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Global Intelligence System for growing ports
With the constant evolution of geo-political risk, and the continued need for international business to find growth in increasingly extreme environments, there is an increasing demand for more advanced security solution tools, writes David Fairnie, director global ports solutions at security firm G4S.
Providing consultancy services for clients operating in a wide range of global markets and locations is part of what G4S does, with customers often looking for advice and best practice solutions to mitigate risk and aid their business development in existing and developing markets.
The author worked within the port industry before joining G4S witnessed a real need for advanced user friendly risk management technologies to be made available to assist security providers within the port environment. A vast amount of time and effort was regularly consumed by staff and service providers having to carry out fundamental risk management processes, data collection and analytics, on the ground.
A key priority upon coming to G4S was to provide an efficient and intelligent system to facilitate operations at ports, and make security solutions more advanced, easing the burden for customers and security professionals on the ground. The G4S Global Intelligence System (GIS) does just that.
GIS essentially enables companies to gain geopolitical and localised intelligence on past, current and future threats, helping them to make more informed business critical decisions regardless of which part of the world they operate in. This is especially relevant in the current climate, with more companies expanding their operations into increasingly hostile territories.
The online portal is updated by the second, every day of the year, archiving a comprehensive risk advisory service on over 220 countries worldwide. Subscribers are sent instant alerts three times daily, along with monthly bulletins providing risk breakdown and analysis specific to each country and region. The software also offers ad-hoc services enabling users to receive detailed analytical reports within 24 hours of enquiring about a potential threat.
The benefit of this type of software for port operators is three fold. It acts as a business information tool for companies assessing new markets to enter, giving them information and insight on potential hazards; once established in a market, it helps them to mitigate risks, ensuring smooth operations and business continuity; and it can be of further use to support business development and growth plans, helping businesses to understand their operating environment and enabling them to set realistic future targets.
GIS has been employed with considerable success with one of the largest international port operators where, since its inception, it has provided analysed intelligence relating to global drug seizures, industrial strikes in Hong Kong, and international security policy changes which have helped them to stay abreast of significant international issues that could have impacted their operations and business growth. Regular information on global news is complemented by localised and relevant reporting.
The advancement and development of GIS and similar types of technology can help ports all over the globe to mitigate risk and ensure that they stay ahead of the knowledge curve. The intelligence provides port operators with valuable savings in time, cost and efficiency in a world in which growth and risk control have never been more important.
