Interpreting Information, Creating Insight - A brief guide to Infospectrum's services

1. Interpreting information,
creating insight

3. 1
What we do
Infospectrum provides expert counterparty risk analysis and business
intelligence in the commodity and shipping sectors. Both industries
suffer major challenges in establishing beneficial ownership, financial
strength, and market performance. Our products, which range from
concise due diligence reports to in-depth consultancy, are specifically
designed to fulfil this need.

4. 2
Accessing our insight
Commissioned Reports:
Our comprehensive counterparty risk
reports are designed to provide an up to
date, time-sensitive and cost-efficient due
diligence package. Each report, whether on
a new company, or one we have monitored
for two decades, is compiled with the same
focus on quality, providing our clients with
a real understanding of their counterparty’s
corporate structures, operations, and
financial performance.
Databank:
With our analyst team covering over 400
companies per month, Infospectrum has
been able to build one of the world’s
largest and most up-to-date databases
of companies active in the shipping and
commodity sectors. Our existing reports
can be downloaded 24/7, 365 days a year,
giving our clients immediate access to our
research on circa 25,000 companies.

5. 3
Bespoke work and
Consultancy:
The Analyst team:
Many clients have highly-specific
requirements that demand the use of our
experience. Our expertise can be accessed
on a consultancy basis as a valuable source
of strategically important knowledge, with
our analyst team advising on micro and
macro challenges, both geographically and
in niche sectors.
Available 24 hours a day, five days a week,
our global team of 45 analysts provides
an unrivalled means for our clients to
quickly discuss areas of concern, specific
counterparties, and the content of our
reports. Most of our established clients
regard our team as an extension of their
own risk management department, and we
encourage all of our clients to do the same.
We are here to help.

6. 4
Our Reach
Hamburg
Oxford/London
T: +49 40 82217 4112
hamburg@infospectrum.net
Oxford (HQ) T: +44 1865 420400
London T: +44 207 283 9600
info@infospectrum.net
Americas
T: +1 914 6104180
americas@infospectrum.net

7. 5
Singapore
Kiev Sydney
T: +65 6435 0311
asiapac@infospectrum.net
T: +380 995 501635
cee@infospectrum.net
T: +61 2 4385 7674
asiapac@infospectrum.net

8. 6
Our Focus
The Maritime Sector
The commercial shipping market is of significant scale and
complexity, with every shipment usually involving a chain of
ship owners, ship managers and operators, often registered as
limited liability companies in low-disclosure jurisdictions.

9. 7
The Commodities sector
Rapid diversification of the commodities industry since
the 1970s has led to the emergence of low profile,
privately-owned and asset-light intermediaries. This lack of
transparency has led to greater risk and regulation for those
operating in this sector.

10. 8
Maritime Sector
How we help
Trading climate
As the industry’s largest and most
experienced analyst team, we can provide
the one-to-one support and in-depth
information that enable our clients to
prosper in the maritime market.
Over 100,000 vessels are currently in
operation around the world, almost all of
which are held through offshore-registered
special purpose vehicles. Coupled with
increasingly complex corporate structures
and financing methods, particularly in the
emerging markets, business information is
more important than ever in order to make
well-informed, timely, trade decisions.

11. 9
Market challenges
• A requirement to make rapid decisions
on high value transactions
• The acceptance and use of open credit
terms
• The emergence of sanctions and anti-
bribery legislation
• The underlying need to know your
counterparty (UBO and current/future
performance)
24/7 access to concise counterparty
risk reports on circa 25,000
companies from our database
Detailed due diligence for those
with higher exposures or more
extensive requirements
Rapid turnaround on new reports
compiled in a matter of hours

12. 10
Commodities Sector
How we help
Trading climate
We give our clients direct access to support
from a team with extensive experience
in researching commodity trading
participants, worldwide, underpinned by
detailed local knowledge and an extensive
database.
The prevalence of complex, multi-layered
corporate structures, often registered
in low-disclosure jurisdictions, makes
counterparty assessment challenging.
Coupled with high levels of scrutiny from
governmental and non-governmental
organisations, this emphasises the need for
professional business analysis.

13. 11
Market challenges
• High levels of operational, reputational
and market risk.
• Requirement to support and cross-check
documentation provided by trading
partners to trade finance banks and
sellers/buyers.
We provide bespoke due diligence
covering soft factors, including
background, wider corporate
structures, the experience of
principals, and current market
performance and reputation.
We have established KYC/
AML checks and also provide
counterparty information to assist
with anti-bribery legislation.

14. 12
Our Services
Be better informed
From downloading an in-depth company report to
commissioning bespoke research, there are a number of
ways you can tap into the intelligence in our network. The
result is always impartial, dependable business intelligence –
knowledge that adds up to competitive advantage in markets
where offshore registration and minimal disclosure are
common.

15. 13
Counterparty
Bespoke Research
The company that
understands its industry has
an instant advantage over
its competitors. We can
give you the inside track,
delivered how and when you
need it.
Databank
We maintain the industry’s
largest Online Databank,
giving you immediate
access to information and
resources on more than
25,000 maritime, energy,
and commodity companies.
Consultancy
We are internationally
renowned for our
consultancy service,
delivering the in-depth
insights, strategic
knowledge, and industry
experience crucial for
effective risk management.
KYC
Seeking valuable
counterparty information?
Our analysts are known
for their ability to source
difficult to reach data and
turn it into meaningful
intelligence you can use.
Legal
We offer expert, impartial
legal advice for companies
embroiled in disputes,
providing the support and
guidance they need to reach
the best possible resolution.
Our comprehensive
reports provide you with the
complete and latest view of
a particular counterparty,
including an independent
rating by our team of
analysts.

16. 14
Counterparty
Operational
activity and market
performance
Financial position
(even in the
absence of
accounts)
References
and payment
performance
Ownership and
management
structure
Registered details Infospectrum rating
Assessing a potential partner?
Whether you are extending credit, chartering a ship in or
out, or entering into secured trade finance transactions, the
coordination of multiple parties is an integral element of
successful commodity and shipping operations. In the absence
of proper financial security, parties depend on cooperation,
trust, and often open credit terms, in order to trade.
Our regularly-updated reports give you the complete and
latest view of a particular counterparty and include an
independent rating by our analysts. Each report covers:

17. 15
Databank
24-hour access to
our most recent
reports, plus
regular alerts of
new research
Pay per report
or subscribe for
unlimited access
Easy to use –
intuitive filtering by
sector, region and
report content
Online briefcase to
save and sort your
reports
24/7 business intelligence
You may need access to highly sensitive information in order
to inform your current situation. A trade partnership might
require insights into a company’s market position, its annual
growth, or sales history, enabling you to assess the strength
of the opportunity.
To help our clients make informed business decisions, we
maintain a comprehensive Online Databank containing
detailed up-to-date information, and resources on thousands
of companies. This databank gives you instant access to
the latest analysis on circa 25,000 maritime, energy, and
commodity companies – the largest resource of its kind.

18. 16
KYC
Operations Management
philosophy
Market position
and performance
Corporate structure
Considering a new business opportunity?
Seeking information about a potential partner? Evaluating
the integrity of a counterparty? Know your customer (KYC)
is the process by which a business verifies the identity of its
partners. Our analysts are known for their ability to source
difficult to reach information and turn it into meaningful
intelligence.
We can challenge your brief and deliver the comprehensive
level of detail you need. Infospectrum’s long experience in the
commodity trading and shipping sectors, and its familiarity
with the highly complex and often unconventional corporate
structures used in these sectors, helps our clients meet their
KYC and due diligence obligations, even for some of the most
low-profile, offshore-registered companies.
Registered details Infospectrum rating

19. 17
Bespoke Research
Understanding your industry
Market awareness is essential to successful trades.
From securing new business and finding the right
partners to anticipating market volatility, the more
you understand about your business sector, the better
placed you will be to prepare for, and react to, your
commercial environment.
With analysts on the ground internationally and
contacts built up over many years, we can give you the
inside track, delivered how and when you need it.
We have known Infospectrum since
they started. Their professionalism
and expert knowledge enable us
to benefit from good business
opportunities. We look forward to
continuing the valuable working
relationship.
LEAD OF RISK MANAGEMENT
-GLOBAL TRADING DEPARTMENT -
OIL MAJOR

20. 18
Consultancy
Market entry Benchmarking
analysis
Identification of
acquisition targets
Strategic risk
management
assessment
How can you benefit from business
advice?
A professional consultancy service should be able to advise
you on all business levels. As industry experts, professional
consultants represent a valuable source of strategic
knowledge and investment experience. Third parties should
be consulted as standard practice when venturing into
new business sectors or establishing trade with unfamiliar
counterparties.
We are internationally renowned for our consultancy
service, delivering the in-depth intelligence crucial for
risk management and industry insights. We tailor every
consultancy package to fit each client’s specific requirements,
from regional analysis of their sector and competitor activity
to site visits, one-on-one meetings, consumer research, and
more.

21. 19
Legal
Support and investigations
The purpose of legal support is to provide companies
embroiled in disputes with information and guidance.
Whether considering the merits of pursuing or
defending a legal case or preparing for dispute
resolution, our clients come to us for analysis that is in-
depth and independent.
In particular, we excel at asset tracking and corporate
veil investigations, enabling us to both identify assets
and certify correct ownership. Our experience of
forensic investigations and evidence preparation has
been put to work for a wide variety of organisations
including law firms, P&I clubs, ship owners and
charterers, energy companies, and commodity traders.
We greatly value Infospectrum’s
investigative capabilities and skills
in identifying and tracing assets
across the globe. Their thorough
knowledge of the marine and
commodity sectors and ability to
identify the important issues within
complex situations are a particular
strength.
PARTNER - GLOBAL MARINE AND
TRADE/FINANCE LAW FIRM

22. 20
Our Values
Teamwork
Independence
Infospectrum has the largest team of analysts in the industry, spread
across multiple offices worldwide. This ensures that, whatever the task,
we can apply the necessary experience – from local language skills or
understanding local business practices to specific insight on a certain
sector.
Infospectrum is a private company, owned by its staff and private
investors – we provide impartial assessments at all times. We value
this independence highly, and our financial strength gives our clients
reassurance that we have no ties to external parties, whether corporate
or financial.

23. 21
Integrity
Trust
Wehavebuiltlongstandingrelationshipswithdemandingandhigh-profile
clients who trust us to handle sensitive market information and enhance
their market position with timely and impartial industry knowledge.
Our clients know that they can trust the insight we provide and industry
participants recognise that we can be trusted to provide an accurate view
of their organisation. Infospectrum’s respected name and position in the
market facilitates our work and improves the end product.

24. If you’d like to know more about us and how we could help you, please
start by contacting us at info@infospectrum.net or calling your nearest
Infospectrum office.
Asiapac
T: +65 6435 0311
Americas
T: +1 914 6104180
EMEA
T: +44 1865 420400
Get in touch
Details for our other offices can be found within this brochure.