Introduction

The shipping and logistics industry depends heavily on seamless communication, stable operations, and reliable systems. Maritime operations involve many parties across different countries, and even small disruptions can quickly lead to delays resulting in financial losses. In developing markets, these risks are often higher due to political uncertainty and reliance on limited digital infrastructure.

In July–August 2024, Bangladesh faced a sudden period of national unrest. Large student protests over government job quotas spread across the country and quickly escalated. In response, the authorities imposed a nationwide internet shutdown without warning. This decision cut off email, messaging apps, online port systems, and all other digital communication channels.

For the shipping industry, this was a serious disruption. Vessel movements, port clearances, cargo management, marine survey and claims handling all rely on real-time information. International shipowners, insurers (P&I Clubs), and charterers lost visibility of what was happening in Bangladeshi ports, while local service providers were left to manage operations without access to normal communication tools.

Interport Group, a leading maritime services provider in Bangladesh in the area of P&I Claims Handling, Marine Survey and Ship Agency, was directly affected. This role mandates full availability, agility and 24/7 connectivity with international clients (Members of P&I Clubs + H&M Underwriters and Ship Agency Principals) and local port and logistics stakeholders. The sudden loss of connectivity created a high-impact situation that tested the company’s ability to respond under pressure.

The below Risk Management framework and Case study explain how Interport, being the leading maritime services and risk-management experts in Bangladesh, proactively identified the crisis, took timely decisions, and put effective solutions in place to maintain communication and operations in line with its commitment. It shows how structured risk thinking, combined with decisive leadership and teamwork, helped the organization manage an extreme and unexpected event in the history of the nation.

Risk Management in Action

The Five-Step Framework

While there are many risk management frameworks (COSO, ISO, etc.), they often lack agility and focus. This article presents a streamlined, actionable framework to help businesses identify, assess, and manage risks effectively without getting lost in complexity.

1. Understanding Identify Drivers: Understanding What Matters Most

Before carrying out any assessment of risk, it is essential to understand the fundamental drivers of the existing business model. Drawing from the Business Model Canvas, the following areas should be the focus of this phase:

●      Core Value Propositions: What products or services generate the primary revenue and create the competitive advantage?

●      Key Activities and Resources What processes, assets, or partnerships are essential to delivering those value propositions?

This step pinpoints where failure would hurt the business most. Without this clarity, risk efforts scatter and resources get wasted on low-impact issues.

2. Systematically Identifying Risk: Using the PESTLE framework

Risks represent potential threats to the core drivers identified previously. To capture a broad spectrum of risks, the PESTLE framework may be used. A list of major considerations in PESTLE analysis is given below.

While the PESTLE framework is effective for capturing external risks, internal sources of risks (e.g. operational bottlenecks) should also be considered for a thorough risk exercise.

This structured approach should be used in conducted risk identification exercises regularly -- at least quarterly, and after significant external changes (e.g. political upheavals or market shocks) to capture emerging risks.

3. Prioritizing Risk: The Risk Matrix as a Decision Tool

Once a list of risks has been identified, each risk must be understood. Risks have two major aspects:

●      Probability: How likely is the risk to materialize?

●      Impact: What are the likely consequences if it does materialize?

This breaks down the risk universe into four quadrants:

●      Low Impact – Low Probability (L-L quadrant): These are minor, infrequent risks

●      Low Impact – High Probability (L-H quadrant): Frequent, minor disruptions

●      High Impact – Low Probability (H-L quadrant): Rare but catastrophic events

●      High Impact – High Probability (H-H quadrant): Likely and severe risks

4. Risk Treatments: Tailored Strategies for Each Risk Quadrant

Each risk is different, and risk treatment should be pragmatic and aligned with business realities. However, a good heuristic to use in risk decisions would be as follows:

 Figure 3: Risks on the Risk Matrix

●      L-L quadrant: With a low impact and probability, these risks may be accepted with minimal treatment. Periodic monitoring should remain in place to ensure that these risks do not move to other quadrants over time.

●      L-H quadrant: With a low impact but high probability, these risks are minor, frequent risks that can disrupt operations without causing serious damage. These risks are generally treated through regular monitoring and investment in cost-effective preventative measures to reduce the probability of risks materializing.

●      H-L quadrant: With a high impact but a low probability, these risks are rare but significant. Traditionally, these risks are handled through risk transfer strategies such as insurance. Detailed scenario planning with clear triggers for action may also be deployed to reduce the impact of these risks.

●      H-H quadrant: With a high impact and a high probability, these risks are likely to occur frequently and cause significant disruption or damage. Ideally, these risks should be avoided if possible; if not possible, mitigation strategies should be undertaken to reduce the impact and/or the probability of these risks as well as to handle the consequences of risk realization.

Where the risk treatment has been decided to be scenario planning or risk mitigation, the feasibility of multiple possible options may be assessed. This ensures the following for each quadrant:

●      H-H quadrant: this ensures mitigations that are implemented will reduce the probability and/or the impact of the risk enough to bring the risk within tolerable levels.

●      L-H quadrant: this ensures that mitigation measures that are adopted make fiscal sense (the incurred costs are worthwhile), given the expected reduction in occurrence.

●      H-L quadrant: this ensures that there are robust, well-planned out contingencies for high-impact events that may be implemented at a moment’s notice if the risk materializes. This includes training of key resources in the mitigation plans, acquisition of resources, or identifying thresholds of spending that would be justified in such a scenario.

●      L-L quadrant: this identifies the exact conditions when a risk item moves out of this quadrant into one of the other quadrants.

5. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement: Adapting to a Changing Landscape

As Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke famously noted, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” Risk environments evolve rapidly, especially in emerging markets which are characterized by political volatility, economic shifts, and technological disruption.

Continuous monitoring of risk indicators and the effectiveness of treatments is essential. Any good risk framework should therefore include each of the following:

●      Regular reviews: Quarterly risk assessments and updates to scenario plans to cater to changes in market situation and business conditions.

●      Post-incident reviews: After any incident, analysis of what worked and what failed is a good way to close any gaps in the risk management framework.

Case in Point: Interport

Interport Group stands as a premier maritime services provider in Bangladesh, delivering a comprehensive suite of solutions including Risk Management (Claims Handling and Risk Advisory), Ship Agency services, Contract logistics, Marine surveying, and industry-leading training. Since its establishment in 2001, Interport has been the trusted partner for P&I Clubs and H&M underwriters (global marine insurers), ship owners, charterers, and ship operators navigating Bangladeshi ports. At the heart of Interport’s business lies the critical task of ensuring seamless vessel handling and communication, which demands precision, reliability, and constant connectivity with clients.

In July-August 2025, Bangladesh experienced an unprecedented disruption: widespread student protests, which led to a nationwide communications blackout eventually a change in government. For Interport, this meant a total, unexpected severance from key customer segments, especially international clients (Members of P&I Clubs + H&M Underwriters and Ship Agency Principals) who rely on communications and updates to maintain operational clarity. With no way to communicate through the regular channels, clients were left in the dark about vessel schedules, and the broader situation on the ground. Interport, in turn, dealt with managing ship arrivals and departures amid complete uncertainty, unable to provide assurances or predict outcomes. Such a total communications cut-off in a globally connected industry is exceedingly rare and nearly impossible to anticipate or prepare for fully. Yet, it tested the very core of Interport’s resilience and adaptability, highlighting the critical importance of robust crisis management in the maritime sector.

Background

In July–August 2024, Bangladesh was thrown into sudden, large-scale unrest that few could have imagined. It began when thousands of students across the country took to the streets demanding the withdrawal of the quota system for government jobs, which they felt was unfair and outdated.

Instead of addressing the students’ concerns through dialogue, the government responded with statements that many saw as dismissive, even offensive. This only added fuel to the fire. What began as organized student protests soon swelled into widespread demonstrations, road blockades, clashes, and a political crisis that quickly spiraled beyond anyone’s control.

In a drastic attempt to regain control, the authorities took an extreme step: they shut down the internet nationwide, cutting off social media, messaging apps, and all other online channels overnight. In a hyper-connected, service-driven industry like shipping, where vessel movements, cargo releases, ship attendances and clearances all depend on minute-to-minute updates, this blackout landed like a hammer.

For Interport Group, it meant we were suddenly cut off from our clients, partners, and principals around the world, just when they needed clarity the most. This was a Low Probability, High Impact scenario that exposed how vulnerable modern operations can be when political and technological risks collide.

Crisis Identification

The first shock was realizing this was not just a short glitch, it was a complete internet blackout, enforced because of the unrest in the streets. There was no quick fix, no hotline to call.

Overnight, we were staring at an immediate risk: our clients abroad, who rely on constant updates to plan marine survey attendances, vessel calls, crew changes, clearances, and cargo, were completely in the dark.

If we think of the PESTEL model, this was a textbook case of Political and Technological risk colliding at full force, something no routine plan could fully cover.

Risk Identification (PESTLE Analysis)

To understand the root cause and severity of the disruption, the event can be analyzed through a PESTLE risk lens. This makes it clear that the blackout was not an isolated technological failure, but the result of a convergence of multiple external risk factors:

Political (P)

●      Nationwide student movement triggered mass protests, blockades, and clashes.

●      Government actions, including public statements and subsequent attempts to regain control, escalated the situation.

●   State-imposed restrictions, including mobility constraints and security interventions, destabilized normal business operations.

Economic (E)

●      Port operations slowed as labour availability, transport, and support services were disrupted.

●      International principals faced uncertainty in planning marine surveyors attendances, vessel calls and cargo logistics due to lack of visibility from Bangladesh.

Social (S)

●      A large portion of the population, particularly the youth, mobilized across major cities.

●      Social tension and public unrest reduced the predictability of day-to-day operations and created safety concerns for staff and port stakeholders.

Technological (T)

●      A complete, nationwide internet shutdown was enforced without prior notice.

●      Email servers, communication apps, port portals, and reporting channels became inaccessible overnight.
 This single point of technological dependency was the biggest operational vulnerability exposed by the crisis.

Legal/Regulatory (L)

●      Emergency measures introduced by the authorities temporarily suspended access to communication infrastructure.

●      The absence of clear guidance increased compliance uncertainty for shipping and port-related activities.

Environmental (E)

●      No major environmental factors contributed in this particular case; however, the unrest severely limited the ability of teams to move, monitor, and respond physically within port environments. 

Leadership Decision & Emergency Deployment

While many might have waited for the blackout to lift, our Managing Director, Mr. Tanjil Ahmed Ruhullah, made a quick, firm call: we wouldn’t sit still, we’d find a way to break through.

As an immediate stopgap, we sent one of our junior colleagues onboard an ocean-going vessel anchored in Mongla, in order to tap into the ship’s satellite internet. That gave us a narrow window to push out urgent updates while the entire country’s digital communication channels were down. It wasn’t a perfect fix, it was slow, limited, and heavily dependent on the ship’s schedules. But it bought us a few precious hours of connection with the outside world.

We knew, however, that this alone wouldn’t be enough to keep our principals fully informed if the blackout dragged on. So, within hours, our Managing Director made the bigger call: set up a secure, stable communication base outside Bangladesh.

The first plan was to send two senior colleagues to Nepal, nearby and practical. But when flights fell through at the last moment, we pivoted immediately. The Maldives became the next best option, not for its beaches, but because Bangladeshi passport holders could get on-arrival visas, no questions asked.

So, on 22nd July 2024, Mr. Samiul Haque Rhydoy, Senior Manager, Supply Chain & Port Agency from Interport Ship Agents Limited (Ship Agency) and Mr. Mohammad Fayed Monir, P&I Claims Handler from Interport Maritime Limited (P&I Division) packed their bags, boarded a flight, and carried our commitment with them, to be the steady line of communication our clients desperately needed.

Task Execution & Daily Routine

The first task was obvious: clear the pile of unread emails that had stacked up while the blackout took hold. Every unanswered question was an anxious client waiting for a sign that we were still on the job.

So, the Maldives team rolled up their sleeves — reading, replying, explaining. They didn’t stop there. They sent daily updates to reassure clients that our port teams were still working on the ground. And every fresh query or new twist was chased down, answered, and fed back through that fragile channel.

Handling Unfamiliar Cases Under Pressure

Just to test us further, two new claims instructions were received during this crisis coupled with some vessel husbandry and crew change requirements, a situation our Maldives team hadn’t anticipated. But with guidance from the Managing Director and our Management in Bangladesh, they navigated it calmly. No excuses, no delay, the work had to go on.

Team Coordination Under Constraints

This wasn’t one heroic effort, it was a chain of people, each doing their part.

●      The local vessel’s crew and our colleague onboard made sure the ship’s satellite email stayed open.

●      The Maldives team became our face to the clients.

●      The Managing Director was in constant touch, coordinating the flow from behind the scenes.

●      The ground team in Bangladesh (from P&I Claims Handlers to Marine Surveyors and Ship Agency Representatives) kept operations running in the ports, despite the strikes and protests swirling outside.

Client Relationship Management

The lesson? While other maritime services provider in Bangladesh stayed silent, we didn’t. Our team in the Maldives didn’t just talk to our regular clients, they sat down with every principal they could reach, and continued to send updates on local developments. They explained why the internet had vanished, what was happening in the streets, and how we were still attending vessels and handling local requirements of Shipowners,  Technical Managers, and Charterers.

It wasn’t fancy talk, it was honest, human reassurance. And it mattered.

Leadership & Decision Making Under Pressure

When you look back, the core lesson is clear: leadership is not what you write in a plan, it’s what you do when the plan breaks.

In that tiny room in the Maldives, far from home, our people kept Interport’s commitment alive. They adapted. They improvised. They handled unfamiliar problems in an unfamiliar country — and never dropped the ball.

Lessons for Future Risk Management

If there’s one thing this crisis taught us, it’s that emergency communication plans can’t just sit on a shelf. They must be flexible enough to find the next best route when the main road is blocked.

It also showed the real value of agile leadership, a decision that was made in hours, not days. A team that flew out when others froze. And a company that chose action over excuses.

Conclusion

When Bangladesh went silent, Interport didn’t. We found a way to keep speaking — to our clients, our partners, and the global shipping community that depends on clarity in times of confusion.

Interport Group — staying connected and committed when the world least expects it!