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2025/2026  DIP-DMARO2402U  International Shipping Governance

English Title
International Shipping Governance

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Graduate Diploma
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (part 2)
Programme Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Part 2)
Course coordinator
  • Andreas Wieland - Department of Operations Management (OM)
  • René Taudal Poulsen - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
- Study administration for HD MAR, please contact: HD2MARITIME@cbs.dk
Main academic disciplines
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Management
  • Political Science
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 26-11-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students shall be able to:
  • Analyze how international shipping is governed and apply governance theories.
  • Discuss how governance processes influence international shipping and shipping company performance.
  • Discuss how international shipping governance can make shipping more efficient, greener, safer or a more attractive place to work.
  • Formulate an action plan that enable shipping company managers to respond effectively to governance processes and improve company performance.
Examination
International Shipping Governance:
Exam ECTS 5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment An assigned subject is released in class
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Summer, For information relating to the exam please go to: https://eksamen.cbs.dk/ (Digital Exam)
Exam dates: written assignment hand in: 27.04.2026
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
For information relating to the exam please go to: https://eksamen.cbs.dk/ (Digital Exam)
Exam dates: written assignment hand in: 09.06.206

- If an individual student fails the exam, he/she will receive feedback from the supervisor before submitting a revised exam paper for the re-exam.
Description of the exam procedure

Each student shall write a 10 pages home exam assignment, in which they analyze current processes in international shipping governance and formulate an action plan for a company. The action plan shall outline how a case company can respond effectively to international shipping governance processes and become more efficient, competitive, greener, safer or a more attractive place to work. The students are free to choose topic, governance domain, and case company, but they should leverage course literature directly in their action plans. They will be graded on the 7-point grading scale.

 

NO use of AI is allowed for the exam in International Shipping Governance.

 
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

International Shipping Governance explores how international shipping is governed and how governance affects shipping companies and their performance. The course asks how shipping can become more efficient, competitive, greener, safer and a more attractive place to work. It trains students in applying governance theories to the study of international shipping and helps them to respond effectively and efficiently to international governance processes.

 

The course focuses on the main governance domains of international competition, environmental protection, maritime safety, and labour protection. It studies both public and private governance actors (including flag and port states, the IMO, the EU, classification societies, cargo-owners, financiers, and multi-stakeholder initiatives), and the main processes for shipping governance (including policy-making, implementation, compliance, and enforcement processes).

 

The course gives students analytical tools to study governance processes and provides them with concrete inputs on how shipping managers can navigate such processes. It enables them to formulate action plans for shipping companies to respond effectively to governance processes and improve company performance.

The course covers four main topics:

 

1. Governance actors

  • International governance theories
  • Public and private governance actors

 

2. Governance modes

  • Hierachical governance
  • Market governance
  • Network governance

 

3. Governance domains

  • International competition
  • Environmental protection
  • Labour protection
  • Maritime safety

 

4. Governance outcomes

  • Governance and shipping company performance
  • Governance action plans for shipping companies
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • Teacher’s own research
Research-like activities
  • Development of research questions
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Peer review including Peer-to-peer
Description of the teaching methods
The teaching format is a combination of on-campus and online.
All teaching will be recorded. On-campus teaching with student group work.
Feedback during the teaching period
Students will get feedback from the teacher as well as from fellow students on two group assignments during the semester.

Optional assignment 1
Students are encouraged to form groups of 2-3 members. Each group shall record a video, in which they analyze a current topic in international shipping governance and discuss how it affects shipping companies and their performance. In the video, students shall apply governance theories from the course, and they are free to choose the governance domain. They shall share their videos and the associated slides with their fellow students over the course’s Canvas page.

Optional assignment 2
Each group of students are encouraged to provide written feedback for at least one group video presentation over Canvas.

The teacher will give students both written and oral feedback to their videos as well as their student feedback.
Student workload
Preparations 45 hours
Lectures 32 hours
Exam 60 hours
Further Information

The course consists of a total of 24 lessons (5 ECTS).

For information relating to the course please go to: canvas.cbs.dk

The course will be offered in Spring 2026:

 

Online: Monday in week 9,12 (17.10 -19.45)

Online: Wednesday in week 9,10,11,13 (17.10-19.45)

On-campus: Saturday in week 13 (09.50-16.05)


 

Course Coordinator: René Taudal Poulsen rtp.msc@cbs.dk  - Department of Management, Society and Communication

The teachers:
René Taudal Poulsen, rtp.msc@cbs.dk
Hannah Elliott, hel.msc@cbs.dk 


Programme Administrator: Gitte Østergaard, Goe.om@cbs.dk
Expected literature

Bach, H., & Hansen, T. (2023). IMO off Course for Decarbonisation of Shipping? Three Challenges for Stricter Policy. Marine Policy, 147, 105379.

 

Barnett, M., & Duvall, R. (2005). Power in International Politics. International Organization, 59(1), 39-75.

 

Barnett, M. N., Pevehouse, J. C., & Raustiala, K. (2021). Introduction: The Modes of Global Governance. In Barnett, M. N., Pevehouse, J. C., & Raustiala, K. (eds.), Global Governance in a World of Change, Cambridge University Press, 1-47.  

 

Bhattacharya, S. (2012). The Effectiveness of the ISM Code: A Qualitative Enquiry. Marine Policy, 36(2), 528-535

 

Bloor, M., Sampson, H., Baker, S., Walters, D., Dahlgren, K., Wadsworth, E., & James, P. (2013). Room for Manoeuvre? Regulatory Compliance in the Global Shipping Industry. Social & Legal Studies, 22(2), 171-189.

 

Campling, L., & Colás, A. (2023). Maritime Labour Regimes in the Neoliberal Era. Development, 66(1), 65-75

 

Cariou, P., Mejia Jr, M.Q., & Wolff, F.C. (2008). On the Effectiveness of Port State Control Inspections. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 44(3), 491-503.

 

DeSombre, E. R. (2008). Globalization, Competition, and Convergence: Shipping and the Race to the Middle. Global Governance, 14, 179.

 

Fricaudet, M., Parker, S., & Rehmatulla, N. (2023). "Exploring Financiers’ Beliefs and Behaviours at the Outset of Low-Carbon Transitions: A Shipping Case Study." Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions 49 (2023): 100788

 

Gould, A. (2023). The Customer is Always Right? Flags of Convenience and the Assembling of Maritime Affairs. International Relations, 00471178231211509

 

Hessevik, A. (2022). Network‐led Advocacy for a Green Shipping Transformation: A Case Study of Governance Networks in the Norwegian Maritime Sector. Regulation & Governance, 16(4), 1101-1118

 

Lister, J., Poulsen, R.T., and Ponte, S. (2015). Orchestrating Environmental Governance in Maritime Shipping, Global Environmental Change 34 (September), 185-195.

 

Österman, C., & Hult, C. (2016). Administrative Burdens and Over-Exertion in Swedish Short Sea Shipping. Maritime Policy & Management, 43(5), 569-579.

 

Sampson, H. (2022). ‘Beyond the State’: The Limits of International Regulation and the Example of Abandoned Seafarers. Marine Policy, 140, 105046.

 

Sampson, H., & Bloor, M. (2007). When Jack Gets out of The Box: The Problems of Regulating a Global Industry. Sociology, 41(3), 551-569.

 

Yan, R., Wang, S., & Peng, C. (2022). Ship Selection in Port State Control: Status and Perspectives. Maritime Policy & Management, 49(4), 600-615.
Last updated on 26-11-2025