Swire Shipping
When the MV Pacific Adventurer lost 31 containers overboard in wild seas whipped up by Cyclone Hamish off the coast of Queensland, there was immediate public and media interest in the initial incident and clean up response. One of the containers punctured the ship's hull causing 270 tonnes of oil to be discharged. Longer term issues also became apparent with respect to private compensation arrangements, environmental impacts, complex shipping liability laws, multiple court matters and ongoing agency investigations.
Hill & Knowlton was engaged soon after the incident to provide issues management, media relations and stakeholder management support to the company. Hill & Knowlton immediately set about conducting an audit of statements by government and company representatives. A messaging framework, series of targeted meetings and public statements were made to adequately communicate the regret to company felt following the incident. To help demonstrate this, the company paid an amount in excess of its legal obligations which was paid into a special environmental trust.
Hill & Knowlton's specialist counsel resulted in widespread television, print and radio reporting of the company's apology and subsequent actions, including their voluntary payment of $7 million into an environmental trust. At the final hearing into Swire's culpability in relation to the incident, the presiding judge said (as was reported): "It is shown that they are good corporate citizens ..."