Pay-as-you-sail eases ECDIS chart costs

According to Navtor, ships’ navigators currently have to calculate which ENCs they will need for journeys and pre-order them via email, while also collecting the relevant permits and licences prior to leaving port, taking up much valuable time on administration. The PAYS system works on a subscription basis, allowing navigators immediate access to the charts they need.

As the name suggests, the user only pays for the charts actually needed when setting sail. Jan Helge Skailand, Navtor’s development manager, explains: “The service makes all ENCs immediately available, free of charge for planning purposes. Once you start sailing, only the ENC charts actually used for navigation are automatically calculated and charged. Hence it’s not only more convenient, it is also far more economical and transparent, as the web-based ENC portfolio management tool Navtor NavTracker is included as part of the service.”

Marketing manager Willy Zeiler says that the product has been developed with a focus on the end user: “The team at Navtor saw the opportunity to completely rethink the mechanisms for chart supply with the user, the navigator, as the number one priority. The system facilitates seamless chart management on the bridge. It not only eases the navigator’s workload, but also increases safety and security at sea.”

A part of the service is the NAVSync ENC updating feature, which is said to use newly-developed technology to ensures that the ENC database is always up to date.

PAYS has been trialled at sea onboard Norwegian cruise ferry Bergensfjord, monitored by DNV, which has subsequently issued approval for the service.