BLUE Communications 3rd Floor, Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Oxford, UK, OX2 7DE. +44 (0) 1865 514 214 | info@blue-comms.com | blue-comms.com

United Kingdom Hydrographic Office

Delivering Global PR Support for the UKHO as it

helps the world’s fleet to navigate the globe

BACKGROUND

BLUE provides global PR and communications support to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. For over 200 years, the UKHO has provided nautical charts to the majority of the worldʼs commercial fleet. Today, it continues to be an active leader in setting the global standard for navigational data, with its paper and digital charts used by most international commercial shipping vessels.

OBJECTIVES

BLUE has responsibility for promoting the UK Hydrographic Officeʼs global brand and its ADMIRALTY range of products and services. As the maritime industry increasingly embraces digital navigation, one of BLUEʼs key challenges is to promote the UKHOʼs industry-leading digital navigation solutions and services.

APPROACH

BLUEʼs approach is driven by importance of reinforcing the UKHOʼs reputation as an industry-leading expert on maritime navigation, including the challenges of the transition to digital navigation and the continued value of paper charts.

Working with the UKHO marketing team, BLUE provides PR and communications support across multiple channels, including the global maritime media and online platforms. BLUE also supports the UKHOʼs programme of industry workshops, briefings and initiatives, as it helps ship owners and operators to understand their obligations under the revised SOLAS regulations and to prepare properly for the ECDIS carriage requirements.

BLUE utilised its in-depth knowledge of the maritime industry to ensure that the right communications channels were used to engage with the right audience, whether it is fleet managers, superintendents and board-level decision makers within shipping companies, industry advisors and regulators, UKHOʼs distributor network or the mariners serving at sea that use UKHOʼs charts every day. These channels have included a detailed social and digital media campaign.

RESULTS

BLUE is delivering a highly strategic, targeted and impactful PR programme for the UKHO that is achieving tremendous success in conveying its key messages to leading maritime industry audiences around the world, including its customers and end-users; the bridge officers navigating the global fleet.

BLUE Communications 3rd Floor, Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Oxford, UK, OX2 7DE. +44 (0) 1865 514 214 | info@blue-comms.com | blue-comms.com

By positioning the UKHO as a trusted industry leader and a leading partner in the global hydrographic community, BLUEʼs strategic approach has helped to protect and strengthen the UKHOʼs reputation, whilst also promoting its ADMIRALTY navigational products and services. Our multi-channel approach has secured high profile coverage for the UKHO in the leading maritime media, created insightful, trusted guidance from UKHO on the major industry issues of the day and delivered a truly engaging social and digital media presence.