German asset manager MPC Capital and Wilhelmsen Ship Management have joined forces to launch a new standalone provider focused on onboard vessel IT.
The joint venture called Waterway IT goes live on April 1, bringing together the IT operations of both partners under a single global platform.
Waterway IT starts out with around 400 vessels under management across roughly 70 customers, supported by 45 IT specialists operating from hubs in Hamburg, Oslo, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Bangalore.
The move comes as shipowners face growing pressure to manage increasingly complex onboard systems, with connectivity, cybersecurity and compliance now seen as core to daily operations.
Waterway IT chief executive Sondre Mortensvik said the shift is already well underway.
“The maritime industry is undergoing a fundamental digital shift. Reliable and secure onboard IT infrastructure is essential for modern vessel operations,” he said, adding that the new company is set up to support that transition at scale.
Waterway IT is pitching itself as a one-stop provider, offering a fully managed IT setup that combines connectivity, cybersecurity and onboard systems into a single service.
Chief commercial officer Florian zum Felde said the aim is to simplify what has become a fragmented space.
“Our approach removes one of the biggest challenges for shipowners: managing complex and fragmented onboard IT systems,” he said.
“Instead of dealing with multiple vendors and inconsistent systems, customers receive a standardised and fully managed IT environment from a single provider.”
The company said it will deliver a modular IT stack designed specifically for maritime use, with systems centrally managed across fleets and backed by round-the-clock global support.
