Market Breakthrough for NAVTOR in Norwegian Offshore Shipping Segment

Market Breakthrough for NAVTOR in Norwegian Offshore Shipping Segment

NAVTOR, an established leader in delivering innovative and user-friendly e-navigation solutions, has announced that it has made a significant market breakthrough in the Norwegian offshore shipping segment. A flurry of new client signings means that shipowners controlling 72% of the entire national fleet are now rolling the firm’s ENC service out across their vessels.

This makes NAVTOR the undisputed navigation partner of choice for the nation’s most important maritime sector.

NAVTOR has achieved this position just two years after the launch of its revolutionary ENC service, which is compatible with all ECDIS, regardless of make. The service is offered for distribution on the pre-loaded USB-based NavStick, allowing navigators to instantly download global charts and licences to the ECDIS, while an online synchronisation feature ensures that the latest updates are always available on demand.

The ease of the service, which dramatically cuts down on navigators’ administration duties, has seen the firm sign up leading Norwegian offshore operators, such as Simon Møkster Shipping, Island Offshore, Troms Offshore, Havila Shipping and Siem Offshore.

“Our goal has always been to simplify complicated tasks and enhance user experience,” comments Børge Hetland, NAVTOR Sales and Marketing Manager. “By reducing the administrative workload for navigators we give them the chance to focus on what should always be their key task, navigation. This increases efficiency, while making operations simpler and, crucially, safer. Norwegian offshore companies, which operate in some of the most demanding environments on earth, have clearly demonstrated that they appreciate this focus.”

Hetland states that the flexibility of the firm’s offering – with both Standard Subscription and Pay As You Sail (PAYS) models available – has also found favour with shipowners.

“PAYS is just another innovation that shows that we understand the needs of the market,” he comments. “It was the first DNV type-approved PAYS service available, levying charges only for charts used during voyages, while making all charts freely available for planning purposes. This flexibility has genuine appeal for the offshore segment.”

NAVTOR is now looking to translate its dominance in offshore to new sectors, such as the cruise and ferry segment, which fall under the IMO’s ECDIS Carriage Requirement (ECDIS Mandate) in July 2014. The firm has already signed up some of the world’s cruise operators, including Crystal Cruises and RCL Cruises Ltd.

“Offshore is a hugely demanding sector, where there’s a constant focus on quality, so our success there positions us perfectly for making in-roads into other segments,” Hetland concludes. “By harnessing the very latest technology we have created a seamless digital package giving navigators what they want, when they need it. This makes the ECDIS Mandate easy for everyone to comply with, regardless of what type of vessel they operate.”

NAVTOR AS, October 28, 2013