Date of Award
2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Affairs
Department
Marine Affairs
First Advisor
Austin Becker
Abstract
This dissertation investigates the critical issue of seaport resilience, focusing on the gaps in resilience planning and the role of incentives in motivating resilience investment. The research arc addresses the question: What incentivizes seaports to increase natural hazard resilience (NHR)? It is organized into three interconnected manuscripts, each examining distinct aspects of the problem.
The first manuscript critically examines the resilience planning approaches of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as outlined in their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), highlighting the limited consideration of seaports despite their critical role in economic and social connectivity. SIDS offer critical insight into seaport resilience due to their disproportionate reliance on port infrastructure and heightened exposure to climate-related hazards. Through a realist review of NAPs submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the study identifies a disconnect between stated resilience objectives and identified actionable seaport strategies. The findings reveal that while SIDS recognize the importance of NHR, they lack funding and technical capacity for enhancing seaport resilience.
The second manuscript explores the incentives driving seaport resilience planning in the United States, using a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative interviews with 24 key informants across 14 major U.S. seaports. The analysis builds a framework for understanding seaport NHR by categorizing incentives into six types, consisting of Economic Incentives (EI) and Command and Control (CAC). The findings demonstrate that business-oriented incentives are the most effective in motivating resilience actions, while ethical and regulatory incentives are less influential. The study presents a novel framework for understanding how incentives influence decision-making in natural hazard resilience for ports.
The third manuscript applies this framework to the Port of Providence, Rhode Island, conducting a case study with mixed-methods qualitative approaches that examine how the port navigates NHR. The study reveals that the Port of Providence prioritizes business-oriented incentives and ethical considerations - with participant observation, document review, and interviews suggesting resilience investments are essential for maintaining port business viability.
Collectively, this dissertation advances the understanding of seaport resilience by bridging policy analysis, stakeholder perspectives, and applied science. It offers actionable insights for policymakers, port operators, and resilience planners, emphasizing the importance of aligning incentives with local priorities and capacities.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Fusco, Rosemarie, "CONFRONTING THE SEAPORT RESILIENCE GAP: INCENTIVES, FRAMEWORKS, AND CASE STUDIES FOR ENHANCING RESILIENCE TO NATURAL HAZARDS IN PORT PLANNING AND POLICY" (2025). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 4493.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/4493