E-navigation company NAVTOR has further illustrated its ambitions within the maritime sector by appointing Frode Klepsvik, the former Director of the Norwegian Hydrographic Service, to the company’s board of directors. The appointment follows on just two months after the arrival of Tor Svanes, the founder of C-MAP Norway, in the position of Managing Director.
Klepsvik has a unique pedigree within the maritime sector, boasting lengthy tenures with the Royal Norwegian Navy, where he climbed to the rank of Commander, and Det Norske Veritas, where he was responsible for Classification of Ships and Certification of Automation, Navigation and Integrated Bridge Systems.
However, Klepsvik is perhaps best known in the industry for his role as Director of the Norwegian Hydrographic Society from 1997 to 2007.
During this time he oversaw the society’s most extensive ever overhaul of its mapping of the Norwegian coastline up to, and including, Spitsbergen (Svalbard) – some 850 Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs) and 80 new paper charts were produced as a result of these endeavours.
Odd Torland, NAVTOR’s Chairman of the Board, sees obvious value in bringing the firm’s latest recruit on board: “Frode has immense knowledge and expertise within the maritime sector and, through his experience with NHS, is perfectly placed to help us grow our electronic chart and navigational information services offering.”
Svanes, the founder of C-MAP Norway, who joined NAVTOR in January, added: “We feel privileged to add Frode to the board and pleased that someone of his calibre within the industry sees the huge potential of NAVTOR’s business proposition.”
He continued: “The company only entered the market in June last year, but our focus on providing customers with a seamless ENC service has already made waves within the marketplace and, with the IMO’s ENC mandate kicking in this summer, we’re confident of big things in the future. Frode’s expertise on the board will help us plan and build for sustained success.”
The move comes only a matter of weeks after NAVTOR launched its groundbreaking ‘Pay As You Sail’ DNV-approved NAVTOR ENC Service, giving ships’ navigators instant access to ENCs through a subscription-based model.
In addition to his fresh role at NAVTOR, Klepsvik currently holds the dual position of MD of MT-Marine Technologies Pte Ltd, Singapore and Vice President Business Development at Marine Technologies LLC.
