Maritime security law is one of the oldest discreet areas of international security law, with a long heritage due to the historic importance of the legal responses to maritime piracy over many centuries. 

With the development and codification of the international law of the sea throughout the twentieth century, coastal state maritime security concerns have gained in prominence as new maritime zones have been proclaimed and accepted under the law of the sea and new sovereign rights and jurisdiction asserted over a range of maritime areas. 

The entry into force of the United Nations Charter in 1945 has corresponded with increasing maritime security concerns and responses by the UN Security Council, especially when exercising its powers under Chapter VII of the Charter. These concerns have especially been reflected in numerous Security Council Resolutions mandating naval operations, and more generally military operations, to maintain international peace and security. UN-mandated naval operations were significant in the sanctions regime imposed against Iraq (1990-2003) during which time extensive state practice developed in this field, and more recently the sanctions imposed against North Korea have continued this action by the Security Council. The Security Council has also mandated member states to conduct military operations at sea to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism, and piracy. The maritime enforcement responses to piracy off the coast of Somalia have been among the most significant maritime security developments in the past century. Challenges to the normative maritime security law framework, including the myriad of issues that have arisen in the South China Sea dispute, will also be critically examined in this course. 

This course will analyse maritime security law through a combination of theory and case studies as a means of understanding the current state of maritime security law and the importance of this distinctive branch of international law.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Critically evaluate research in the area of maritime security law.
2. Synthesise and apply maritime security law and policy to address complex problems.
3. Critically analyse and reflect upon legal or interdisciplinary information, problems, concepts and theories as they apply in the context of maritime security.
4. Plan and execute complex legal research in an area of maritime security law to produce original scholarship.

Research-Led Teaching

This course is framed around the research conducted by the Course Convenor in law of the sea and maritime security

Required Resources

In view of the intensive nature of the course, it is highly desirable for you to complete preliminary reading at least for the first classes. All required reading materials will be available on the course Canvas site.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• oral feedback during the Class Exercise

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Task submission times refer to Canberra time (AEST/AEDT).

Extensions, late submission and penalties: https://law.anu.edu.au/extensions-late-submission-and-penalties

Extenuating circumstances: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/extenuating-circumstances-application

Deferred examination: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/deferred-examinations

Penalties for excess word length: https://law.anu.edu.au/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties

Distribution of grades policy: https://law.anu.edu.au/grading

Assessment Reviews and Appeals: https://law.anu.edu.au/assessment-review-and-appeals

Further information about the course is available from the course Canvas page. Students are required to access the Canvas site regularly throughout the course for any announcements relating to the course.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The ANU Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as providing clear guidance on the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies.

The following resources may also be useful:

• The ANU Library's Libguide is a valuable resource for gaining a comprehensive understanding of AI's role in academia.

• The ANU Academic Skills site provides useful information to ensure that you leverage AI responsibly and effectively.

• The ANU Law School Academic Integrity and Misconduct site provides content related to legal implications, ethical guidelines, and considerations when dealing with AI in the context of law.

Use of Generative AI Tools in Assessment

All work submitted for assessment at the ANU Law School must be your own independent and original work.

This means that generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools must not be used to draft assessment content, unless explicitly instructed by the course convenor. While limited use of AI tools to support learning may be permitted, for example, to assist with expression, structure, or the refinement of ideas, AI must not be used to generate primary text, legal analysis, or substantive content.

Inappropriate use of AI may constitute a breach of the Academic Integrity Rule 2021. For law students, academic integrity breaches may have serious professional consequences, as breaches must be disclosed to the relevant admissions authority.

Students are at university to develop critical skills in legal reasoning, analysis, and written communication. This requires active engagement with assessment tasks and the drafting and refinement of one’s own work. While AI tools may assist with polishing expression or organisation, they must not replace your reasoning, judgment, or authorship.

Used appropriately, AI can be a helpful tool for editing, planning, and limited refinement. However, AI should only be applied to small portions of text. Submitting work generated in large part by AI increases the risk of poor academic outcomes and academic integrity concerns.

Where AI or other assistive technologies are used, students must comply with all disclosure requirements that are available on the course Canvas site.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Thursday, 23 April 2026 Course Intro and Admin Defining Maritime Security Law of the Sea and Maritime Security Passage rights & warships Maritime Security Legislation	This is an intensive course taught on campus over four days on 23, 24, 30 April and 1 May 2026. Due to the intensive nature of this course, and programmed class exercises, the classes will NOT be recorded. It is NOT possible to undertake this course online. Students are expected to attend all classes in-person.
2	Friday, 24 April 2026 Maritime Law Enforcement & Use of Force Maritime Security, Counter-terrorism at Sea People Smuggling and Narcotics Class Exercise 1
3	Thursday, 30 April 2026 Piracy and counter-piracy operations Military Operations: Grey Zone and Law of Naval Warfare Protection of critical undersea infrastructure Maritime claims and disputes
4	Friday, 1 May 2026 Australian Maritime Security Mechanisms Maritime Security and Islands Fisheries Regulation, Security and Enforcement Course completion; discussion of assessment tasks In Class Test	Assessment Task 1: In Class Test

Tutorial Registration

There are no tutorials in this course

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Test	30 %	01/05/2026	20/05/2026	1,3
Research Essay	70 %	02/06/2026	*	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

For all courses taught in any mode (whether face to face or online), the ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy considers participation in the classes offered to be an important part of the educational experience of the program. Students are expected to attend all classes.

If circumstances arise which are beyond a student’s control and they are unable to attend a class, the student should contact the Course Convenor in advance (where possible), so that the convenor can adjust their expectations in relation to numbers for that class. If it is not possible to give advance notice, students should send the convenor an email as soon as possible with evidence to support the reason for failure to attend. 

Examination(s)

There is no final examination for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Test

Details of Task: In class Test assessing course content covered in class on 23-24 April. The Test will take the form of a single problem-type question. Course readings and your own materials (class notes, course powerpoint slides printouts) are permitted for your use. NO electronic devices (PCs, laptops, iPads, iPhones etc) are permitted in the test venue.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to complete will result in a mark of zero for this task.

Weighting: 30%

Word Limit: As this is a written exercise there is no word limit to your answer

Release: 4:00pm, Friday, 1 May 2026

Time allocation: 15 minutes Reading time + 60 minutes Writing time

Due Date: 5:15pm, Friday, 1 May 2026

Extenuating circumstances: If you experience extenuating circumstances and cannot attempt the assessment on the due date and time, you should apply to reschedule the assessment here. The College will give you one final opportunity to complete the assessment at 4pm, Friday 15 May 2026. If you have already accessed the assessment, you will NOT be approved to reschedule and will need to complete the task by the due date. Late submission is not permitted. Time adjustments can be applied for this task but are not applied automatically. If you require a time adjustment, please apply here.

Estimated Return Date: Wednesday 20 May 2026

Assessment Criteria:

• An assessment rubric will be made available on Canvas

Assessment Task 2

Research Essay

Nature of Task: Research essay selected from one of five approved essay topics, or a student-proposed essay topic. Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to complete will result in a mark of zero for this task.

Weighting: 70%

Word Limit: 4,500 words. The ANU School of Law's Word Length and Excess Word penalties policy can be found here. Assessment must be submitted in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files will not be accepted.

Release: The topic is from one of five essay topics that will be released at the conclusion of the class and available via Canvas. Students may also seek to develop their own essay topic, which is to be approved by the Course Convenor no later than 8 May 2026.

Due Date: 5pm, Monday 2 June 2026 via Turnitin. Late submission (without an extension) is permitted, although late penalties will apply. Please be aware that if you are in your final course(s), any late submissions may delay your conferral date.

Estimated Return Date: Results for non-standard sessions will be released approximately one month from the course end date.

Assessment Criteria:

• An assessment rubric will be made available on Canvas.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. You must ensure that you upload the correct document on the specified submission due date and time. Any document modified after the due date and time will either incur a late penalty or will NOT be accepted. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education), submission must be through Turnitin in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). Electronic copies in .pdf file format are not acceptable.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.
• Late submission is not accepted for tests or examinations.
• Late submission with an extension. To ensure equity for all students, the 5% penalty per working day for late submission of work does not apply if you have been granted an extension. Where an extension is granted, the revised due date and submission time will be provided in writing. Importantly, any revised due date is inclusive of weekends and public holidays. Regardless of which day of the week the revised due date falls on, students who submit after that date will be penalised by 5% of the possible marks available for the task per 24-hour period.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

All marks and feedback will be provided by the return date listed in the class summary.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

• Maximum Submissions: Students can submit up to three times per assessment.

• Final Submission Counts: Only the last uploaded version will be marked — provided it is uploaded before marking begins.

• Late Submissions: If submitted after the due date, the final version will still be marked, but late penalties will apply (unless an extension has been approved).

• No Submissions After Return Date: Once the return-of-assessment date has passed, NO submissions will be accepted.

• Marking Already Started: If a marker has already begun marking a version, that version will be the one assessed — even if a newer one is uploaded later.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students