Owners focus on technical development, corporate growth

Since their divestment from Wärtsilä in Q2 2025, Guidance Marine and NACOS Marine have focused on corporate and product development and growth, with the backing of Swedish investment company Solix Group.

They were part of Wärtsilä’s automation, navigation and control business and, since 2020, Wärtsilä Voyage, after a decade of consolidation that brought various technologies together in one entity. In Q2 2025 this was sold to Solix and split into two companies: NACOS Marine providing its ship automation, integrated navigation and dynamic positioning (DP) systems; and Guidance Marine, focused on developing new generations of sensors and camera solutions.

In September, Riviera spoke to the chief executives of both companies to garner their views on the future for the businesses and vessel technology, particularly for the OSV sector. NACOS group chief executive, Thomas Heldarskard-Winnerskjold, said having the backing of Solix would enable the company to consider organic, technical and corporate investments for the future.

He said NACOS is a combination of several companies and technologies under one platform, NACOS Platinum, including DP, integrated bridge, automation and control systems. “For the first time, we have one company, and we will kick off our strategy and start thinking about the future,” he said. “We can make investments and plan the direction we want to go.”

This will include technology development and testing and could incorporate acquisitions and partnerships. “Solix wants to support us growing the value of the company. All the profits will be reinvested in the company, and with that capital we can do a lot,” Mr Heldarskard-Winnerskjold said.

“New technology will be coming. We are starting to work on where to focus and invest,” he said. This will involve developing technologies, facilitating vessel autonomy and using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for enhanced navigational safety, better vessel positioning and decision support and smart docking. “DP is a key technology enabler,” he added. “All developments on vessel autonomy are related to DP technology,” he said. This includes remotely controlling vessels during voyages, on station close to offshore infrastructure, or berthing in ports. “DP technology is key for docking vessels remotely,” said Mr Heldarskard-Winnerskjold.

“With that capital we can do a lot”

NACOS intends to further develop ship automation to handle alarms better, using AI to assess and evaluate alerts to operators to prevent information overload. “We are piloting with partners to apply AI to support and help operators,” he said. The company is developing autonomous navigation technologies to implement IMO’s anti-collision regulations and smart docking solutions, and methods of enabling remote control and DP to control vessel voyages as well as station keeping.

“We are beginning to provide support recommendations to operators so they can execute that command. We are looking into the whole autonomous operation of a vessel, to translate commands into actions,” said Mr Heldarskard-Winnerskjold. But, he admitted that “full autonomy is too difficult to deliver,” so it should involve gradual steps involving autonomous navigation and remote monitoring and control. “We have conducted several trials with an autonomous tug in Singapore and using autonomous operations on a ferry in Norway,” he said.

Nacos Platinum integrated bridge systemwejgf

NACOS Platinum includes DP, navigation, automation and control systems in an integrated bridge system (source: NACOS)

Cameras and sensors

Another technology development involves fusing sensors and camera feeds into one module on the bridge to support navigators and operators through augmented reality and AI-driven processing and visualisation. “We are looking to develop technology or acquire technology. This is an area to invest in,” said Mr Heldarskard-Winnerskjold.

These technologies are also a focus for Guidance Marine and for its reference sensor developments as it seeks to diversify into smart docking and augmented information delivery. Following its divestment from Wärtsilä in July, Leicester, UK-headquartered Guidance Marine is further developing its targetless reference sensors and high-definition radar, while regrowing its sales teams and partnerships.

“When we were part of Wärtsilä, we had capital behind us, and now we have Solix, which has a five-year plan and is a good partnership for growth,” said Guidance Marine chief executive, Dale Hawley. “The future looks bright for us. We are hiring additional engineers and restructuring, with a new global sales team, and speaking with third parties on the support side. Solix is in for the long haul, but we are standing on our own two feet, so it is key to explore other maritime markets and offshore wind.”

He said the future for DP involves targetless reference sensors as these enable greater flexibility and safety in vessel operations, do not rely on installation and maintenance of targets and open new applications offshore, such as renewables, and in harbours.

“Putting targets on individual monopiles would be expensive, but SceneScan can track monopoles and turbines,” Mr Hawley said. “At first, there was reluctance as people were used to having a target. But now, customers are screaming for targetless sensors, so all our engineering efforts and future projects are targetless, and we are looking to get 1 km of range.”

SceneScan uses laser technology and was Guidance’s first targetless positioning sensor and uses a simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) algorithm to identify and chart the position of a structure, such as a windfarm monopile, in reference to a vessel.

Guidance is developing a digital version of SceneScan using advanced semi-conductors that are more sensitive, enabling extensions to range. “We are developing software and redeveloping SceneScan to be able to track drilling rigs at more than 1 km,” said Mr Hawley.

RangeGuard (RS24) uses 24 GHz radar, is solid state and targetless and has a range of 300 m, but this radiocommunications frequency is heavily restricted so there are limitations on power.

Mr Hawley said the company is re-engineering this technology and developing a new version using 77 GHz frequency to be ready for testing in 2026. “RS77 enables high-definition images and has less restrictions on power emissions. It is currently in development, and we got it running first in September,” he said.

Initially, RS77 would be applied on commercial ships docking in busy harbours where port operators do not want to install or maintain targets for position reference, but would enable smart vessel docking.

“Hardware for high-definition radar will be ready in H1 2026 and RadarScene will come later, we hope by the end of 2026,” said Mr Hawley.

Ranges are improving with targets. Guidance continues to supply CyScan sensors, which use a laser with a prism target and have a 2.5 km range and Artemis, with a range of 10 km, to shuttle tankers for positioning during crude loadings.

Another development is Specs with marine-grade 4K cameras installed in pods providing 366-degree views of ships and software to integrate these live streams. “Specs could be applied to huge commercial ships enabling a master to view from the stern. It could also enable autonomous navigation solutions,” he said.

Guidance would support other technology providers in delivering solutions to vessel owners and operators enabling advanced positioning and port operations. “We continue to be a sensors business and build the hardware and provide camera pods to integrators,” said Mr Hawley.