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Nauticworx secures first clients following launch of innovative workboat availability platform
Rotterdam-based startup gains traction after SMM Hamburg launch; now eyes further growth at International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans.
Since its September launch, Nauticworx.com, the new digital platform designed for efficient workboat spot chartering, has attracted significant market interest. Several early adopters have joined the platform to publish their real-time project needs for temporary workboats or list vessels with regional availability in the spot charter market.
Nauticworx aims to simplify the complex spot market by bringing brokers, fleet owners, and charterers together on one matchmaking platform, enabling seamless connections between asset providers and project managers across sectors like offshore wind, dredging, port services, and the offshore industry.
Early success and expansion plans
Since its debut at the SMM in Hamburg, Nauticworx has onboarded its first clients, including several key early adopters who are actively listing vessels and projects for immediate availability. Each new client strengthens the platform’s impact, enhancing visibility and promoting the sustainable utilization of regionally available vessels. This not only increases operational flexibility in an industry that often requires short-term solutions but also reduces fuel consumption and emissions through shorter mobilization times.
Friso Visser, Co-Founder and Managing Director, says: “Following our launch, we’re thrilled by the platform’s growth over the past two months. We’re proud to have onboarded clients such as Landfall Marine, Braveheart Marine, and several others, and have successfully connected real-time availability with spot charter requests. Brokers, fleet owners, and charterers all benefit—this is truly a win-win game.”
Real-time demonstrations
“All in all, this is a strong start, and we’re working hard to expand the platform,” Visser adds. “Next up, we’ll be at the New Orleans Workboat Show from November 12 to 14 and Offshore Energy on November 26 and 27 in Amsterdam, where we will have our own booth for real-time demonstrations of the platform. We’re excited to build on this momentum—Nauticworx has received an enthusiastic response from companies looking for a straightforward, reliable spot chartering solution, and these events are perfect opportunities to connect with fleet owners and offshore operators.”
Interview: Maarten van Willigen
What initially attracted you to the NWX platform, and what motivated you to become a Nauticworx Commercial Partner?
What attracted me most is the solution that the NWX platform presents to all parties involved in spot-market operations, that of always providing a suitable vessel for a project, whilst maintaining a certain degree of anonymity.
It is not always desirable to give insight in your vessel’s location and availability, for example to your competitors, though at the same time this is exactly the information that is required by charterers and brokers.
Secondly, of course, the fact that NWX honours the position of shipbrokers, giving them the tools for both the owners and charterers, at a reduced rate!
What were your first impressions of the platform’s potential to create value within the industry?
Already in pre-release phase the platform showed enormous potential to add value, especially to fill the gaps in the planning.
Of course shipowners have a poule of clients they already work with frequently, but why not fill the final 5% with new clients?
Can you describe your experience using the platform before deciding to promote it to your audience?
I had the pleasure of providing feedback to the NWX team from a brokers’ perspective; what would a client look for during a search? What information should be provided by owners to validate their vessels as suitable for certain projects?
This has further streamlined the usability of the platform, and with that the viability in the long term.
Which specific features of the Nauticworx platform do you find most valuable, and why do you believe they resonate with your audience?
For me, the most interesting feature is that as a charterer you can specify your requirements by simply ticking some boxes, whilst then being presented with vessel options you maybe hadn’t thought of.
Need 100m2 deck space and a heavy offshore crane? Why not a Multicat instead of an Anchor Handling Tug. Maybe a small CTV instead of an offshore rhib. The platform works across all vessel types and only looks at the set requirements.
How does the Nauticworx platform compare to other similar products or services you have used in the past? Or is Nauticworx truly one of a kind?
Nauticworx, to me, is a one-of-a-kind platform because of the anonymity of the vessels on there. Once an enquiry has been received and approved by the vessel owner, only then they decide whether to get in touch directly with the charterer or broker, and provide further vessel information.
What differentiates our startup in the market, and what do you believe makes Nauticworx a game-changer in how charterers, brokers, and operators showcase supply and demand?
It all comes down to the basic intentions of the Nauticworx platform. Filling the gaps in your operational planning, whilst only charging a standard monthly fee for this service.
No further interference, no extra commissions payable. Simple and clean, without costing a fortune to its users.
How did your audience respond when you first started promoting the platform?
There has often been a little bit of hesitation, especially with owners. In the end the maritime world tends to be a little bit conservative.
I frequently received questions like ‘why would I use this, I have my vessels at work most of the year’ and remarks like ‘I don’t want my competitors to see where my vessels are, and whether or not they are available’.
These doubts have always been short-lived. It is great to see the hesitation turn around into sincere enthusiasm when explained more about the platform’s capabilities.
Can you share a success story or positive feedback from users who joined the platform through your promotion?
Outside of some successful charters concluded, I believe the best client feedback has been that this platform should have been there years ago.
And I agree with them, too.
Looking ahead, how do you see your partnership with Nauticworx evolving, and how can we support you in further promoting the platform?
Of course the platform is skyrocketing, and the capabilities are expanding with every revision. It is good to see that now there are explanatory video’s available, and that clients can demo the platform for a period of time.
With all these tools at our disposal, there’s no stopping Nauticworx from becoming a one-stop solution for the maritime industry.