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Delivering global PR and communications and brand research services for the UK Hydrographic Office 

Working with the UKHO for over a decade, supporting the digital transition for maritime navigation and keeping the global fleet safe at sea.

The Impact

  • 10 years of corporate communications and media relations support
  • Strategic comms support and counsel through shipping’s digital navigation transition
  • Building and protecting the world-leading reputations of the UKHO and its ADMIRALTY portfolio

UKHO

BLUE provides global PR, media relations, brand research and corporate communications support to the UK Hydrographic Office, a UK government agency and world-leading centre for hydrography. For 225 years, the UKHO has provided its ADMIRALTY nautical charts and navigation solutions to most of the world’s internationally trading fleet, supporting safety at sea and protecting the marine environment. Today, UKHO is leading the way in developing the next generation of digital navigation solutions. 

The Challenge

BLUE began working with the UKHO at the start of an era-defining transformation for the global commercial fleet, as it transitioned from navigating on paper charts to digital navigation solutions. BLUE worked with UKHO at every stage of the ‘ECDIS transition’ as shipowners swapped their paper charts for electronic charts, in line with the IMO mandated timetable. This posed a significant challenge in raising awareness of the benefits of digital navigation among UKHO’s end-users and the most effective way to make this switch in a smooth, safe manner. Today, we support UKHO as they bridge to the next generation of digital navigation solutions, powered by the latest advances in data science, machine learning and digital technologies.  

Our Impact

UKHO has played a critical role in guiding the shipping community through a decade of transition into a new era of digital-first maritime navigation and BLUE is proud of our contribution. Working hand-in-hand with the UKHO marketing communications team, we have delivered strategic, targeted and impactful PR programmes across multiple channels that have conveying UKHO’s key messages to maritime audiences around the world. 

By reinforcing UKHO’s position as a trusted industry leader and a leading partner in the global hydrographic community, BLUE’s strategic approach has also helped to protect and strengthen the UKHO’s reputation, whilst also promoting its ADMIRALTY navigational solutions. 

Our Approach

BLUE’s approach is driven by importance of reinforcing the UKHO’s brand positioning and reputation as a trusted industry leader on maritime navigation that the shipping industry looks to for insight, expertise and guidance, whilst evolving to remain relevant and engaged to the issues and challenges faced by end-users. 

Working with the UKHO marketing team, BLUE provides PR and communications support across multiple channels, including the global maritime media, UKHO’s owned platforms and social and digital content. BLUE has supported the UKHO’s programme of industry workshops, briefings and initiatives, as well as external speaking and industry engagement opportunities. We have also supported with corporate communications requirements, including speech writing, presentations and content for corporate publications, alongside brand discovery research to provide stakeholder insights into brand perception.

Throughout our decade-long relationship with the UKHO, we have drawn upon our in-depth knowledge of the shipping 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, or the seafarers that use UKHO’s navigation solutions every day.  We have also provided counsel to UKHO as it engages with the contemporary challenges faced by the shipping industry and showcases the role that navigation solutions can play; from tackling the scourge of modern piracy, through to protecting the marine environment and supporting decarbonisation. 

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