LR bets on voyage optimisation with C-Map acquisition

Classification society Lloyds Register has reached an agreement to acquire Navico Group’s C-Map commercial marine business, a provider of commercial marine cartography and digital publications.

C-Map also offers shore-side and shipside voyage optimisation, cloud-based fleet management and fleet analytics software.

All of C-Map’s services will be integrated into LR’s growing i4 Insight platform, a digital ecosystem for intelligent insight and ship optimisation applications. And the acquisition includes C-Map electronic navigational charts (ENCs) and publications, route planning and fleet management, weather services, professional services, and marine hydrographic services.

LR said the investment is part of its vision for problem solving through integrated digital tools. The move follows recent partnership agreements between i4 Insight and other maritime application providers, including Laros and Greensteam, a presenter during Riviera’s Vessel Optimisation Webinar Week series of webinars taking place from 7-11 December, 2020.

LR’s C-Map acquisition also shifts the balance in maritime chart and voyage optimisation services from Norway to the UK, where another major ENC provider is based. The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) supplies, through its global partners, tens of thousands of ships with Admiralty ENCs from its headquarters in Taunton, Somerset.

While LR is broadening its services into voyage optimisation, Navico is refocusing its business on providing bridge equipment to recreational and light commercial markets.

“This important development is further evidence of how LR is rapidly building up our maritime digital solutions,” said LR chief technology officer Nial McCollam.

“This acquisition enables us to strengthen how we help our clients, and the maritime industry more broadly, accelerate operational efficiency improvements,” he continued.

“Importantly, the capabilities we have acquired are highly relevant to the industry’s goal of simultaneously reducing costs and emissions,” said Mr McCollam.

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Integration of various voyage optimisation tools is seen by the maritime industry as a way to partially reduce the sector’s environmental footprint.

IMO has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% (from 2008 levels) by 2050 and for lowering carbon intensity in the industry earlier.

Mr McCollam said the C-Map acquisition forms part of LR’s wider strategy, “combining in-house, proprietary software development with alliance partnerships, corporate venturing and acquisitions – to build more cohesive and integrated digital solutions”.

These services are specifically tailored to maritime market needs.

i4 Insight chief executive Joel Meltzner said the addition of C-Map would “enhance our platform with a powerful set of navigation products and optimisation tools”.

Mr Meltzner has considerable experience with voyage optimisation and fleet analysis services having spent 11 years with C-Map’s previous owner Jeppesen and then one and a half years as president of C-Map USA including Q4 2017 when i4 Insight was created.

“By adding these complimentary products and services to our existing capabilities, we continue extending our digital strategy focused on ensuring customers have the right information at the right time to solve key operational challenges,” said Mr Meltzner.

Navico chief executive Knut Frostad, who has been involved with the company since 2005, said “Navico’s broader strategy is to focus its growth in the recreational and light commercial space, and this divestment aligns precisely with that.”

Voyage management and fleet analytics will be discussed during Riviera’s Vessel Optimisation Webinar Week, 7-11 December 2020 - use this link for more details and to register for these events