It is our pleasure to send you the Risk Intelligence newsletter. We have taken a number of important steps during the past months. One of the most important was the launch of the Advisory Board 11 June.

You can read more about the board and other news from us in the below newsletter.

Risk Intelligence is joined by six experienced leaders in the maritime industry, who will serve as the company’s board of advisors. The board is led by the former fleet commander of the Royal Navy, Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent. The board held its first meeting in London on 11 June 2013.

“The six members bring a staggering amount of experience into the board, from navies, shipping companies, offshore, oil and gas, and classification societies. We are very grateful that they have accepted to join us”, says Hans Tino Hansen, CEO of Risk Intelligence.

Risk Intelligence has set up the advisory board to strengthen the strategic outlook and develop the company.

“This is a great opportunity to strengthen the strategic development of Risk Intelligence. This advisory board brings together fresh input and senior cross-sector experience. We are all very pleased with the contribution of the board that has been assembled”, says Sir James Burnell-Nugent.

The board consists of the following members:

• Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, former Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Royal Navy - Chairman
• Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, (Rtd), US Navy, former Commander NAVCENT
• Rear Admiral Torben Orting Jorgensen, (Rtd) , Royal Danish Navy, General Manager, Maersk Broker
• Rear Admiral Pieter Kok, (Rtd), former commander Dutch Surface Fleet, Royal Netherlands Navy
• Captain (N) Thomas Weik, (Rtd), US Navy, former Senior Surveyor, Det Norske Veritas (DNV)
• Captain David Cotterell, Managing Director, OCIMF

Member bios as well as pictures can be found here.

Risk Intelligence has carried out 70 assessments of Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) since 2010, which included desk-top assessments, office and ship-board audits. 

21 assessments have so far been carried out in 2013. Of the 19 PMSCs that were inspected this year, 11 were assessed as suitable for employment on client ships. The on-going consolidation of the PMSC market and the pressure on prices is bringing new challenges for quality and quality control, as cost cutting is beginning to have an impact on personnel, training and equipment. Furthermore, many PMSCs are exploring business opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea, but only 21 foreign companies have signed the requisite Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Navy in order to operate legally. Risk Intelligence assistance in performing due diligence on, and in ensuring performance of, PMSCs is only available existing customers. Contact us to learn more.

The UK MTO reporting area and MSC HOA high risk area has been added to MaRisk. These areas are overlapping with the Joint War Committee area and the MaRisk High Risk Area. MaRisk users can enable the areas by clicking “settings” and choosing “overlays”. Log in here.

The latest issue of Strategic Insights, SI 46, has just been released and continues to feature timely and relevant analysis of maritime security concerns. The focus of this issue is global and includes articles on the history and future of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, US naval strategy and non-traditional security threats, and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. The issue concludes with articles on threats to commercial operations on and around the Korean Peninsula, as well as an overview of the current status of select ports in Somalia. For more details, please visit StrategicInsights.eu. 

In the beginning of the year, we sent out a customer survey. Our intention was to get a deeper understanding of our clients’ needs and requirements in order to get a sound basis for decision-making on existing and future products.

We are very satisfied with the feedback and the immediate effects are that we will develop a MaRisk app for smartphones and tablets and develop a new report on hijackings in West Africa.

More than 88% of respondents have answered positively to being satisfied with our services, which is a fantastic result. The response rate was almost 50%; 30% higher than the average feedback rate on web surveys.

The general survey and the individual feedback have provided us with valuable information in order to adapt our products and services to fit current and future needs. Further, we are better suited to develop tailored services in direct cooperation with end users. We would like to thank everyone who took time to participate in the survey.