Assessment Brief 2025–2026
Module Information
Module Code: MAR5
Module Title: Marine Environmental Protection and Port Operations
Academic Level: Masters (Level 7)
Credit Value: 20 Credits
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Academic Year: 2025–2026
Assessment Title
Assessment Task 2 – Individual Case Study Research Report
Assessment Topic
Combating Marine Debris Pollution: A Case Study of Nigerian Ports
Submission Details
Submission Deadline: As published on the module timetable
Submission Method: University VLE (Turnitin), PDF format only
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Word Count: 3,500–4,000 words (±10%, excluding references)
Assessment Context
Marine debris pollution presents an escalating operational, environmental, and governance challenge for ports in developing maritime states. Nigerian ports operate within congested urban and coastal environments where ship-generated waste, port-side activities, and land-based sources intersect. This assessment situates students within a real-world regulatory and operational context requiring critical evaluation of international conventions, national port authority responsibilities, and port-level waste management practices. The task mirrors assessment formats used across UK, Australian, Canadian, UAE, US, and Commonwealth maritime postgraduate programmes from 2020 onwards.
Assessment Task
Produce a structured academic research report that critically examines marine debris pollution in Nigerian ports using one or more ports as case studies. The report must evaluate regulatory compliance, operational practices, and institutional capacity, and propose realistic, evidence-based interventions for improving marine debris management within the Nigerian port system.
Learning Outcomes Assessed
- Critically evaluate international and national frameworks governing marine pollution from port and ship operations.
- Analyse operational sources and impacts of marine debris within port environments.
- Assess institutional, technical, and behavioural barriers to effective waste management.
- Develop coherent, evidence-based recommendations grounded in maritime best practice.
Task Requirements
Your report must include the following sections:
- Executive Summary
- Introduction and Scope of Study
- Literature Review and Regulatory Framework (MARPOL Annex V, Nigerian legislation, port authority mandates)
- Methodology and Case Study Selection
- Analysis of Marine Debris Sources and Port Waste Management Practices
- Assessment of Compliance, Enforcement, and Institutional Capacity
- Barriers to Effective Marine Debris Control
- Strategic and Operational Recommendations
- Conclusion and Implications for Policy and Practice
Formatting and Academic Standards
- Font: Times New Roman, 12-point
- Line spacing: 1.5
- Harvard referencing style
- Minimum of 20 academic sources, primarily post-2018
Assessment Marking Criteria
| Criterion | Weighting | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| Depth of Research and Knowledge | 30% | Use of relevant legislation, conventions, empirical studies, and port-level evidence. |
| Critical Analysis | 40% | Evaluation of effectiveness, limitations, and competing perspectives. |
| Structure and Academic Writing | 15% | Logical organisation, clarity, and adherence to academic conventions. |
| Quality of Recommendations | 15% | Feasibility, relevance, and alignment with maritime best practice. |
Marine debris pollution in Nigerian ports reflects a convergence of operational inefficiencies, regulatory gaps, and institutional fragmentation. Port activities generate significant volumes of solid waste, including plastics, packaging materials, and maintenance residues, which often enter the marine environment due to inadequate reception facilities and weak oversight. Apapa Port illustrates how congestion and limited waste handling capacity exacerbate compliance challenges, despite Nigeria’s formal adoption of MARPOL Annex V. Port authorities retain statutory responsibility for environmental protection, yet enforcement remains inconsistent, and cost recovery mechanisms for waste disposal discourage compliance by ship operators. Empirical studies demonstrate that improving port reception facilities alone does not eliminate marine debris unless accompanied by effective monitoring, penalties, and stakeholder coordination (Barau, 2024, https://commons.wmu.se/all_dissertations/3419). Policy responses therefore require integrated waste management systems that align port operations, municipal services, and maritime regulation. Strengthening port state control inspections and incentivising proper waste delivery can reduce illegal discharges while reinforcing environmental accountability across the port community.
References
- Barau, A.G., 2024. Evaluation of port reception facilities and ship-generated solid waste management: A case study of Apapa Port, Nigeria. World Maritime University. https://commons.wmu.se/all_dissertations/3419
- John, K.P. and Amedu, N.M., 2019. Assessment of port reception facilities and waste management control in Nigeria. World Maritime University. https://commons.wmu.se/all_dissertations/2213
- Osuji, J.N. and Agbakwuru, J.A., 2022. A review on effectiveness of marine pollution control and management in Nigeria. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 26(4). https://doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v26i4.8
- International Maritime Organization, 2017. MARPOL Annex V: Prevention of pollution by garbage from ships. https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/Pages/Garbage.aspx