The new media
Members will no doubt have followed the dramatic rise of social media, linked to the development of ever more powerful smart phones and other such devices.
Combined, this has led to a situation where any incident or accident can become instant news and shipping accidents in particular capture the public imagination as well as the attention of the news media across the globe.
While the technology and the media can be very useful, they also represent significant challenges if misunderstood or mishandled.
Reputational management is important for anyone involved in the shipping industry, whether it concerns the normal matter of a company's general reputation or its involvement in case of a major incident.
In the attached briefing note, Edward Ion of Helix Media explores some of the issues and pitfalls of the new media and the steps companies can take to manage the process.
Loss prevention advice
The Association would always recommend that members make immediate contact should any significant incident, accident or casualty occur.
This is not only to ensure that the necessary technical and legal assistance can be rendered without delay, but also so that appropriate advice can be given to the member on how best to manage the developing situation.
Members should consider including a media policy in both their regular employee manual as well as their emergency response plan, and to have a designated company spokesperson who can respond officially to enquiries from the media. Such person would benefit from training in this field to ensure they are prepared to deal with the situation as it may develop.
The Association is grateful to Edward Ion of Helix Media Pte Ltd for contributing to this update.