At Splash Singapore, industry leaders discussed how shipping companies are turning internal digital tools into commercial products and transforming operational know-how into a new source of value.

For decades, shipping companies have been buyers of software, relying on technology providers to improve fleet management, operational efficiency and decision-making.

But a new trend is emerging: some shipowners are now becoming software providers themselves.

Digital solutions initially developed to solve internal operational challenges are increasingly being transformed into commercial products, creating new business opportunities beyond traditional shipping activities.

At Splash Singapore, held in Singapore on 24 September, a roundtable discussion on maritime technology investment and digitalisation explored how shipping companies are moving from internal digital transformation towards commercialisation.

Ingrid Kylstad, Managing Director of Klaveness Digital, shared how the Norwegian shipping group followed this path — developing digital capabilities from its own operational needs before turning them into a standalone business.

From internal tools to commercial products

Klaveness, an 80-year-old Norwegian shipping group, is one of the clearest examples of this trend.

The company established Klaveness Digital in 2017 to develop and commercialise digital solutions. One of its key products, CargoValue, was initially created as a maritime supply chain management tool to support the group’s own operations and customer requirements.

The platform was designed to address a common challenge in shipping and logistics: disconnected decision-making between supply chain teams, shipping departments, inventory management and planning functions.

By connecting cargo information, inventory decisions and shipping plans, CargoValue helps companies understand how operational choices affect the wider supply chain.

Over time, Klaveness Digital expanded beyond internal use. By 2025, the company had continued to grow its customer base, increased annual recurring revenue (ARR), and started migrating customers to CargoValue 2.0. In early 2026, Klaveness also transferred its Market Manager product from Klaveness Dry Bulk to Klaveness Digital, further strengthening the digital business unit.

While the Klaveness Group operates around 75 vessels, Klaveness Digital now operates as a dedicated platform for developing and commercialising maritime technology solutions.

The same trend is emerging in Asia

Klaveness is not alone in exploring this model.

In China, dry bulk operator Guohang Ocean Shipping has developed its own MOS integrated shipping management system, initially designed to support internal operations.

The platform has expanded to cover vessel management, repairs, procurement, settlement, energy efficiency, carbon emissions, ESG, data analytics and intelligent decision-making.

In 2026, MOS was upgraded to version 4.0, achieving full coverage of shore-based management and owned vessels, with more than 630,000 daily data interactions. The company has also accumulated software copyrights and continues to expand investment in digital research and development.

More importantly, Guohang Ocean Shipping is now moving beyond internal deployment.

Through its technology subsidiary, Shanghai Guoyuan Green Energy Shipping Technology Co., Ltd., the company is working to transform MOS into a standardised solution that can be offered to other shipping companies through SaaS or private deployment models.

Japan’s NYK Line has taken another approach.

In August 2026, NYK acquired the remaining 51% stake in YJK Solutions from Fujitsu, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. YJK provides maritime, port and logistics system development, software products and IT services.

The acquisition is part of NYK’s broader effort to strengthen integration between its digital strategy, system development capabilities and operational expertise.

Although the approaches differ, the direction is similar: shipping companies are increasingly viewing digital capabilities not only as internal tools, but also as potential commercial assets.

Why are shipping companies building their own software?

There are several reasons behind this shift.

First, shipping companies understand the problems better

Maritime software is not simply about technology. It requires deep knowledge of how shipping businesses operate.

Chartering, vessel operations, technical management, maintenance, fuel management, procurement, settlement, port operations and carbon compliance are closely connected.

The biggest challenge is often not developing a software function, but understanding how one operational decision affects the entire business chain.

As Kylstad explained at Splash Singapore, companies often face information gaps between different departments. A decision made by one team can influence downstream operations, while other teams may not have sufficient visibility.

For shipping companies, these challenges are already part of daily operations. Their industry knowledge provides a strong foundation for developing practical solutions.

Second, shipping companies have real-world testing environments

Unlike many technology startups, shipowners have direct access to vessels, operational teams, customers and real business data.

New systems can be tested in actual operating environments and improved based on real feedback.

This creates an advantage that external software providers often struggle to replicate: technology development directly connected to daily shipping operations.

As internal digital teams mature, some are moving beyond traditional IT support roles and becoming product development units.

Third, software creates new revenue opportunities

Once internal systems become standardised products, they can create additional revenue streams.

Klaveness Digital has already established a separate commercial model around maritime software solutions, while Guohang Ocean Shipping is working towards broader market adoption of MOS.

Software also changes customer relationships.

Instead of interacting only through transportation services, customers may rely on digital platforms for fleet management, voyage planning, efficiency optimisation and supply chain decisions.

The relationship becomes more continuous and integrated.

Having ships and data does not guarantee success

However, building software businesses is not easy.

At Splash Singapore, participants also highlighted the challenges facing maritime technology companies.

The maritime technology market has become increasingly crowded, with thousands of technology suppliers serving the industry. Despite significant investment and consolidation, the sector has yet to produce a major standalone maritime software company comparable to leading technology firms in other industries.

One reason is the complexity of shipping.

Different shipowners, ship managers, vessel types and operating models create a highly fragmented market. Solutions that work for one company may require significant adjustment for another.

Morten Lind-Olsen, CEO of Dualog, noted during the discussion that maritime technology companies must recognise the long implementation cycles and complexity of customer adoption.

Technology alone is not enough. Long-term customer relationships and deep industry understanding remain critical advantages.

For shipping companies, their strengths are clear: operational experience, industry data and direct access to real-world applications.

But turning those advantages into scalable software businesses requires another set of capabilities — product development, commercialisation and the ability to serve external customers.

The next maritime software providers may come from shipping companies

The future maritime technology landscape may no longer be divided simply between shipping companies and technology companies.

Traditional technology providers will continue to play an important role, bringing software expertise, innovation and cross-industry experience.

But some shipping companies possess equally valuable assets: fleets, operational knowledge, customer relationships and decades of accumulated industry experience.

The companies most likely to succeed will not necessarily be those with the largest number of software systems or patents.

They will be the ones able to complete three transformations:

Turning shipping expertise into software.
Turning internal systems into standardised products.
Turning those products into solutions that customers are willing to pay for.

Klaveness has already moved into commercialisation. Guohang Ocean Shipping is pushing towards productisation. NYK is strengthening its digital capabilities through acquisition.

Different paths, but the same direction.

For decades, shipping companies have paid for software to improve their businesses.

In the future, some may generate revenue by selling something even more valuable: the operational knowledge, data and expertise they have accumulated from running ships.