Research Proposal on the Impact of Cabotage Law in Nigerian Ports and Its Implications

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Assessment Brief: Maritime Research Project (2025)

This brief is for a **research-project assignment** in a maritime studies / maritime law course. It mirrors the rigor and structure of real postgraduate assessment briefs for academic use

1. Module Overview

The module focuses on major contemporary issues in maritime safety, environmental protection, maritime labour, and port competitiveness. Students will produce a research proposal and conduct a small-scale research project on a topic selected from a list (e.g., ship collision and marine pollution; cabotage law in Nigeria; safe bulk-cargo loading at Nigerian ports; MLC 2006 implementation; IMO’s role in maritime safety; etc.).

2. Assessment Components & Weighting

  • Part A: Research Proposal – 20% of module grade
  • Part B: Research Report (or Essay) – 60% of module grade
  • Part C: Reflection & Action Plan – 20% of module grade

3. Learning Outcomes Assessed

  1. Define a clear and researchable question within a maritime context.
  2. Critically review relevant academic and policy literature.
  3. Design an appropriate research method (qualitative / quantitative / mixed) to address the research question.
  4. Demonstrate understanding of ethical considerations in maritime research.
  5. Analyse data (or secondary sources) and draw justified conclusions and recommendations.
  6. Reflect on the research process, limitations, and future steps.

4. Part A: Research Proposal (20%)

Length: approx. 1,500 words

Your proposal should include:

  1. Title page: working title, student name, module code, date.
  2. Abstract (max 150 words): brief summary of aims and methods.
  3. Background / Justification: why this topic matters; gap in literature; relevance to maritime policy or practice.
  4. Research Question(s): one primary question, plus 2–3 sub-questions.
  5. Literature Review: overview of major academic, legal or policy sources relevant to your topic.
  6. Methodology: proposed methods, data sources (e.g. AIS data, surveys, interviews, policy documents), sampling, analysis plan.
  7. Ethical Considerations: consent, confidentiality, data security, any maritime-specific concerns.
  8. Timeline / Action Plan: key milestones, deliverables, and deadlines.
  9. References: at least 10 scholarly / policy sources, cited in Harvard style.

5. Part B: Research Report / Essay (60%)

Length: approx. 3,000 – 4,000 words

The final report should follow on from the approved proposal. It should:

  1. Restate your research question and objectives.
  2. Describe methods employed and any deviations from your proposal.
  3. Present findings (data, analysis, case studies, policy review, etc.).
  4. Discuss implications: for maritime safety, law, port management, environment, or labour as relevant.
  5. Make concrete recommendations (policy, operational, legal) based on your analysis.
  6. Critically reflect on limitations of your study and areas for future research.
  7. List all references (Harvard style) and include any appendices (e.g., interview guides, data tables).

6. Part C: Reflection & Action Plan (20%)

Length: approx. 1,000 words

In this reflective component, you will:

  • Evaluate your research process: what worked, what didn’t, and why.
  • Discuss ethical challenges and how you addressed them.
  • Outline how you would extend or scale this study in future (further research, policy engagement, practical steps).

7. Assessment Criteria

Marks will be awarded based on:

  • Clarity and coherence of research question (10%)
  • Depth and relevance of literature review (20%)
  • Appropriateness and rigor of methodology (20%)
  • Quality and insightfulness of analysis/findings (20%)
  • Strength and feasibility of recommendations (15%)
  • Reflection and learning (10%)
  • Presentation, structure, and referencing (5%)

8. Submission Instructions

  • Submit via the university’s LMS by the stated deadline (proposal first, then report + reflection).
  • Use Times New Roman, font size 12, line spacing 1.5, standard margins.
  • Use Harvard referencing. All sources must be academic or policy-based (reports, peer-reviewed papers, conventions, legal texts).
  • Late submissions will be penalized per course policy. Extensions must be approved in advance.

References / Learning Materials 

Feuerstack, S. (2024). Maritime Security and Risk Assessments. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 12(6), 988.
MDPI

Arnaoot, H. M. (2025). Navigating the Uncharted Waters: A Gradual Approach to the Certification and Integration of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). arXiv preprint.
arXiv

Xu, Z., Wang, Z., Li, H., Yu, D., Yang, Z., & Wang, J. (2025). A Geometric Analysis-Based Safety Assessment Framework for MASS Route Decision-Making in Restricted Waters. arXiv preprint.
arXiv

Jin, J., Fu, X., Gao, X., Cheng, T., & Yan, R. (2025). MSD-LLM: Predicting Ship Detention in Port State Control Inspections with Large Language Model. arXiv preprint.
arXiv

Dinis, D. C., Figueira, J. R., & Teixeira, Â. P. (2021). A multiple criteria approach for ship risk classification: An alternative to the Paris MoU Ship Risk Profile. arXiv preprint.
arXiv

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