Dryad Maritime calls for overhaul of maritime intelligence industry during London International Shipping Week

Dryad Maritime urges the maritime industry to develop a Standardisation Agreement (STANAG) setting minimum standards for the production of intelligence.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, September 14, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As it relaunches to mark its 10 year anniversary Dryad Maritime is calling on the maritime industry to develop a Standardisation Agreement (STANAG) setting minimum standards for the production of intelligence.

The threat is changing. Ship owners and operators no longer simply face a sporadic pirate threat in the Indian Ocean but are routinely deploying armed security teams to counter the threat of Water Bourne IED in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. Without up to-date practical research and development supported by the expert collation of intelligence the industry will be blindsided by asymmetric threats at sea.

Already through Dryad’s research and development program to generate and test threat intelligence, it has been established that the most commonly deployed weapon used by security teams are ineffective when used as disabling fire against an outboard engine at 100 metres. Further, the lack of clues to a potential threat (combat indicators) means that the distance at which vessels are engaged with an adequate case for self defence is usually sub optimal. 

Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, Chief Executive Officer, Dryad Maritime:

“Intelligence is usually bought either for situational awareness or as the background upon which a risk assessment is conducted. All too frequently, 'intelligence' is restricted to a list or narrative of geopolitical events. However, the scope of intelligence is much wider than this. Intelligence should look at the events in the context of the capabilities and limitations of the threat to provide the reader with an understanding of the meaning of events and predictions about the most likely outcomes. Without this methodology or understanding of the threat, intelligence is impotent and the risk assessment is based on incomplete information”.

The STANAG proposed by Dryad Maritime will be used by the consumer to form the basis of a due diligence check. The standard will be complied on a voluntary basis by companies producing intelligence, risk assessments and tracking products and services. 

The STANAG will be based on:

Source Management - Minimum numbers of sources scored on credibility and reliability.

Latency - Standardised intelligence compilation process to prevent use of stale data in risk assessments. 

Qualification- Competence framework to accredit intelligence analysts and those responsible for authorising risk assessment.

Currently, intelligence providers can use the least reliable information and use wholly unqualified analysts. Commercial intelligence providers are unregulated and there are no industry standards or due diligence checks in place. Dryad Maritime is leading the way by establishing industry standards and urges the sector to align so as to provide assured quality.

Notes to editors:

1. The establishment of an industry working group to develop a STANAG comes as Dryad relaunches after a decade at the cutting edge of commercial maritime intelligence. Their core offer centres on Intelligence, Risk assessment, Watchkeeping and Maritime Security Management.

Jess Furness
Dryad Maritime
07734695554
email us here

Dryad Maritime urges industry to reform and standardise maritime intelligence industry