Wärtsilä Announces Acquisition Of Transas
Wärtsilä Corporation announced March 19 it will acquire Transas, a United Kingdon-based provider of marine navigation technology. The acquisition “will speed Wärtsilä along its path toward its Smart Marine Ecosystem vision,” the company said in the announcement.
Established in 1990, Transas offers marine navigation solutions that include complete bridge systems, digital products and electronic charts. Transas leverages machine learning and AI to create a unified cloud-based platform for managing operations across the entire marine ecosystem. The company has 22 regional offices worldwide and a distribution network that spans 120 countries. It has a workforce of approximately 1,000 employees who will be integrated within Wärtsilä’s Marine Solutions business.
The transaction is expected to be closed during the second quarter of 2018.
Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine Ecosystem is a vision whereby smart vessels connect with smart ports and beyond to deliver three fundamental industry benefits: maximizing the use of resources and operational efficiency, minimizing environmental impact and risk, and achieving the highest levels of safety and security. Through data integration, greater connectivity and cloud-based technology, Wärtsilä aims to resolve inefficiencies in the shipping sector resulting from overcapacity, sub-optimal fuel consumption, and waiting times at ports and other high-traffic areas, the company said.
“Combining Transas with Wärtsilä will bring the Smart Marine Ecosystem many steps forward,” said Roger Holm, president of Wärtsilä Marine Solutions. “We can now connect Wärtsilä’s product portfolio, the biggest in the marine industry, with ship traffic control, simulators, navigation solutions and fleet operation solutions from Transas. The combined package will further improve the way a vessel can sail in the most cost efficient and environmental friendly way for our customers.”
“It is incredibly exciting to have this opportunity to join the Wärtsilä brand in delivering the future of maritime transport,” said Frank Coles, CEO of Transas. “We share a common vision; one of a safer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly maritime industry. The Transas team has significant competences in technology, along with a globally recognized leadership position in navigation, simulation and traffic control systems. Adding these to the extensive, world leading Wärtsilä portfolio of services and products, provides an unparalleled opportunity for a new ecosystem for maritime operations.”
