ClassNK Buying Software Maker Napa

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday March 19, 2014

Classification society ClassNK says it will buy maritime software firm Napa in a deal the firms say will accelerate the expansion of software services.

The €53 million ($73 million) deal will not affect Napa's relationships with other class societies, and it will continue to keep their information confidential, according to industry news site Seatrade Global.

"We want to ensure that innovation in software benefits the entire maritime industry – and make new innovations available to everyone," said ClassNK Executive Vice President Yasushi Nakamura.

"Through this agreement we can ensure that NAPA's ship design and operation solutions remain available to the entire maritime industry, while also providing NAPA with necessary tools and resources to further expand its innovative development work."

ClassNK, based in Japan, provides safety and certification services to more than 20 percent of the global merchant fleet, while Napa provides software used by shipowers and by shipyards that design more than 90 percent of the world's newbuilds.

The companies, which have worked together in various capacities for 10 years, said the deal reflects the growing importance of software in improving ship design and efficiency.

ClassNK said last year that it was using speed trial analysis software to help shipyards comply with Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) calculation requirements.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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