Brussels: Crisis management agency Entente International has been
hired to provide public affairs support for Italian shipping regulator
RINA, in the wake of the Erika oil spill off the coast of France last
year.
RINA, Registro Italiano Navale, was the last agency to certify the Erika
as seaworthy before it sank in the Atlantic in December, leaking 10,000
tonnes of oil. French environment bodies estimate that up to 300,000
birds may have died as a result of the spill.
The European Commission is currently investigating the accident. RINA,
based in Genoa, northern Italy, hired Entente this week to provide
constant political intelligence throughout the investigation and to
handle relations with the European institutions. The contract is for two
months, though ongoing enquiries may extend it.
The five-strong team at Entente is being led by senior consultant Geert
Waelkens and consultant Stefano Paci. They are working with two staff
members at leading Italian agency Barabino and Partners. Both teams will
report to Gianfranco Damilano, head of PR at RINA’s marine business
unit.
