DNK (a partner of the Atlantic Council’s Maritime Threats initiative that I lead) has long insured merchant ships against serious risks, and in today’s geopolitical climate, such risks are growing – fast. This means that the company must always know exactly what is happening in every corner of the shipping industry.
“Intelligence is knowledge-based predictions derived from proven data and tailored to support decision-making. It’s different from the news,” said Freddy Furulund, who heads the intelligence and operations center.
“In order to make these kinds of predictions, you not only have to accurately describe what has happened, but you also have to put it into context and describe the implications for future voyages to the shipowner. We get data that points in different directions, we check it, we contextualize it and most importantly, we evaluate what it refers to.”
Some of the information comes from open sources, some from satellites and other technical means, and some from human sources. It’s all collected legally, and it all helps shipowners decide where to send their ships. – Intelligence service providers are often seen as bringing bad news, Furulund pointed out. “We inform our customers about dangerous situations in the coming days, but we also tell them about opportunities”, which may include, for example, small changes to the ship’s route or placing armed guards on board.
The intelligence and operations center, which is staffed by former military and intelligence professionals, has been operating since 2016, but the heightened political tensions in the last couple of years have made it positively necessary for both DNK and its customers. “Historically, the war risk insurance market claimed that war risks hit the insured randomly – which meant that loss prevention measures, such as analyzing the intentions and capabilities of threat actors, were not practiced,” explains DNK director Svein Ringbakken. manager. But that has changed dramatically.
It’s not just that the Houthis systematically attack ships connected to the West; they also have far better weapons than pirates ever did – and similar militias may start attacking merchant ships elsewhere as well. In fact, some countries around the world seem to have chosen to ignore global maritime regulations. And this makes it imperative for ship owners and insurers – not to mention crews – to understand where an accident can strike.