MASL 7015 – Maritime Safety, Security and Logistics

Assessment 2 (2026): Case Study Analysis and Risk Mitigation Report

Module and Assessment Overview

Module code: MASL 7015
Module title: Maritime Safety, Security and Logistics
Level: 7 (Masters)
Credit value: 20 credits
Academic year: 2025–2026
Indicative providers: Maritime safety, security and logistics components of MSc Maritime Studies or Maritime Management programmes in the UK, UAE, Australia and related jurisdictions.

Assessment: Assessment 2 – Case Study Analysis and Risk Mitigation Report
Weighting: 40 percent of module total
Submission format: Individual analytical report, 3,500 words (plus or minus 10 percent)
Submission mode: Online submission via VLE (Word or PDF, Turnitin enabled)

Assessment Context

Global maritime supply chains face overlapping safety, security and resilience pressures that include major casualty risk, cyber incidents, piracy, cargo theft and disruption from geopolitical or climate related events. Logistics networks increasingly rely on tightly integrated port, terminal and hinterland systems, which means failures in one node or layer can escalate rapidly and create safety and security externalities elsewhere in the chain. This assessment requires students to dissect a complex case of disruption or risk in a maritime logistics context and to propose a coherent mitigation strategy that integrates safety, security and operational considerations.

Assessment Brief

Task Description

Prepare a 3,500 word case study analysis and risk mitigation report on a selected global maritime supply chain scenario. You may choose to:

• Use a real incident or disruption such as the Suez Canal blockage, a major port cyber attack, a terminal fire, piracy clustering, or large scale cargo loss, or

• Construct a plausible composite scenario based on patterns evidenced in recent incidents.

Your report must:

• Map the end to end maritime logistics chain relevant to the case, including ship, port, terminal, hinterland and information flows.

• Identify key safety, security and continuity risks exposed by the case, distinguishing between immediate triggers and underlying systemic factors.

• Evaluate how existing safety management systems, security regimes and logistics arrangements contributed to or mitigated the disruption.

• Develop a realistic and prioritised set of mitigation measures spanning governance, technology, human factors and supply chain design.

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Core Analytical Tasks

i. Case description and logistics mapping
Provide a concise description of the selected incident or scenario and present a clear narrative or map of the relevant maritime logistics chain, including cargo flows, key actors and critical nodes.

ii. Risk identification and categorisation
Identify at least five major risks related to safety, security or logistics continuity. Classify them by type, for example operational safety, physical security, cyber, regulatory or reputational, and by their location in the supply chain.

iii. Systemic analysis
Analyse how organisational culture, leadership practices, regulatory frameworks and commercial pressures shaped the risk landscape and influenced the eventual outcome.

iv. Mitigation strategy and action plan
Propose an integrated mitigation framework that addresses immediate control measures and longer term structural changes. Justify each recommendation and outline a realistic implementation sequence.

Suggested Structure

1. Introduction
   Scenario selection, relevance to maritime safety, security and logistics, and report aims.

2. Case background and supply chain description
   Narrative explanation and visual mapping of the maritime logistics context.

3. Risk identification and analysis
   Detailed discussion of key risks, their causes and interactions.

4. Evaluation of existing frameworks
   Critical review of how safety, security and logistics arrangements performed during the disruption.

5. Risk mitigation framework
   Proposed measures grouped into short, medium and long term actions with clear rationale.

6. Implementation considerations
   Governance, leadership, resource allocation and coordination issues.

7. Conclusion
   Summary of insights and implications for maritime safety and logistics policy and practice.

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8. References
   Minimum of 18 sources presented in Harvard format.

Specific Requirements

• Word count: 3,500 words plus or minus 10 percent, excluding tables, figures and references.

• Integration: Safety, security and logistics must be treated as interdependent rather than as separate silos.

• Evidence base: Use recent incidents, reports and academic literature from 2018 to 2026. Support claims with data or documented examples where possible.

• Perspective: Adopt the viewpoint of a senior manager, regulator or risk professional responsible for translating analysis into implementable recommendations.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

• Critically analyse safety, security and logistics risks in complex maritime supply chains.

• Evaluate the performance and limitations of existing maritime safety and security frameworks during real world disruptions.

• Develop integrated risk mitigation strategies that align operational, organisational and regulatory considerations.

• Present structured, evidence based recommendations suitable for decision makers in maritime and logistics organisations.

Indicative Marking Rubric (Summary)

Case understanding and logistics mapping (20 percent)
Clear description of the case and accurate, insightful mapping of the supply chain.

Risk identification and systemic analysis (30 percent)
Comprehensive identification of risks with in depth analysis of systemic causes and interactions.

Quality of mitigation strategy (30 percent)
Realistic, prioritised and well integrated mitigation measures across safety, security and logistics.

Structure, clarity and professional writing (10 percent)
Well organised, clearly written and suitable for a professional audience.

Use of sources and referencing (10 percent)
Recent and relevant sources, accurately referenced using Harvard style.

Supply chain disruption following a major container terminal cyber attack often reveals deep structural dependence on shared digital platforms rather than isolated technical weaknesses. Terminal operating systems, customs interfaces and hinterland scheduling tools are frequently interconnected, meaning that a failure in one system can halt physical cargo flows across multiple nodes. When such disruptions occur, contingency plans may prove ineffective if they have not been tested across organisational boundaries. As a result, cyber incidents can escalate into broader safety and security crises that affect vessel operations, port access and inland transport coordination (Heilig and Voß, 2017).

Recent guidance on maritime leadership and risk governance highlights that effective mitigation depends not only on technical controls but also on consistent leadership behaviour and safety culture across organisations. Studies of maritime incidents show that fragmented accountability between ship operators, terminal managers and regulators often weakens risk ownership and delays coordinated responses. Strengthening leadership alignment and shared responsibility frameworks can therefore improve the resilience of maritime logistics systems by ensuring that safety and security priorities are embedded in day to day operational decision making (UK Government, 2023).

References and Learning Resources (Harvard)

Heilig, L. and Voß, S. (2017) Information systems in seaports: a categorization and overview. Computers and Operations Research, 78, 19–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cor.2017.04.001

Maritime Safety and Security Law Journal (2020–2025) Selected articles on maritime safety, security and risk governance. Maritime Safety and Security Law Journal. https://www.marsafelawjournal.org

UK Government (2023) Leading for safety: a guide for leaders in the maritime industry. Maritime and Coastguard Agency. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/leading-for-safety/introduction

Together in Safety (2022) Leadership for safety in shipping. https://togetherinsafety.info/leadership/

Maritime Safety Innovation Lab (2023) Leadership and management for safe operations. https://maritimesafetyinnovationlab.org/leadership-and-management/

EssayBishops (2025) Risk mitigation in global supply chains – MASL 7015 assessment brief. https://www.essaybishops.com/au/case-study-analysis-and-recommendations-risk-mitigation-in-global-supply-chains/