turnitin enabled)
Deadline: 13:00 UK time, Friday Week 11 of semester

Assessment Aims

This assignment is designed for you to demonstrate your ability to:

1. Conduct in-depth literature review and contextual grounding in maritime operations, logistics, risk, or regulatory topics.

2. Formulate a clear research question or policy problem, critically analyse it, and apply theoretical / empirical tools.

3. Integrate maritime technical, operational, legal, and commercial considerations in your analysis.

4. Develop evidence-based recommendations, showing awareness of constraints, stakeholder impacts, and implementation challenges.

5. Communicate in a structured, scholarly style with rigorous referencing and clear logic.

Task Description

You are required to prepare a research-style advisory report of up to 3,500 words (excluding annexes) on a contemporary challenge in maritime operations / logistics / risk / regulation. The report should:

1. Begin with a concise executive summary (ca. 200–250 words) summarising key findings and recommendations for a practitioner or policymaker audience.

2. Provide an introduction / background (ca. 600–700 words) that sets out the context, justifies the importance of the topic, and states your specific research question(s) or problem statement.

3. Conduct a literature review / theoretical framing (ca. 700–900 words) engaging recent scholarly work, highlighting gaps or debates.

4. Present a methodology / approach (ca. 400–600 words) explaining your analytical method: e.g. case study, comparative analysis, scenario modelling, stakeholder mapping, risk assessment frameworks, qualitative interviews, secondary data, simulation, etc.

5. Deliver analysis / findings (ca. 800–1,000 words) applying your chosen method, discussing constraints, trade-offs, and possible tensions between competing objectives (efficiency, safety, environmental, regulation).

6. Offer recommendations & discussion (ca. 400–600 words) targeted to a maritime stakeholder (e.g. port authority, shipping line, regulator, logistic provider), discussing feasibility, risks, and suggestions for implementation.

7. Conclude with reflections (ca. 150–200 words) on limitations, further research, and summarised take-aways.

You may include tables, figures, maps, or flowcharts in appendices as needed (these do not count toward the word limit). Use standard academic style, with headings and subheadings for clarity.

Possible Topic Areas (you choose one)

Below are sample topical suggestions. You may propose a closely related topic with instructor approval.

1. Decarbonisation and operational trade-offs in coastal feeder shipping

2. Resilience of port logistics under climate risk: adaptation strategies for UK ports

3. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in ship–shore interfaces and mitigation strategies

4. Regulatory challenges and risk in autonomous / unmanned vessel operations

5. Impact of supply chain disruptions (e.g. Suez blockage, pandemic) on maritime network reconfiguration

Assessment Criteria / Rubric

Your report will be assessed on the following dimensions:

A pass mark will normally require at least “Satisfactory” in all key dimensions, with no dimension in the “Needs Improvement” band.

Late submission penalties: 5% of the available marks per calendar day (or pro rata) up to 7 days; submissions later than 7 days without extension will receive a mark of zero unless previously agreed under mitigating circumstances.

You will receive detailed feedback mapped to the criteria above, typically within 15 working days of submission.

Guidance & Support

• You are encouraged to submit a short 500-word proposal / outline (including your research question, intended approach, key references) two weeks before the final deadline for formative feedback.

• You may request a short meeting (30 minutes) with the instructor to discuss methodological choices.

• Use the module reading list and recent journals in maritime operations, logistics, risk, and law.

• In presentation and language, aim for clarity, avoid jargon, and assume a mixed audience of academics and maritime professionals.

• Follow the academic integrity policy of the institution strictly; upload via Turnitin and retain your working files.

References

• Notteboom, T., Pallis, A., & Rodrigue, J.-P. (2021) Port Economics, Management and Policy, 3rd edn. Routledge.

• Cullinane, K. & Wang, W. (2020) “Blockchain and digital container shipping: reconciliation between global ledger and national sovereignty,” Maritime Policy & Management, 47(5), pp. 589–609.

• Lam, J. S. L., Cariou, P., & Notteboom, T. (2022) “Port Governance Reforms: The Role of Public–Private Partnerships,” Maritime Economics & Logistics, 24, pp. 1–20.

• Lütje, E., von der Heyde, S., & Zhang, D. (2023) “Autonomous vessels: a systematic review of legal, safety, and operational challenges,” Journal of Navigation, 76(3), pp. 415–439.

• Cariou, P., Slack, B., & Notteboom, T. (2024) “Climate risk, port adaptation and resilience: evidence from European ports,” Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 111, 103648.