NAVTOR is helping Redningsselskapet  increase both efficiency and cost savings by making its cutting-edge fleet management solution, NavFleet, available free of charge, while also providing ongoing systems delivery and support. The partnership will help empower optimal operations for the society’s fleet of currently 59 vessels, with intelligent planning and monitoring, more efficient vessel utilisation, greater predictability, and the potential for meaningful cost savings through smarter decision-making and deployment.

Perfect partners

Redningsselskapet has been safeguarding people and assets in Norwegian waters since 1891. With a focus on saving lives and helping those in need, the charitable organisation – which is completely dependent on its team, volunteers, members, donors, and corporate partners – is an institution in Norway, with its instantly recognisable red and white vessels undertaking close to 10,000 missions a year (9,674 in 2024).

Enabling safer, smarter, more efficient shipping operations has always been at the core of the NAVTOR philosophy, making the partnership “a natural choice” for the Egersund, Norway headquartered company.

The business, which has innovative solutions on over 18,000 SOLAS vessels in the world fleet, is providing a comprehensive mix of services. NavFleet connects ship and shore with seamless sharing of information, such as passage plans, routes, layers, documents, and certificates between platforms – and official ENC charts from Kartverket (Norwegian Mapping Authority), delivered through NAVTOR’s digital ecosystem. Many RS vessels already utilise NavBox for automated updates, and full rollout across the fleet is planned during the year to ensure continuous access to the latest official charts.

Smarter decisions

Gorm Hillgaar, Maritime Director, Redningsselskapet (RS), explains: “This has always been a team effort – we need our members, volunteers and corporate partners to save lives along the Norwegian coastline, so we’re incredibly grateful for help in this crucial mission. To ensure we can make better decisions, being where and when we’re needed 24/7, we need to utilise multiple streams of data, from vessels and the shore, in the optimal manner.

“The official ENCs and ongoing support we receive from NAVTOR and Kartverket are crucial, while NavFleet has the potential to provide a new level of oversight and context. As an integrated offer this allows RS to deploy resources based on the total picture, quickly planning distances and time usage as missions arise for a new level of predictability and precision, as well as a clear view of when vessels will be back in readiness. This holistic insight means we can take proactive steps to secure preparedness. Preparedness that saves lives. It’s great to have NAVTOR on board.”

Commitment to safety

NAVTOR is known for supporting and enabling safe operations at sea, with its partnership with Redningsselskapet sitting alongside the team’s existing support of the US Coast Guard’s AMVER initiative. This agreement saw AMVER warnings and reporting integrated into NAVTOR’s NavStation route planning solution in 2022, simplifying tasks and helping ocean going vessels respond to incidents and save lives.

“We have a deep commitment to safety at sea,” comments Tor Svanes, NAVTOR Founder and CEO. “Our digital ecosystem is known for making life easier for shipping companies worldwide – helping them achieve operational, commercial and regulatory targets – but we also see it as a powerful platform for supporting smarter, safer decisions and standards.”

Putting customers at the core

Svanes continues: “Redningsselskapet are the true heroes of the sea here in Norway and we’re delighted to continue our support for the team with this new level of partnership. It’s especially important as this is a volunteer-based and charitable organisation, so saving on costs and efficiency is absolutely critical.”

“As we always put our customers at the very centre of our solutions, it’ll also be interesting to see what operational feedback we get from RS, allowing us to continue refining our offer, unlocking extra value for the team and, together, contributing to even safer seas – in Norway and beyond.”

NAVTOR, which opened its doors in 2011, has an international network of 13 offices, with over 400 expert staff.

The business is number one globally in e-Navigation, with a growing market share in cutting-edge performance solutions.