Piracy’s impact on global terrorism
Global terrorism’s primary goal has always been to establish terror and insecurity. Whether ideological, individual, or state-sponsored, perpetrators seek to cause fear by making seemingly secure places unsafe. Causing the same amount of fear in the middle of the ocean is not as easy as it can be in major urban centres like Paris, London […]
Five reasons crisis communications fail
Communicating in a crisis is complex. There are a huge number of moving parts all of which can derail a plan and many of which are unknown. However, despite the challenges, even the worst cases can usually have successful outcomes if the appropriate skills, planning and processes are in place in advance and mobilised effectively. […]
Meeting response plan timeframes
Meeting regulatory compliance timeframes for vessels calling at ports in the United States has been an ongoing challenge for vessel owner/operators in recent years. The United States Coast Guard (USCG) requires up to 60 days to review and approve new Vessel Response Plans (VRPs) and up to 30 days to approve updates to existing plans. […]
Medals – and gold-standard messages
After a turbulent year of interrupted and innovative training plans, you couldn’t help but cheer the successes in this summer’s Tokyo Olympic games. The pursuit of excellence raises hopes and spirits as well as the bar, and not least in such extraordinary times. What is also notable is the way athletes, just moments after victory […]
In a crisis – call first
Our response team is often asked: “What is the best, most secure way of communicating with customers and colleagues during a crisis situation?” Our reaction to this question is always the same: telephone is the best way to communicate immediately with colleagues and emergency response teams when a crisis situation develops. The need for human […]
Dealing with internet trolls during a crisis
The Information Age is upon us, like it or not. That explains why many organisations, big or small, have chosen to jump on the digital bandwagon and embrace the good, the bad and the ugly that come with it. Through digital engagement, organisations hope to reach out to a wider audience, build brand equity, and […]
Newsletter August 2021
In this edition we emphasise the importance of a phone call in a crisis. We see how internet trolls add to the chaos in a crisis and how to avoid this. We look at how digital vessel response plans get operators ahead in the US. When it comes to the media interviews, why not make […]
My pandemic crisis comms predictions – Was I right?
A year ago, as I, along with much of the world, transitioned to working from home I spoke on several webinars about how the pandemic would impact maritime crisis communications, social media use and the media in general. While I always tell people in media training “don’t make predictions, talk only about what you know” […]
What are we trying to say?
No sooner than the massive container vessel Ever Given had been blown at an angle blocking the Suez Canal, were we informed by sub-editors adding their clear descriptive comparisons. A ship the size of the Empire State Building on its side; vessel’s length about the height of the Eifel Tower; longer than four football pitches… […]
Microsites: the whys and wherefores
Microsites are an increasingly discussed tool as a means of communication during a crisis. Microsites are an important tool, but they are often overused. So, here’s a look at when and how you might deploy a microsite to assist in your communications response to an incident – and when you might decide to stick with […]