Teaming Up in e-Navigation

Tresco Engineering bvba (Tresco) is an independent Belgian company and is specialised in developing navigation technology for the shipping industry. Started as a two-man company, Tresco is now a standard for inland ECDIS navigation. Other applications such as Tracking & Tracing and custom software development for the shipping industry are also a part of the range of services offered by Tresco Engineering.

Tresco Engineering bvba was founded in 1994 in Antwerp by the two owners, Yves Hacha & Jo Jacobs. What started with two men and a digital map of the River Scheldt, has grown into a well-known supplier of inland ECDIS navigation systems and charts. ECDIS type approval of PC-Navigis by BSH, certification of PC-Navigis RadarOverlay, the development of PC-Navigis ‘3D’ view and Tresco Fleet Vsat are a few milestones in its eighteen years of existence.

Steady Growth
Tresco Engineering has been able to position itself as a market leader in the field of river navigation in Western Europe with PC-Navigis since 2003. With more than 5 specific versions of PC-Navigis to cover each market segment, the market share of PC-Navigis exceeds 40%. All the available software is developed by Tresco’s own software development team. Tresco’s workforce has grown to over 10 people to support all its activities. Its main product is PC-Navigis River, with over 3000 licenses sold. Due to more than 2500 support contracts, Tresco Engineering has a sales volume of EUR 1,700,000 a year.

Meeting Customer Specifications
PC-Navigis is available in 5 different versions, each developed with an eye for detail and special needs for the specific sector. PC-Navigis ‘River’ is considered to be the standard for inland navigation. Other versions can be used in the Survey and Dredging, Fishery, Off-Shore and Coastal sectors. PC-Navigis ‘Coaster’ is specially developed for maritime and coastal navigation and is aimed exclusively at the professional sea-going market. Navigis Coaster is based on the Tresco ECDIS software certified by BSH. This version can be used with non-type approved hardware. PC-Navigis can offer an alternative for full ECDIS systems. All versions of PC-Navigis can be upgraded with options like ARPA, AIS, gyro, voyage management and RadarOverlay.

With a wide range of distributors, such as Alphatron Marine, Tresco can rely on a big network of service points all over Europe. Tresco Engineering is located near the River Scheldt in Antwerp. Thanks to its central location in the port of Antwerp, the shipping industry can optimally benefit from its services.

Future Challenges
Over the years, PC-Navigis has been improved based on the introduction of new technologies, feedback from users and co-operation with business partners and also Tresco’s own innovative developments. Examples of this are 3D-view and voyage manager, which are now considered a standard in the world of inland navigation.

The upcoming technology of fast Internet connections on board will open a whole new world of functions and applications for navigation software. The RIS (River Information System) function in PC-Navigis was a first example of the possibilities with internet on board. Updating charts and software manually have been standard in PC-Navigis for many years. Automatic chart updates or live stream charts are some of the future challenges in navigation software.

Global and fast internet also opens new opportunities concerning safety on board and environmental issues. Tresco Fleet Vsat is a good example of this. Shipping companies can localise and follow their ships, captains can easily report different kinds of data like waiting periods, destination, eta and piracy. Various specified alarms can be generated for different situations and accurate dredging status reports and graphics can be generated as well.

Tresco Engineering looks forward to new technologies and is convinced that these opportunities will lead to safer and cleaner navigation!