Graeme Gibbon Brooks News

Dryad Maritime is calling on the maritime industry to develop a Standardisation Agreement (STANAG) setting minimum standards for the production of intelligence. "The threat is changing. Ship owners and operators no longer simply face a sporadic pirate threat in the Indian Ocean but are routinely deploying armed security teams to counter the threat of Water Bourne IED in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa," it said in a statement. Without up to-date practical research and development supported by the expert collation of intelligence the industry will be blindsided by asymmetric threats at sea.

Somali pirates are suspected of hijacking a bulk carrier ship on one of the world's crucial trade routes, Reuters reported. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations piracy watchdog said on its website it had received a report from a vessel under attack and possibly boarded off the coast of war-ravaged Yemen. It gave no further details. However, a security source working at the Puntland Marine Police Force said the vessel was Tuvalu-flagged and is known as OS35. Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, the head of private company Dryad Maritime Intelligence, said industry sources had confirmed the hijacking. "Vessels transiting the area are advised to exercise extreme caution," UKMTO said, without giving more details.

Pirates have hijacked an Indian commercial ship off the coast of Somalia, the second attack in weeks after years of inactivity, industry and security sources said on Monday. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which coordinates the management of merchant ships and yachts in the Gulf of Aden area, said it had received information that a dhow en route to Bosasso from Dubai had been hijacked "in the vicinity of Socotra (Island)". A spokesman said UKMTO could not confirm the location of the vessel, which he identified as Al Kausar, or what exactly had taken place, and that investigations were continuing. "We understand Somali pirates hijacked a commercial Indian ship (and it is heading) towards Somalia shores…

Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew on board, Somali authorities said on Tuesday, the first time a commercial ship has been seized in the region since 2012. Security forces have been sent to free the Aris 13, a regional police official said late on Tuesday. "We are determined to rescue the ship and its crew. Our forces have set off to Alula. It is our duty to rescue ships hijacked by pirates and we shall rescue it," Abdirahman Mohamud Hassan, director general of Puntland’s marine police forces, told Reuters by phone. Puntland is a semi-autonomous northern region of Somalia. Alula is a port town there where pirates have taken the tanker. Experts said the ship was an easy target and ship owners were becoming lax after a long period of calm.

Dryad Maritime have featured in a special programme ‘A Maritime Nation’ commissioned by the UK Chamber of Shipping, introduced by national newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky and produced by ITN Productions. The current affairs programme aired this week as part of London International Shipping Week and looks at the role and value of shipping to the UK through interviews and sponsored editorials with some of the UK’s leading shipping companies. Dryad Maritime was one of 14 companies invited to participate in the programme. The UK Chamber of Shipping asked Dryad to contribute to the section on Safety, Sustainability and Growth. In this episode…

UK maritime intelligence provider Dryad Maritime has achieved ISO certification to ISO 9001:2008, covering the provision of vessel management intelligence and maritime security advice. ISO 9001:2008 is accepted as the worldwide standard for a quality management system. It is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the commitment by top management, a systematic, process approach to the way it does business and the seeking of continual improvement across its operations. The company’s quality management system was assessed by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, Dryad Maritime’s Chief Executive Officer…

UK-based maritime intelligence agency, Dryad Maritime, says it plans a strategic expansion of their operations into Asia Pacific and the Americas. Dryad explain that the expansion and re-focusing of the company will see a number of internal moves. The current Director of Intelligence, Ian Millen is to assume the role of Chief Operating Officer from Karen Jacques, who will be relocated to the Pacific in order to take the helm and grow Dryad Maritime across Asia and the Americas. Graeme Gibbon Brooks, Managing Director Dryad Maritime said: “We are really excited about our expansion plans which we hope will be the start of several more.

UK's Dryad Maritime, specialists in maritime intelligence, opens a new office in Hastings. Dryad Maritime is a specialist maritime intelligence company helping seafarers to quantify, mitigate and manage the threats from piracy, terrorism and other waterborne threat and crime. The opening of the office is the next phase in a major programme of expansion and comes as Dryad seek to harness growth opportunities, enhance existing 24/7 business continuity and ensure it is at the forefront of the latest technological developments. The expansion marks Dryad’s mandatory commitment to extend the provision of its global maritime intelligence services.

Dryad Maritime Intelligence has announced the appointment of David Hunkin OBE as their new Commercial Director who will be based at their Operations Center in Portsmouth. In this new role, David will lead Dryad’s commercial business development with some exciting plans for international expansion in 2013. Supported by Dryad’s Executive Board, his remit will be to ensure that Dryad clients remain fully informed and prepared for current and future security challenges. The appointment…

Dryad Maritime Intelligence the south of England based intelligence firm specializing in military-grade predictive intelligence for superyachts and commercial vessels and shore based maritime operations staff has announced the appointment of Karen Jacques as Commercial Director. In her role, Jacques will be responsible for marketing strategy, sales and after sales customer service. "After graduating with an Honours Degree in Maritime Defence Management and Technology from Plymouth University and the Royal Naval College Greenwich, Karen served in the Royal Navy for 14 years as a Warfare Officer spending 9 years at sea. A Navigator by trade with several years as a boarding officer…