Stories by Princewill Ekwujuru

Caritas PR (Nigeria) and Ship to Shore of Italy have joined the fold of Navigate Response, a global crisis communications network aimed at strengthening coverage in the key maritime hotspots of West Africa and the Mediterranean.

This is necessitated by the continued pirate activities in West Africa which has repeatedly drawn international media attention and presented significant local changes for shipping companies. In joining the network, Chief Executive Officer, Caritas Communications, Adedayo Ojo said: “To further strengthen the support available to our clients, Navigate Response is proud to be partnering  Caritas.”

He stated: “This is a great opportunity for us, and for Navigate Response, West Africa and especially the Gulf of Guinea – has seen more than its fair share of maritime incidents in recent years, not least with the rise in offshore piracy. Caritas can assist Navigate’s clients who may be dealing with West Africa’s fragmented and often government-influenced media to help ensure accuracy and to protect the client’s licence to operate within the region.”

In addition, Riccardo Masnata, Contributor for Ship to Shore magazine said: “I am delighted to be part of Navigate’s global network. I believe partnership is paramount in any crisis, when maritime stakeholders and media relations need to be managed. The initial response is critical and both the cultural and communications terrain require careful regional navigation.”

Responding, Chief Operations Officer at Navigate Response, Dustin Eno said: “We are delighted to bring more communications specialists into our global response network. The teams add both crisis management expertise and vital knowledge of regional media landscapes. Our network of 42 offices in 28 countries provides our clients with unrivalled access to local experts backed up by the global experience necessary to respond effectively to any maritime incident.”