Primar signs ENC distributor agreement with Navtor

As carriage requirements for ENCs move towards an official IMO mandate, Smedvig saw the opportunity to establish an e-navigation company to provide electronic navigation services for the distribution and updating of electronic charts and related maritime information. In Egersund Smedvig established Navtor together with experienced personnel from the maritime industry, all with extensive experience in electronic chart production and distribution.

The ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) will be the central navigation console aboard ships once the IMO mandate comes into force from July 2012. ECDIS manufacturers, data and information providers will meet the growing demand from the maritime industry and Navtor will join forces with these players to jointly develop and supply a fully automated cost-effective, user-friendly electronic maritime navigation services.

“Navtor employees have extensive experience in serving the maritime market with electronic charts and understand that, in future, ENCs will be the only option for the shipping industry to meet the requirement of using authorized electronic charts,” says Navtor Marketing & Communications Manager, Willy Zeiler. He continues: “ A distribution agreement of official ENCs was our prime goal when Navtor was set up, so we are delighted to have signed an ENC distributor agreement with Primar.”

He concluded: “When we launch our innovative ENC service in the first quarter of 2012, I am sure it will be a major contribution to simplify ordering, licensing, updating and, importantly, administration of the ENC chart portfolio. Up to now, the market has been slow to begin using ENC, primarily due to today’s cumbersome solutions. However, when it’s all made easy for the navigator, I believe we will experience a swift uptake in this service. Once the mandatory use of ENC comes into force, I am sure that Navtor´s ENC service will be a valuable solution for navigators on the bridge”.