NAVTOR at SNIC 2025: The Beginning of a Greater Voyage
- bjornaakre
- Aug 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 29
Article collaboration with Norwegian Business Association in Singapore:
This November at SNIC 2025, Bjørn Åge Hjøllo, NAVTOR’s Chief Sustainability Officer, will give a taste of future potential with insights into two landmark developments. NAVTOR’s ambitions are simply breathtaking. The Norwegian headquartered business, with a major presence in Singapore since 2014, doesn’t just want to help shipping companies be greener, safer and more profitable, it aims to support transforming their operations.
Empowering one-third of the world fleet
NAVTOR is a world leading maritime technology company, with e-Navigation, performance and smart shipping products and services on over 18,000 vessels within the world fleet.
In other words, the company’s solutions, which operate based on a unique digital ecosystem – securely collecting, sharing and utilising data across vessels, fleets and onshore offices – empower roughly one third of all SOLAS ships on the planet to meet their goals.
And all from a standing start since the company’s foundation in 2011.
It’s an impressive achievement, but, according to Bjørn Åge, this is only the beginning of a greater voyage.
What drives NAVTOR’s innovation?
“From day one we’ve been focused on making life easier for shipping companies,” he smiles.
“We do that, quite simply, through innovation. By working hand in hand with customers and stakeholders throughout the industry we gain an in-depth understanding of their challenges, and opportunities, and then work hard to develop smart digital solutions that meet those needs."
“In short, that delivers safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations – simplifying compliance, but also boosting the bottom line.”
Although it’s the team’s maritime and digital pedigree that create the solutions, Hjøllo is keen to stress that the “hand in hand” collaboration is key to success.
“And that’s especially true in Singapore,” he says.
Singapore: NAVTOR’s launchpad for global innovation
The Singapore office was NAVTOR’s first overseas office when it opened 11 years ago (another 10 have been added since then) and was boosted significantly when the company acquired Voyager Worldwide, which was headquartered here, in 2023.
“It’s such an important hub,” Hjøllo explains, “with truly worldclass players and authorities that are both open to innovation and committed to excellent standards. Exactly the kind of organisations we want to partner with!”
An example of such collaboration will be revealed at SNIC, when Hjøllo details developments in the DYNAPORT project (see video below). Here NAVTOR is working with leading port authorities, including MPA in Singapore, to completely digitalise port calls. This will be central to empowering “just in time arrivals” with a standardised procedure that unlocks huge gains in efficiency, predictability and sustainability.
“In many ways this is the ‘holy grail’ of shipping,” Hjøllo smiles, “and personally something I’ve been working on for over a decade. The audience at SNIC will be amongst the very first to see what’s next, and I’m delighted MPA will be in attendance.”
The project that could cut shipping’s energy use by 20%
The SNIC spotlight will also illuminate another groundbreaking collaboration in the form of the GASS project (see video below). Again, Hjøllo will delve into details on the stage, but the overall aim is to build on the foundations of NAVTOR’s integrated data ecosystem with digital twin technology and advanced AI algorithms to enable ‘dynamic voyage optimisation’.
If all that sounds a bit bewildering then here’s something easier to understand: the tech will slash vessel energy consumption, and therefore fuel emissions and costs, by 20%. That’s right, one fifth less energy consumed per ship in your fleet.
Multiply that by the 18,000+ vessels on NAVTOR’s books and it’s not just a bottom line benefit; it’s a massive push towards industry transformation to meet world and IMO Climate Goals – namely, Net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
Where will NAVTOR — and shipping — go next?
“We are committed to using innovation, such as the latest AI, to help our customers, and the whole of maritime, meet sustainability, commercial and regulatory targets,” Hjøllo states. “But we can’t do that alone – decarbonisation doesn’t happen in isolation. That’s why the partners we have, at sea and on shore, especially here in Singapore, are so crucial to developments.”
“Together we really can sail to a cleaner, greener and smarter shipping future!” - Bjørn Åge Hjøllo
NBAS Welcomes NAVTOR to SNIC 2025
“Once again, NAVTOR is pushing innovation forward here in Singapore’s harbour — and we’re excited SNIC will be among the first to see what’s next from their groundbreaking projects. Their projects connect people, ports, and possibilities, and that’s exactly what SNIC is all about. We’re proud to have them as a Gold Sponsor this year, and I can’t wait for the audience to see what’s coming next from their team.”
Tone Dale, Executive Director, NBAS
