NAVTOR News

NAVTOR launched its acclaimed ENC service to market in 2012 and, since then, has built a global client base on the back of its mission of making life simpler for navigators, and safer, more efficient and profitable for shipowners and operators. This latest move comes just six months after NAVTOR opened the doors to its first UK office

Shipping is an industry full of surprises. No matter how many hours a navigator spends carefully appraising all relevant information and planning the intended voyage, there is always a chance that conditions could change unexpectedly. Unexpected situations that may occur could be sudden changes in weather, accidents, shift of cargo, sickness, injuries, or unexpected technical difficulties that demands a change in route, or that the vessel seek out a port of refuge. 

When unexpected circumstances force a vessel to deviate from its intended route, chart management can be one of the biggest issues. Ordering and acquiring new licenses and permits needed to access the required ENC for the adjusted route, can be painfully time-consuming. As many navigational suppliers still rely on paper charts and DVDs, navigators often find themselves spending a lot of time by contacting their supplier and waiting for them to deliver the required paper charts or a DVD with the latest information. In worst case scenarios, it can take weeks to deliver the necessary updates to the ship. This begs the question: is there a better way for navigators to adapt to change more efficiently to put the vessel on optimal course when unexpected situations occur?

Since day one, when the company was founded back in 2011, NAVTOR has been confident that the answer lies in seamless e-Navigation solutions. By making all information available on demand through seamless automatic data distribution, navigators are given easy access to the very latest versions of the required ENCs. In other words: simplified tasks and increased efficiency.
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This means no more DVD, and no more worrying about the latest editions and updates when the passage plan must be adjusted. The latest updates of global charts and licenses are always available. This makes the navigator better equipped to adapt to unexpected changes, and easily make changes to the sailing route with the touch of a few buttons. 

National Geographic Quest is the first of two expedition vessels announced by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Alliance. The vessel was delivered in the beginning of July, and has been built entirely for state-of-the-art expeditionary travel. It is now ready to bring adventurous passengers to remote and fascinating destinations in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

To make sure that National Geographic Quest will always have the latest charts available on its expeditions, NAVTOR has equipped the vessel with a NavBox unit. Connected and fully integrated with the ship’s ECDIS, the innovative solution will ensure seamless, automatic distribution and updating of the expedition vessel’s ENC.
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The NavBox will be working in conjunction with NAVTOR’s navigational management solution NavTracker. The service will enable synergy between the vessels and land-based teams, providing both the navigators on board and the ship management on shore with an easy way to track, report and manage vessel movement, chart usage and costs.  ​