Maritime Geopolitics and Supply Chain Resilience – Assessment 2: Research Essay

Write a 1,800 to 2,200-word research essay that examines the Iran-USA maritime conflict, with specific focus on US sanctions enforcement against Iranian-flagged vessels and oil exports, documented naval incidents and tanker seizures in the Strait of Hormuz and Arabian Gulf, freedom-of-navigation operations, and the resulting implications for global shipping, insurance markets, GCC port operations, LNG trade flows, and international maritime law compliance.

Assessment context

This task sits within the final third of the unit and requires students to apply concepts from earlier modules on maritime chokepoints, sanctions regimes, and geopolitical risk modelling to a live, high-impact case. Students must integrate primary sources such as incident reports from the US Fifth Fleet, insurance data from Lloyd’s List, and UNCLOS provisions with secondary academic analysis. The essay must demonstrate how bilateral tensions translate into measurable operational and economic effects across the maritime industry.

Learning outcomes

• Critically evaluate the interplay between state sanctions, naval operations, and commercial maritime logistics in contested waters.
• Analyse the operational and financial impacts of geopolitical incidents on global supply chains and insurance frameworks.
• Apply international maritime law principles to real-world conflict scenarios while assessing compliance challenges for flag states and port operators.
• Synthesise multiple data sources to produce evidence-based recommendations for maritime industry resilience.

Task instructions

Produce an individual research essay of 1,800–2,200 words (excluding title page, reference list, and any appendices). The essay must address the following required elements:

1. Outline the evolution of US sanctions targeting Iranian maritime trade since 2018, including key executive orders and their enforcement mechanisms at sea.
2. Examine at least two specific naval incidents or tanker seizure cases in the Strait of Hormuz or Arabian Gulf between 2022 and 2025, detailing the sequence of events, legal justifications claimed by each party, and immediate effects on shipping schedules.
3. Assess the consequences for global shipping, including changes in insurance premiums (war-risk and hull), route deviations, freight rate volatility, and effects on LNG and crude oil trade volumes.
4. Discuss operational adaptations at GCC ports (e.g., Jebel Ali, Hamad, or Khalifa) and the role of freedom-of-navigation operations in maintaining trade flows.
5. Evaluate compliance and liability issues under UNCLOS, SOLAS, and relevant IMO guidelines, including challenges for third-party flag states and port authorities.

Use Harvard or APA 7th edition referencing. Include a minimum of eight scholarly or industry sources published from 2018 onward. Submit via the LMS in Word format with a completed cover sheet. Late submissions incur standard penalties unless an extension has been approved.

Marking criteria

• Depth and accuracy of factual analysis of sanctions and incidents (30%)
• Quality of critical evaluation and integration of maritime law and operational impacts (30%)
• Structure, coherence, and use of evidence (20%)
• Academic writing style, grammar, and referencing accuracy (10%)
• Originality and relevance of recommendations for industry resilience (10%)

Example student response

US sanctions enforcement has forced Iranian oil exports onto a shadow fleet of vessels that frequently engage in ship-to-ship transfers to evade detection. Tanker seizures in the Strait of Hormuz, such as the 2023 incidents involving vessels detained by both Iranian and US forces, have directly raised war-risk insurance premiums by more than 300 percent for voyages through the Gulf. Freedom-of-navigation patrols by the US Navy have sustained transit volumes but have also increased the frequency of close encounters that raise collision risks for commercial traffic. GCC ports have responded by accelerating digital twin systems and expanding land-bridge options to absorb diverted cargo. These developments highlight persistent gaps in unified international responses under UNCLOS Article 98 on the duty to render assistance at sea. Overall, the conflict demonstrates how bilateral maritime disputes can cascade into sustained disruptions across energy supply chains.

(Bueger & Edmunds, 2024)

The example above draws on documented patterns of sanctions evasion and naval stand-offs that mirror earlier UN-mandated interception operations. Recent modelling of rerouting economics shows that persistent Hormuz tensions add between 12 and 18 days to Asia-Europe tanker voyages, elevating both carbon emissions and freight costs. Industry guidelines from the International Chamber of Shipping continue to stress the need for updated voyage risk assessments that incorporate real-time geopolitical data feeds rather than static insurance tables.

Recommended references

Bueger, C., & Edmunds, T. (2024). Understanding maritime security. Oxford University Press.

Kent, A. (2025). Economic sanctions and the law. Fordham International Law Journal, 48(2), 245–278.

Sun, R. (2025). Geopolitical disruptions and maritime transitions: Environmental and economic costs of rerouting. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 132, Article 104512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2025.104512

Fink, M. D. (2020). Maritime interception and the law of naval operations. University of Amsterdam (PhD thesis, publicly available via institutional repository).

Additional recent sources may be drawn from Lloyd’s List Intelligence reports (2023–2025) and US Naval Institute Proceedings articles on Fifth Fleet operations.