MPC Capital and Wilhelmsen Ship Management have combined to launch a joint venture called Waterway IT, an independent provider of onboard Information Technology (IT) systems.
The new company is an evolution of the existing Waterway IT Solutions business, originally founded in Hamburg in 2016 as CS Customer Services GmbH, an internal service provider for Ahrenkiel Steamship that was wholly owned by MPC IT Services.
At launch, the Waterway IT joint venture supports approximately 400 vessels and 70 customers. The company employs 45 IT professionals across key maritime hubs, including Hamburg, Oslo, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Bangalore.
“The maritime industry is undergoing a fundamental digital shift. Reliable and secure onboard IT infrastructure is essential for modern vessel operations. With Waterway IT, we are creating a global platform with the scale and expertise to support customers in this transformation,” said Sondre Mortensvik, Chief Executive Officer of Waterway IT.
The company provides a managed vessel IT environment that includes hybrid connectivity and cybersecurity, specifically designed for maritime operations and managed centrally to ensure standardisation across a fleet.
“Our approach removes one of the biggest challenges for shipowners: managing complex and fragmented onboard IT systems,” said Florian zum Felde, Chief Commercial Officer of Waterway IT and one of the co-founders of the original business.
“Instead of dealing with multiple vendors, inconsistent systems and unpredictable IT costs, customers receive a standardised and fully managed IT environment from a single provider.”
In addition to Mr zum Felde in Hamburg and Mr Mortensvik in Oslo, the management team also includes Jason See as Chief Operating Officer, based in Kuala Lumpur.