Maritime businesses must ‘reverse-engineer’ a future of clean fuel and electric, autonomous ships if they are to thrive.
That is the message from Ben Pinnington, author of a new book on public relations in the maritime industry.
Making Waves: PR strategies to transform your maritime business is released this week – published by Rethink Press – and features insight from leading maritime industry figures, maritime journalists as well as PR thought leaders.
A fifth of profits will go to Liverpool Seafarers Centre and the Battle of the Atlantic Memorial.
Pinnington, managing director of Merseyside and Manchester public relations firm Polaris Media, said Making Waves is drawn from over 20 years working in the media as a reporter and PR, with 12 years in maritime.
He said it features ‘how to’ chapters on brand, media relations, crisis, social media, strategy and evaluation.
“The maritime industry has some of the greatest stories to tell of any sector in the world and is fundamental to global trade,” he said.
“However, maritime can be a conservative industry and does not always communicate well with the media or embrace change.
“The reality is that too many maritime companies are trapped reengineering the past of diesel ships when they could be reverse engineering the future of clean fuel, electric and autonomous ships.
“These businesses risk being left behind unless they show they are in tune with the future in their operations and PR.
“Those that do will reap huge rewards as decarbonisation in the maritime industry is valued at between £1.4 trillion and $1.9tr.”
Mandy Pearse, President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, said: “Making Waves provides real insight into the maritime industry in a time of change and the strategic value of public relations in supporting its work.
“What comes through clearly is the necessity for theory and professional practice to be matched with insight and knowledge of the sector.
“This book is a call to action to business leaders to put strategic public relations at the heart of their operations and for practitioners to become the trusted advisors those leaders need.”
Lucy McCarraher, founder of Rethink Press, said: “Rethink Press is delighted to be publishing Ben Pinnington’s book that will be hugely valuable to the maritime industry.
“We publish the books of entrepreneurs, and the maritime industry is a new market for us. We believe that Making Waves will really open the eyes of many businesses to the opportunities of positioning and presenting themselves in a dynamic and positive way.”
Making Waves: PR strategies to transform your maritime business is out now in paperback and Kindle. It will be published later in the summer in audio book and hardback.
For further details, email: [email protected]