NAVTOR - Experts & Thought Leaders

NAVTOR Founder and CEO Tor Svanes is somewhat of a legend within e-navigation and maritime technology. With close to six decades of expertise to draw on, and a track record of launching industry-defining innovations, his understanding of past, present, and future developments is second to none. So, what does he think awaits on the horizon as we sail into 2025, and beyond? FuelEU Maritime “FuelEU Maritime is just the start!” Tor Svanes has a knack for getting straight to the point. Speaking from his office at NAVTOR’s headquarters in Egersund, Norway, he dives into the conversation with an opinion few others appear to be voicing in the uproar around this most exacting of new regulations. “What it does is set a standard,” he clarifies, “a standard others will follow.” Climate goals IMO will be obliged to follow suit, with something like a ‘FuelGlobal Maritime’ joining the EU measure Svanes believes that driven by ambitious climate goals and stakeholder pressure, organisations such as IMO will be obliged to follow suit, with something like a ‘FuelGlobal Maritime’ joining the EU measure once its efficacy has been proven. The timescale of such a development is up for debate, he notes but says “within the next five years” is highly likely. Compliance options  “What that means,” Svanes stresses, “is that everyone needs to sit up and take notice – to understand how this works and what is required for compliance. Owners and operators shouldn’t put off considering, and planning, future compliance options now. For Europe, of course, but also beyond. “The longer you wait,” he adds, “the harder, and more expensive, it’s going to get.” Cutting through complexity Svanes is accustomed to viewing developments from a big-picture perspective. Decades of experience – taking him from his first sea-going position in 1968 to the head of C-Map Norway in the 90s, and finally to the foundation of NAVTOR in 2011 – has given him the ability to cut through complexity with simplicity, clarity, and vision. His mission, and that of NAVTOR he notes, has always been to enhance safety, efficiency, and profitability for shipping companies, using digital innovations to tackle industry pain points. Or, in other words, “making life easier.” Digital e-navigation and monitoring ecosystem A prospective customer asked an existing one about why they used NAVTOR’s integrated digital e-navigation He says one of the best bits of feedback he’s heard was when a prospective customer (the company has products and services on over 18,000 vessels in the world fleet) asked an existing one about why they used NAVTOR’s integrated digital e-navigation and monitoring ecosystem. Svanes grins with obvious delight. “He said, and I quote, ‘it just works’.” The cost of compliance That might not sound like the most fulsome praise, but in an increasingly complex regulatory and operational reality getting an integrated approach that “just works” is much harder than it seems. This takes us back to FuelEU Maritime. Svanes says this exemplifies a “new breed of regulations” – measures both accelerating in speed and growing in impact. Financial implications “I’m not sure people fully understand the financial implications of FuelEU for example,” he says, using a typical vessel, a Supramax bulk carrier, to illustrate the point. “This might cost around USD 15000 a day to charter,” Svanes states, “but if you look at the upcoming cost of compliance penalties for a voyage into Europe, on conventional fuel (without using biofuels or allowance pooling), there’s many thousands more waiting to be paid.” FuelEU penalty In 2025, Svanes points out, the FuelEU penalty would be around USD 5000, but this would rise to USD 17,922 Just how many thousands becomes apparent when considering a case study of a 58,000dwt Supramax sailing from New York to Rotterdam, a voyage of around 11 and a half days. In 2025, Svanes points out, the FuelEU penalty would be around USD 5000, but this would rise to USD 17,922 in 2030 (if no changes to the fuel/energy use are made) and a colossal USD 255,000 in 2050.  Cost-effective compliance “And these are penalty costs for a voyage into Europe,” he adds. “If you’re sailing exclusively within Europe the costs are doubled!" “So, as you can appreciate, there’s a clear need to ensure a) that the costs are correct b) that the right party covers them and c) there are options for reducing them,” Svanes says the foundations for confident, cost-effective compliance are digital. Automatic advantage Systems that collect the right data, of the right quality, automatically, without extensive human inputs and calculations (“a major source of omissions and errors”) are “a must”. “There’s still a tendency to use spreadsheets to track fuels, consumption, and emissions,” he comments, “but that won’t suffice in the new ‘well-to-wake’ context, where the demands for precise, validated, and comprehensive data are so great." Efficient, accurate, and insightful “Automated data collection, with integrated solutions across vessels, fleets, and organisations, is not only vastly more efficient and accurate, but will also deliver the insights to empower better business decision making." “This will be essential when it comes to deciding upon, for example, optimal fuel mixes, banking, pooling and borrowing emissions allowances, and evaluating non-compliance penalties.” Performance monitoring solutions NAVTOR, he adds, has just released a “major update” to its NavFleet monitoring solution The greater the integration – with for example digital logbooks ‘talking’ to e-navigation tools and performance monitoring solutions – the simpler the process, and the greater the benefits. "Having one ‘point of truth’ where high-quality, validated data can be shared with verifiers, and throughout your organisation, is not only ‘easy’,” he says, “it unlocks real value.”  NAVTOR, he adds, has just released a “major update” to its NavFleet monitoring solution - which already offered automated verification and compliance reporting for regulations such as EU MRV – to help customers navigate the new reality with confidence. Leading the way on S-100 On the subject of navigating the future, Svanes is also eager to identify the advent of the new S-100 data standard as a “redefining step” for e-navigation, and the maritime industry in general. S-100 takes the ‘flat’, static format of S-57, the current standard for hydrographic data, introduced in 1992 to enable the transition from paper to electronic charts and catapults it into the 21st century. In short, it allows for multiple layers of real-time data to work seamlessly together, giving more of a fluid ‘3D’ representation of the marine environment. Vessel optimisation “So,” Svanes explains, “say you’re sailing into an area with extreme tidal changes, you could see the tidal levels as they vary on the charts. Or if you’re entering a port with challenging underwater features, tides, and currents, you could navigate with greater security." "That level of insight would also allow you to optimise the size of the vessel for the operation – maybe you could deploy a larger one if you know you have ample under keel clearance, thus increasing efficiency and profit." Operational and commercial decision-making NAVTOR is already working with hydrographic offices around the world to help ease adoption “S-100 has real potential to enhance both operational and commercial decision-making.” Although the official roll-out of the standard won’t kick in until at least 2026, NAVTOR is already working with hydrographic offices around the world to help ease adoption, while also showcasing S-102 bathymetric data on NavStation so customers can get to grips with tomorrow’s navigation today. Evolving platforms “We develop our own ECDIS software kernel,” Svanes states, “so it’s easy for us to constantly evolve our platforms to meet industry needs. We have a NavStation at the UKHO’s head office in Taunton, England, which they’re now using to showcase what S-100 means for e-Navigation.” He smiles, calling it “a nice demonstration of the trust the highest levels of stakeholders have in our solutions.” Dual-fuel value Despite the golden opportunities S-100 promises for owners and operators, Svanes also has some words of caution. He says that anyone looking to outfit vessel bridges shortly must be aware of the need for S-100-compatible ECDIS systems. S-100-compatible ECDIS systems A failure to think ahead will, he says, hand an advantage to the competition, “When you buy an ECDIS today you’re planning for a lifetime of eight to ten years. There’s still some uncertainty about mandated timelines, but the current date for all systems to support S-100 has been set for 2029. So this is happening, and early adopters will be the first to unlock added value." “With that in mind, it pays to look into ‘dual fuel’ ECDIS systems for any planned upgrades or new builds. These can utilise both S-57 and S-100 data, ensuring you can take advantage of the new standard as soon as the data is available.” Ambitious impact As far as the future for NAVTOR is concerned, Svanes isn’t planning any ‘upgrades’ of his own As far as the future for NAVTOR is concerned, Svanes isn’t planning any ‘upgrades’ of his own, at least not on the scale of last year’s acquisition of Voyager Worldwide, which cemented the company’s number one position in its field (with a global market share of around 33%). “That has progressed very well,” he comments, “with a successful migration of customers onto NAVTOR platforms, while our headcount has grown to approximately 400 maritime technology and navigation specialists. It gives us the scale and competence we wanted to meet industry demand.” Environmental advantages Future growth will, he implies, be more organic, although he won’t rule out “strategic acquisitions” under the right circumstances. “It’s impact we’re looking to grow now,” Svanes concludes, noting how the sheer size of the customer base means that the efficiencies, cost savings, and environmental advantages NAVTOR solutions unlock can make waves throughout the industry. Reduce vessel fuel consumption “If you consider the GASS project (Green AI for Sustainable Shipping) we’re currently pioneering, that has the clear potential to reduce vessel fuel consumption, and thereby emissions, by 20% through advanced machine learning, digital twin technology, and a constant flow of high-quality data." “Multiply that 20% by our market share and you can appreciate the difference we, and our partners, can make on a global scale. “There’s so much we can do!” Tor Svanes and NAVTOR, it seems, are just getting started.

NAVTOR believes it has “simplified the complexity” of FuelEU Maritime with a major update to its NavFleet ship operations platform. Released now, NavFleet 2.1 boasts the ability to automate extensive “well-to-wake” calculations, delivering a front-end user experience that is both easy to understand, and rich in regulatory and business insights. The solution, featuring enhanced visual upgrades and fully integrated digital logbooks, provides seamless data validation and verification. It empowers owners to accurately calculate penalty costs and generate comprehensive EU Statements that summarise compliance with CII, EU ETS, and FuelEU Maritime requirements, including penalties and balances. It is, says NavFleet Product Manager Tor Håkon Svanes, “an intuitive, easy pathway” for achieving compliance under the new regulatory framework. Setting standards “We have been working exceptionally hard, so our customers don’t have to,” comments Svanes. “FuelEU Maritime is a complex regulation that demands the kind of calculations, and a wealth of data, that is completely new for the industry. It sets a standard for future regulations, creating transparency and accountability around GHG intensity and emissions, but also heralds a headache for owners and operators that aren’t prepared." “The costs involved – for both non-compliance and errors in calculations – could be huge, and will get bigger as time progresses, so intelligent solutions that capture, utilise and quality check data are essential. NavFleet 2.1 is as intelligent as smart shipping gets.” EU voyage statements Compliance data is validated both automatically and by unique domain experts, for complete peace of mind The new solution does all the “heavy lifting” in the back end, presenting simple-to-understand insights on two main dashboards. These show fleet overviews, individual vessels, fuel consumption (both within and outside the EU), GHG intensity KPIs, emissions in relation to EU voyage statements, penalty costs, and much more, in addition to EU ETS information. Compliance data is validated both automatically and by individual domain experts, for complete peace of mind, before being sent through the system to verifiers, such as DNV Veracity.  Understanding of GHG Intensity Reports can be produced at the touch of a button, with detailed evidence to create an understanding of GHG Intensity balance and penalty costs at the end of the voyage.  This provides a vital tool for passing on penalty costs to charterers under FuelEU Maritime, in addition to the existing capability to allocate EU ETS allowance costs already in place. Voyage of improvement NavFleet 2.1 provides the seamless integration of digital logbooks, allowing onshore teams to access real-time data “We see this as the pill that cures those potential regulatory headaches,” Svanes states, “while also providing the understanding shipping companies need to evaluate compliance options – today and far into the future.” Alongside the FuelEU Maritime innovations, NavFleet 2.1 provides the first seamless integration of digital logbooks, allowing onshore teams to access a wealth of real-time data and unlock further levels of monitoring, insight and optimisation right across fleets. Svanes calls it “a milestone of integration in NavFleet’s continual evolution.” Further improvements include fresh notifications, enhanced vessel monitoring parameters, and a new style of visual presentation where fleet activity and data can be shown on an interactive globe. This can be used by management teams, but also as a “big screen” feature for offices, lobbies and reception areas to showcase global operations. Evolution of NavFleet “In totality, we see this release as a major step forward for ourselves, but also for onshore teams that want a new level of understanding, situational awareness and control,” Svanes concludes. “Next year will see us continue the evolution of NavFleet, refining it to meet industry demand and solve our customers’ most pressing fleet management pain points.” NAVTOR, which is headquartered in Egersund, Norway, is the world’s pioneering smart shipping and maritime technology provider, with products and services on over 18,000 vessels. Alongside NavFleet, the team delivers planning and voyage platform NavStation, as well as a connected ecosystem of digital solutions.

Change is on the horizon. On 1 January 2025, FuelEU Maritime arrives, and with it a whole new approach to measuring, and reducing, the fleet emissions. To ensure compliance, flexibility and strategic business advantage they have to act now. But how? What are the foundations for success in a new regulatory reality? How can they turn complexity into smooth sailing, and profitable decision making? NAVTOR’s Jacob Clausen has some easy answers. 1. Ensure they Are Collecting the Right Data The framework measures the GHG intensity of energy used by ships trading within the EU Every regulation demands data, but none quite like FuelEU Maritime. The framework measures the GHG intensity of energy used by ships trading within the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) across the full “well-to-wake” spectrum.  This means you need systems to accurately track fuel consumption and emissions data across the entire lifecycle of the fuel (not just on a “tank-to-wake” basis, as with EU MRV). This requires sophisticated data collection way beyond basic manual inputs. Forget Excel; intelligent data capture is the way forward. 2. Track Fuel Usage by Source to Compute GHG Intensity Those intelligent systems should be integrated not just across the fleet, but also the fuel suppliers. To ensure compliance they must have a deep understanding of their fuel sources, tracking all consumed energy step-by-step, all the way from initial extraction right through to onboard combustion. A joined-up approach is essential, for both compliance and optimal business value (nobody wants to pay unnecessary penalties). 3. Understand the Fleet's Current GHG Intensity With a 2% reduction target for 2025, operators should aim to cap GHG intensity at 89.34 gCO2e/MJ by that year They can only plan the voyage when they know the point of departure. So understanding where the fleet currently stands in relation to the 91.16 gCO2e/MJ regulation baseline is absolutely essential. By calculating the fleet's GHG intensity now, they can better plan for the necessary reductions.  With a 2% reduction target for 2025, operators should aim to cap GHG intensity at 89.34 gCO2e/MJ by that year. And remember the scale continues sliding, with a 6% reduction by 2030, tapering down to an 80% cut by 2050. 4. Evaluate the Compliance Options Each fleet and operation is unique, meaning that the most cost-effective compliance solutions vary. That means you need to evaluate options based on the specific situation: Fuel Mix: Transitioning to low-carbon fuels, such as biofuels or LNG, can reduce GHG intensity. Shore Power: Using shore power when docked can minimize onboard fuel consumption and emissions. Wind-Assisted Propulsion: Installing wind-assist technologies, such as suction or rotor sails, can cut fuel use, contributing to reduced GHG emissions. Banking, Pooling, or Borrowing: These mechanisms allow for strategic management of emissions allowances. Operators with surplus allowances can bank or pool them for future use, while those facing deficits can borrow allowances to avoid penalties. Penalty Consideration: When alternative fuels or technology investments are too costly, evaluating the cost of non-compliance penalties may provide a stopgap measure. 5. Plan Ahead now to Manage Cost Exposure Legally, compliance with FuelEU Maritime comes into force on 30 April 2026, when 2025’s figures are digested Legally, compliance with FuelEU Maritime comes into force on 30 April 2026, when 2025’s figures are digested. This can create the illusion that there’s plenty of time. There’s not. Delaying decisions to the last minute will leave operators vulnerable to higher costs and fewer options, while planning ahead creates insight and opportunity. Those with surplus emissions reductions can consider banking or pooling their allowances, while those anticipating compliance challenges must plan ahead for alternatives such as biofuels, shore power, or borrowing allowances. A proactive strategy not only reduces risk, but positions the fleet for long-term sustainability – both commercially and environmentally. Advent of FuelEU Maritime There is a great deal of confusion, and some consternation, with regards to the advent of FuelEU Maritime. However, with the right solutions, partners and planning they can simplify this complex regulation and sail compliantly into a more sustainable, and profitable, future. But the time to act is now. Get in touch with NAVTOR to find out more about safe, secure and cost-effective compliance.