What Burmester & Vogel does

Burmester & Vogel (B&V) is a Boston-based maritime technology company that develops AI-powered software for laytime automation, demurrage management, document processing, and voyage optimization in commercial shipping and commodity trade. Originally founded in Hamburg in 1983 as a traditional laytime calculation software vendor, the company has repositioned itself as an AI-first platform serving dry bulk commodity traders and producers, shipowners and operators, charterers, and, more recently, financial institutions. Its product portfolio centers on SailFast (the flagship AI-powered laytime automation platform launched in late 2024), the legacy BV Laytime calculation engine, PortIQ (an AI analytics and data lake platform), EverBL (document AI and audit services), Glomaris (voyage optimization with satellite tracking), and a BV Portal with API access — built on a proprietary dataset of over 2 million voyage calculations accumulated across 40+ years.

Underlying technology combines computer vision for shipping document digitization, NLP and generative AI for trade document processing, predictive analytics for demurrage benchmarking and vessel valuation, and optimization algorithms for voyage planning. The company has expanded its data assets and vertical reach through two acquisitions — Laysoft (2025) for migration of legacy laytime calculation customers, and Marsoft (March 2026) for vessel valuation and shipping cycle forecasting models targeting banks. B&V's business model rests on annual or multi-year enterprise SaaS subscriptions with seat-based access (Administrator/Editor/Viewer), supplemented by professional services (training, consulting, outsourced demurrage management) and derivative analytics products (benchmark demurrage indices, peer comparisons). Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise field sales for large commodity traders and shipowners, combined with a self-serve BV Portal, a Windows desktop application, and API-based integration for partner systems. The company is privately held (Delaware corporation), reports 150+ global clients and 1-10 employees with active engineering hiring, and operates from 50 Milk Street in Boston while maintaining a global presence through maritime industry events and seven localized website languages.

Name

Burmester & Vogel

Legal name

Burmester & Vogel Ltd.

Website

https://burmester-vogel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Burmester & Vogel is a Boston-based maritime technology company that builds AI-powered software for laytime automation, demurrage management, document processing, and voyage optimization, serving 150+ commodity traders, shipowners, charterers, and financial institutions globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Transportation Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (513210), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Vendor & Contract Management (Software/Cloud) (BPAEAOAD)

Keywords

• Maritime laytime automation
• Demurrage management software
• Shipping document AI
• Voyage optimization platform
• Freight analytics solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription / License Fees: B&V provides access to its platforms (SAILFAST, BV Laytime, PortIQ, EverBL, Glomaris, BV Portal) pursuant to signed or paid invoices. Clients pay fees, applicable taxes, and charges per invoice. Payment obligations are non-cancelable with fees paid non-refundable. After 30 days overdue, unpaid balances accrue 1.5% monthly interest. This implies an annual subscription or multi-year license model typical of enterprise B2B SaaS.
2. Professional Services: The company offers training, consulting, and outsourced demurrage management services alongside its software products. These services complement the core software offerings and provide an additional revenue stream with higher margins, typically sold as add-on engagements to enterprise clients.
3. AI Derivative Works & Analytics Products: B&V uses client data to create derivative analytics products including benchmark demurrage price indices by vessel type/size/trade lane, average port stays and costs analytics, peer group comparisons, and demurrage accuracy rating systems. These derivative works are owned by B&V and may be commercialized as standalone analytics products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Burmester & Vogel builds and sells AI-powered SaaS software for maritime commercial operations, centered on automated laytime calculations and demurrage claims management for voyage charter contracts. Its flagship SAILFAST platform, complemented by PortIQ analytics, EverBL document AI, Glomaris voyage optimization, and APIs, processes over 2 million historical voyages to deliver accurate, standardized shipping calculations for commodity traders, shipowners, charterers, and financial institutions. The company also provides training, consulting, and outsourced demurrage management services, and is recognized as the industry-standard laytime calculation engine with 40+ years of domain heritage.

Product overview

Burmester & Vogel (B&V) is a maritime technology company offering a suite of AI-powered tools for commercial maritime operations, primarily focused on laytime automation, demurrage management, and voyage optimization. The product portfolio centers on the SAILFAST platform (AI-powered laytime automation) and the core Laytime product (industry-standard calculation engine), complemented by PortIQ (AI analytics and data lake), EverBL (Document AI for trade insights), Glomaris (voyage optimization and satellite tracking), and APIs for portal integration. The company has expanded its platform through strategic acquisitions — most notably Laysoft (migration support for Laysoft2000 users) and Marsoft (market intelligence and vessel valuation for shipping cycle forecasting) — integrating their analytical models and data into the SAILFAST and PortIQ offerings. Supporting the software products, B&V also offers training, consulting, and outsourced demurrage management services, as well as the BV Desktop Windows application, the Packard Laytime Calculator Book reference publication, and the BV Portal as the central authenticated platform. The portfolio collectively delivers supply chain visibility across demurrage, freight, voyage management, and document digitization for banks, charterers, shipowners, and commodity traders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SailFast: Industry leading AI-powered laytime automation platform. Provides automated laytime calculations and business intelligence services.
• Laytime
• PortIQ
• EverBL
• Glomaris
• APIs
• Demurrage AI Co-Pilot

Products and services

• SailFast (SAILFAST) AI-powered laytime automation platform that automates the calculation of laytime and demurrage for voyage charter contracts, integrating document extraction, business intelligence, and predictive analytics for commodity traders, shipowners, charterers, and banks. Builds on calculations from 2M+ voyages.
• Laytime (BV Laytime) Industry-standard laytime calculation and demurrage claims management software providing the foundational calculation engine used for manual and semi-automated laytime computations. Serves as the predecessor and complement to the AI-powered SailFast platform.
• PortIQ AI-powered analytics and data lake platform delivering industry-leading analytics for shipping operations, including benchmarking, peer comparisons, vessel valuation, and shipping cycle forecasts across dry bulk, tanker, containership, and LNG markets.
• EverBL Document AI and audit services that unlock trade insights from shipping and trade documents using proprietary extraction algorithms to process, digitize, and standardize documents for dispute resolution and operational efficiency.
• Glomaris Integrated voyage optimization and real-time satellite tracking platform enabling efficient route planning and monitoring of vessel positions using satellite data for maritime operators.
• B&V APIs Programmatic APIs that provide integrated laytime and demurrage functionality within the BV Portal, enabling enterprise systems and partners to embed B&V's calculation and management capabilities directly into client workflows.
• BV Portal Cloud-hosted SaaS portal that serves as the central access point for B&V's product suite, integrating SailFast, Laytime, APIs, and business intelligence for authenticated end users in a unified interface with role-based access (Administrator, Editor, Viewer).
• BV Desktop Downloadable Windows desktop application providing offline access to B&V's laytime calculation and demurrage management tools for enterprise users requiring local installation and desktop-native workflows.
• Professional Services Training, consulting, and outsourced demurrage management services that complement B&V's software products, enabling clients to adopt the platform and outsource specialist laytime operations.
• Laysoft Migration Support Migration support service for former Laysoft2000 users, acquired by B&V to expand its maritime technology portfolio and transition legacy users onto the modern B&V platform.
• Packard Laytime Calculator Book Pre-order offering for the Laytime Calculator Book, a published reference tool for laytime calculations that codifies B&V's 40+ years of maritime industry expertise and laytime standardization legacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2M+ voyages calculated to train AI models
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability11 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BIMCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2025Burmester & Vogel joined the BIMCO Technology Partnership in March 2025, collaborating with leading technology companies in the maritime technology sector as part of BIMCO's Technology Programme. BIMCO is the world's largest shipping association and a recognized leader in maritime technology, offering products such as SmartCon (AI-powered contract creation). B&V will integrate its solutions with BIMCO's digital products, license BIMCO content for enhanced digital workflows, and adopt BIMCO data standards to improve interoperability. This partnership underscores B&V's commitment to driving digital transformation in global shipping.
• MassChallengeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 January 2025CEO Evangelos Efstathiou participated in an interview with MassChallenge, discussing B&V's transformation from a traditional German software house to a Boston-based AI startup, the company's approach to maritime AI innovation, and its vision for digitizing the dry bulk sector. MassChallenge is an innovation ecosystem providing network and mentorship support for high-growth tech startups, helping B&V navigate its transformation from a legacy provider.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Kpler: Kpler provides data, analytics, and tracking for commodity and maritime markets. Overlaps with B&V's freight analytics and PortIQ data lake capabilities around commodity flows and voyage insights, though focused more on commodity trading intelligence than laytime.
• Nautilus Labs: Nautilus Labs applies AI to commercial shipping performance and bunker optimization, with comparable maritime analytics capabilities to B&V's PortIQ and Glomaris products. Emerging AI-native competitor in maritime commercial intelligence.
• RightShip: RightShip offers maritime vetting, sustainability analytics, and safety intelligence used by charterers and commodity traders. Adjacent analytics positioning to PortIQ, with overlap on data-driven maritime decision-making.

Direct peers

• Veson Nautical: Veson Nautical is a leading provider of maritime software solutions for voyage management, including its IMOS platform for commercial operations, freight and demurrage workflows. Direct competitor to B&V in maritime transportation management and freight analytics for shipping.
• StormGeo: StormGeo provides voyage optimization and weather routing software used by shipowners and operators. B&V's Glomaris voyage optimization product overlaps with StormGeo's optimization capabilities for maritime fleet routing and commercial decisions.
• Marcura: Marcura operates the Daccla suite for port costs, laytime, and demurrage management as well as PortLog, both direct alternatives to B&V's demurrage and port cost products. Direct competitor serving similar maritime counterparty and trader customers.
• MariApps: MariApps offers maritime ERP and operations software (Smart Ship) covering fleet operations, technical management, and charter-related workflows. Competes with B&V's demurrage and voyage operations modules for shipowning customers.

Others

• BIMCO: BIMCO is the world's largest shipping association and B&V's strategic technology partner. While not a direct competitor, its SmartCon and standards-setting influence shapes the competitive landscape and partly overlaps with B&V's contract-tied laytime workflows.

Broad incumbents

• Lloyd's Register: Lloyd's Register provides maritime classification, advisory, and digital analytics services including vessel performance and shipping market intelligence. As a broader maritime services incumbent, it competes with B&V's PortIQ/Marsoft-related market intelligence offerings.
• Wärtsilä: Wärtsilä's marine business (formerly Eniram and SmartShip suite) provides broader operational and vessel performance optimization across the maritime industry. Larger incumbent with overlapping voyage optimization and maritime analytics capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/burmestervogel
• Facebookfacebook.com/BurmesterVogel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burmester-vogel

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Burmester & Vogel