The Role of Marketing in the Shipping Industry in Case of Accidents

For the purposes of this research paper, a marine accident was assessed, in order to find out the degree of the impact such an accident had in the neighboring affected states and the surrounding environment. It was found that the accident of the tanker, due to the insignificant environmental damages it caused, had a very small impact in international and local legislation or procedure scheduling regarding such accidents. However, examining it from a different perspective, the role of the shipping company, especially nowadays with the legislative framework regarding maritime incidents and oil spills, is of paramount importance marketing wise. The company’s approach and actions before and after an accident are linked sometimes to her very existence, i.e., maintaining fame to clients (charterers) and coastal states and port state control. Through this cross evaluation of what was actually done and what should have been done, had this accident occurred nowadays, in a marketing oriented scope, suggestions are made for the specific accident, as well as marine accidents in general with respect to the company’s approach and actions in order to preserve its ‘brand name’ in the shipping industry.