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Masters · 1500 h · 11 modules
Master's in Coastal and Port Infrastructure Resilience
The Master's in Coastal and Port Infrastructure Resilience Prepares you to assess and strengthen the resilience of ports and coastal infrastructure against storms, flooding and sea level rise. You will study climate risk analysis,
Duration1500 h
FormatOnline
Starts16 November
Places20 / 20
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Programme overview
What is the Master’s in Coastal and Port Infrastructure Resilience?
The Master's in Coastal and Port Infrastructure Resilience
Prepares you to assess and strengthen the resilience of ports and coastal infrastructure against storms, flooding and sea level rise. You will study climate risk analysis, maritime engineering, adaptive design, hybrid and nature-based solutions and port business continuity, and learn to turn technical knowledge into investment and adaptation plans that stand up to scrutiny from port authorities, public bodies and insurers.
Key advantages
- A risk-based view: Hazard, exposure and vulnerability applied to ports and coasts.
- Applied engineering: Breakwaters, quays, drainage and coastal defences designed for adaptation.
- Data and scenarios: Working with climate projections and open oceanographic data.
- Port management: Business continuity, operations and risk governance.
- Your own project: A resilience plan for a real port or stretch of coast.
Programme type
Master's Degree
Study mode
Online
Duration
1,500 hours
Modules
11
Programme highlights
- Assess risk: Analyse climate and storm risk for ports and coasts.
- Design adaptation: Apply adaptive design and adaptation pathways over the long term.
- Combine solutions: Integrate grey, green and hybrid works.
- Keep operations running: Prepare port continuity plans.
- Boost your career: Open doors to port authorities, engineering firms, consultancies and insurers.
- Train to protect the infrastructure that trade and coastal life depend on in a changing climate.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 11 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Coastal and Port Infrastructure in a Changing Climate
- Types of coastal infrastructure
- Functions of the modern port
- Interdependencies between infrastructure
- The concept of resilience
- Evidence of climate change at the coast
- Analysing recent extreme events
- International disaster risk reduction frameworks
- Port sector adaptation initiatives
- Stakeholders and responsibilities
- Challenges for the next decade
02
Coastal Dynamics and Metocean Conditions
- Waves and nearshore propagation
- Astronomical tides
- Storm surges
- Total water level and extremes
- Sediment transport
- Beach morphodynamics
- Erosion and accretion
- Extreme value analysis
- Databases and reanalyses
- Metocean conditions in design
03
Sea Level Rise and Climate Scenarios
- Causes of sea level rise
- IPCC projections
- Regional variation and subsidence
- High-impact scenarios
- Changes in waves and storminess
- Deep uncertainty
- Design horizons
- Copernicus climate services
- Downscaling for local studies
- Communicating scenarios to decision-makers
04
Risk and Vulnerability Analysis
- Hazard, exposure and vulnerability
- Port asset inventories
- Damage curves
- Coastal flood modelling
- Overtopping of maritime structures
- Risk to operations and equipment
- Cascading risks
- Risk mapping
- Resilience indicators
- Port vulnerability assessment
05
Maritime Engineering for Resilience
- Rubble mound breakwaters
- Vertical and composite breakwaters
- Quays and jetties
- Failure modes of maritime structures
- Raising and strengthening breakwaters
- Overtopping and armour stability
- Foundations and scour
- Material durability
- Physical model testing
- Design guidance and recommendations
06
Adaptive Design and Adaptation Pathways
- Principles of adaptive design
- Dynamic adaptive pathways
- Adaptation tipping points
- Phased design
- Expandable infrastructure
- Managed realignment
- Accommodation and protection
- Monitoring and decision triggers
- Managing uncertainty
- Adaptive planning case studies
07
Nature-Based and Hybrid Solutions
- Dunes and beaches as defences
- Saltmarshes and mangroves
- Natural and artificial reefs
- Seagrass meadows
- Living breakwaters
- Hybrid grey-green solutions
- Ecological design of infrastructure
- Biodiversity co-benefits
- Limitations and risks
- Monitoring effectiveness
08
Drainage, Flooding and Critical Services
- Port and urban drainage
- Compound flooding from rain and sea
- Power and electricity supply
- Communications networks
- Road and rail access
- Dangerous goods storage
- Protecting equipment and cranes
- Critical buildings and facilities
- Early warning systems
- Single points of failure
09
Business Continuity and Emergency Management
- Business continuity management
- Port emergency plans
- Storm protocols
- Coordination with authorities
- Crisis communication
- Post-event recovery
- Resilient supply chains
- Cyber resilience of port systems
- Drills and exercises
- Lessons learned
10
Governance, Finance and Decision-Making
- Coastal risk governance
- Regulatory and planning frameworks
- Climate risk disclosure
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Multi-criteria analysis
- Decision-making under uncertainty
- Insurance and risk transfer
- Public adaptation funding
- Stakeholder engagement
- Monitoring indicators
11
Master's Final Project: Coastal or Port Resilience Plan
- Choosing the port or stretch of coast
- Characterising metocean conditions
- Inventory of assets and functions
- Design climate scenarios
- Risk analysis
- Identifying measures
- Adaptation pathways
- Business continuity plan
- Economic appraisal
- Dissertation and defence before a panel
Workload
Study Time and Workload
1500 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Civil, coastal and port engineers: who want to specialise in adaptation and risk Port authority and terminal staff: who manage infrastructure and operations Coastal management professionals: who plan coastal defence Risk and sustainability consultants: producing vulnerability assessments Insurance and investment professionals: who value climate-exposed assets
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Understand coastal hazards
- 02Assess vulnerability
- 03Apply climate scenarios
- 04Design adaptation measures
- 05Plan for continuity
- 06Prioritise investment
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Port resilience engineer: Adaptation plans for port authorities and terminals.
02Coastal climate risk consultant: Vulnerability studies for public bodies and companies.
03Maritime structures engineer: Strengthening and adapting breakwaters and quays.
04Emergency management officer: Continuity and storm response plans.
05Insurance and investment risk analyst: Valuing exposed coastal assets.
06Coastal planning officer: Adaptation strategies in public administration.
Questions
Entry Requirements
Both. You work with ports, coastal defences and urban waterfronts, with particular attention to port operations.
Yes. You work with IPCC scenarios and open data from services such as Copernicus.
It helps but is not essential. The programme covers the fundamentals of coastal dynamics and maritime engineering.
No. It is a specialist qualification and does not replace the accredited degrees or chartered status required for that responsibility.
A resilience plan for a real port or stretch of coast, with risk analysis, measures and an economic appraisal.
100% online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded, and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The programme involves 1500 hours of study. You can work at your own pace within the timetable we give you when you enrol.
Each programme has its own start date, shown on this page and confirmed by our admissions team when you enquire.
On completing the programme you receive the Master's in Coastal and Port Infrastructure Resilience qualification awarded by Navalis Magna Institute.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
Academic/professional profile: A degree in civil, coastal or naval engineering, marine science, environmental science, geography or a related field; or proven professional experience in ports or coastal management. Language: A good working level of English to follow classes and materials. Technical requirements: A computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a webcam for live sessions and project presentations. Admissions process: Online application, profile review and a short interview with the academic team. We confirm your start date when you enquire.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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