Two leaders in navigation service provision, UK-based ChartCo and Marine Press from Canada have announced their merger. The move will result in the creation of a new company called OneOcean which will offer the largest range of navigation and compliance solutions into the maritime sector.
Martin Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of ChartCo, announced the merger, saying, “Following the success of three recent acquisitions, we have been looking to further expand our business. We identified Marine Press as a like-minded partner that would complement our own business and expand the offerings to our growing international client base. Marine Press has created game-changing navigation software and award-winning products and services that will complement our own integrated digital navigation products to really create a huge step forward for both of our customer bases.”
He continued, “The new OneOcean business will reflect the collaboration, knowledge and expertise of both companies and build on our individual strengths of research and development, service and support and territorial reach. I believe clients of both companies will see an immediate and comprehensive benefit to the move, and I am really looking forward to working with Nicholas and his team as part of this merger.”
Nicholas Bourque, President of Marine Press, added, “This is a great opportunity for the Marine Press team and our clients, and I am looking forward to the creation of this new global company and the joining of our two businesses. OneOcean will have, by far, the largest R&D capability in the sector and will offer the most innovative solutions for maritime compliance and digital navigation. The technology roadmap that the combined group is working on is really exciting, building on ‘best in class’ solutions from both organisations, and will take ship management into a new digital era.”
The merger of these organisations will provide extensive R&D opportunities towards the development of digital maritime solutions. OneOcean’s continued investment in innovation will drive the maritime sector forward, with the overall aim of reinforcing safer, cleaner and more efficient working practices throughout the shipping industry.
During the coming months, the two companies will transition to a single OneOcean business operation. Until then, existing sales and service operations of both ChartCo and Marine Press will continue, and customer operations will remain unchanged. OneOcean will be the largest single digital solutions company in the maritime industry, serving almost 20,000 vessels and a variety of shore-based stakeholders.
