NAVTOR designs all-in-one digital ecosystem for ships

The shipping industry has been a slow adopter of technology, and not without reason. Historically, connectivity on onboard has been poor and costly. But with advancements in technology and increased pressure to decarbonise, most shipowners and operators are more open to digitalisation than ever before.

Digital technologies optimise vessel operations and facilitate greater data sharing between ship and shore. They also increase optimisation across the supply chain.

“Many of the shipowners’ problems can be solved through comprehensive digitalisation,” explains Hjøllo.

Read more: NAVTOR has secured a landmark agreement with Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd

The NAVTOR Suite is an integrated set of digital solutions for smarter e-navigation and optimal vessel performance. Both onboard and shore-based needs are addressed. “This is more than navigation. It is a connected, smart and data-driven ecosystem,” states Hjøllo.

The new suite will provide continuous, AI-based monitoring and decision support, including notifications of real-time problems. Previously manual tasks, such as environmental reporting and KPI measurements, are completed quickly and accurately, reducing workloads and increasing cost efficiency.

At the core of the suite lies NavStation,the original planning station that provides navigational data, from weather conditions to environmental standards, for use in maritime route planning. An automated passage planning module allows navigators to easily access and create required documentation while planning voyages.

NavFleet, the latest innovation, consists of vessel portfolio management tools for onshore. Here the focus is on voyage monitoring for optimal fleet management, performance measurement based on vessel-specific data, and emissions and compliance. Other components include NavBox, NavTracker and NavTV.

“Our solution ensures ships get to their destinations as safely, efficiently and economically as possible,” says Hjøllo. “Vessels with a good sustainability profile gain access to less costly financing as well.”

Using the NAVTOR Suite, shipowners ensure high-level safety with data-driven route planning, real-time ship monitoring and the like. Efficiency and sustainability are continually measured through real-time data collection and data analytics, allowing operators to make fact-based decisions to improve performance.

“Shipowners want their vessels to comply with environmental standards at the lowest possible cost. We make a portal, for example, where they can view fuel consumption, monitor fluctuations in the ship’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating and do scenario testing,” he explains.

Moreover, better environmental compliance lowers vessels’ greenhouse gas emissions and helps to decarbonise the entire shipping industry.

The global maritime digitalisation market is projected to reach USD 367.7 billion by 2031, up from USD 167.7 billion in 2022. Already a key player in this market, NAVTOR is the world’s largest distributor of electronic navigational charts (ENC) and has captured 20 per cent of the e-navigation market.

In addition, NAVTOR conducts ongoing R&D. “We are launching a new project in 2024 that will enable vessels to arrive at precisely the right time at port, with no inefficient waiting at sea,” says Hjøllo.

Established in 2011, NAVTOR is a globally networked company headquartered in Norway. “We’ve been successful because we deliver what the market is asking for,” he concludes.