NAVTOR Pushes for Greater Global Acceptance of Pay As You Sail

E-navigation specialist NAVTOR believes that hydrographic authorities yet to allow the use of ‘pay as you sail’ (PAYS) ENCs in their national waters are lagging behind clear industry demand. The firm, which launched the first ever type-approved PAYS ENC service to the market in 2012, says that over 80% of its subscribers now use PAYS - a delivery method that supplies clear efficiency benefits to an industry that is now, more than ever, defined by cost control and the effective use of resources.

Unlike traditional ENC subscription models, which are based on set areas and time scales, NAVTOR’s PAYS only levies charges for the charts navigators actually use during voyages, while allowing them to instantly access any chart for planning. This distribution method is now accepted by the industry and most authorities, but has yet to be approved by key bodies controlling some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

80% Have Selected PAYS

NAVTOR CEO Tor Svanes says that while more than 80% of NAVTOR’s customers have now selected PAYS, some key authorities have been slow to react. He sees no compelling reason why some hydrographic authorities have yet to license charts for PAYS use. He regards it as encouraging that Indonesia has recently moved to accept the model, but there remain a number of principle players that should re-address their stance to serve the market they serve, control and support, according to him.

Svanes makes the comments at a time when NAVTOR is celebrating its fifth anniversary in the marketplace. In that time, the firm has established itself as a global leader in e-navigation, releasing products and services that streamline and simplify tasks for navigators, while enhancing safety, security and efficiency for shipowners and operators.