Tresco Engineering

What Tresco Engineering does

Tresco Engineering BV is a Belgian private software company, founded in 1994 and headquartered at Vosseschijnstraat 43 in the Port of Antwerp, that builds navigation, autonomous steering assistance, and fleet management software for the European inland shipping sector. Its product ecosystem is anchored on Tresco Navigis River (the primary inland ECDIS navigation package), Tresco TrackPilot (a lane-keeping steering assistant that performs roughly four heading corrections per second and ships with a built-in watch alarm), Tresco RadarLink (a radar-overlay-on-chart solution that was the first to obtain Inland ECDIS v2.3 type approval, R-1-103, from FVT Koblenz), Tresco Fleet (a shore-side fleet management platform with mobile app, automated BICS/EBIS/OCIMF reporting, and Green Award CO2 integration), and specialised variants for coastal (Navigis Coaster) and dredging/survey operations. Underlying technology combines in-house compiled S-57/S-52 Inland ECDIS cartography with the SmartTracks pre-calculated sailing-line database built from data of over 6,000 vessels, integrated with AIS, radar, GPS compasses, and pilot hardware from Alphatron, RadioHolland, Veth, eProm, NavMate, and Retina.

Tresco monetises through a mixed software-pricing model: TrackPilot is sold as either an all-inclusive annual subscription at EUR 2,500/year or a EUR 12,500 perpetual licence plus EUR 600/year maintenance; Tresco eReporting is a EUR 240/year compliance bundle covering BICS and Green Award; Tresco Fleet is licensed per vessel at roughly EUR 600/year for a 10-vessel fleet; chart maintenance subscriptions include three update CDs per year; and installation, hardware, and integration services are supplied through a network of dealers in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland, Romania, and Turkey, complemented by direct sales and self-service online subscription for individual skippers. The customer base spans ~150 inland shipping companies running 1,200+ Tresco Fleet vessels, more than 1,000 TrackPilot vessels, and a cumulative 6,000+ vessels across 21 countries, including named accounts such as Anaco, Kratos, MS Menapier, Damen, Deme, Multraship, Boluda, Herbosch-Iere, the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (KNMR). Disclosed revenue is "more than EUR 5 million" with double-digit recent growth, and the company is backed by private equity firm Strada Partners following a March 2025 strategic partnership with Periskal that combines distribution networks while keeping Tresco's Navigis and Periskal's Inland ECDIS Viewer as separate navigation products.

Name

Tresco Engineering

Legal name

Tresco Engineering BV

Website

https://tresco.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tresco Engineering is a Belgian software company that develops navigation, autonomous steering assistance (TrackPilot), radar overlay and shore-side fleet management systems for European inland shipping, serving more than 6,000 vessels across 21 countries and ~150 shipping companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inland Navigation Software

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (488390)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Fuel, Idling & Emissions/Carbon Analytics (TLABAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Navigation, Communications & Integrated Bridge Systems Engineering (IMAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Inland navigation software
• Fleet management platform
• Electronic chart systems
• Autonomous steering assistance
• River information services

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerpen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TrackPilot Subscription: Annual subscription model at EUR 2,500 per year, all-inclusive covering software, SmartTracks, online updates, and live support. Most popular choice among skippers, avoiding large upfront investment.
2. TrackPilot Perpetual License: One-time purchase at EUR 12,500 plus annual maintenance of EUR 600 for SmartTracks and updates. Typically chosen for newbuilds or when subsidies require ownership.
3. Tresco eReporting Subscription: Annual subscription at EUR 240 per year bundling Voyage Plan, electronic BICS reporting, and Green Award CO2 registration. Targets compliance requirements for vessel operators.
4. Tresco Fleet License: Annual license per vessel with pricing depending on number of vessels and modules selected. Indication: approximately EUR 6,000 per year for ten vessels.
5. Chart Maintenance Subscription: Maintenance subscription for navigation charts providing three update CDs per year plus free telephone, fax, and email support. Charts cover European inland waterways as well as nautical charts from partners.
6. Hardware and Installation: Optional hardware including 7-inch touch panels, GPS compasses (JRC, Furuno), and interface equipment. Activation costs range from EUR 0-1,000 for modern pilots or approximately EUR 2,000 for older systems. Installation available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tresco Engineering develops and sells navigation software, steering assistance, radar overlay, electronic charts and fleet management platforms for commercial inland waterway operators across Europe. Its flagship Tresco TrackPilot is a subscription-based steering assistant that uses Inland ECDIS charts and a SmartTracks database of vessel movements to automate course adjustments, while Tresco Fleet provides shore-side operational visibility for charterers and fleet managers.

Product overview

Tresco Engineering offers an integrated ecosystem of navigation software, fleet management, and chart data products for the European inland navigation sector. The core portfolio consists of Tresco TrackPilot (autonomous lane-keeping steering assistant), Tresco RadarLink (radar overlay on charts), Tresco Navigis River (primary inland navigation software), Navigis Coaster (coastal navigation), and Navigis Survey/Dredging (specialised for dredging operations). These are complemented by Tresco Fleet, a shore-side fleet management platform that connects vessels to the office with real-time tracking, automated compliance reporting, and a mobile app. Supporting products include SmartTracks (the largest European sailing-line database from 6,000+ vessels), Inland ECDIS charts, and nautical sea charts distributed from official partners (Primar, IC-ENC, UKHO ARCS). Tresco eReporting is a subscription service bundling electronic voyage reporting (BICS) and Green Award CO2 registration. The ecosystem is unified through data flows between the wheelhouse (Navigis/TrackPilot/RadarLink) and the shore office (Fleet/Dashboard), with a pricing model combining annual subscriptions (TrackPilot at €2,500/year, eReporting at €240/year) and per-vessel fleet licences (approximately €600/vessel/year for a 10-vessel fleet).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tresco TrackPilot Subscription-based autonomous steering assistant for commercial inland vessels that automatically adjusts course using Inland ECDIS charts and real-time tracking of other vessels. Used by skippers on Rhine, Belgian, Dutch and other European inland waterways.
• Tresco RadarLink Software module that overlays existing marine radar onto Inland ECDIS charts, providing skippers with a unified radar-chart picture to improve situational awareness in poor visibility. Targets inland shipping operators requiring radar-chart integration.
• Tresco Navigis River Inland ECDIS-compliant electronic chart display and information system for inland waterway navigation, used by skippers operating on rivers and canals in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and beyond.
• Tresco Navigis Coaster Dual-mode navigation software combining Inland ECDIS charts with official sea charts for coasters and short-sea vessels that transit between inland waterways and coastal waters.
• Tresco Navigis Survey / Dredging Specialized navigation software for survey and dredging vessels operating on inland waterways, supporting depth-tracking and operational chart overlays.
• Tresco Fleet Shore-based fleet management platform that provides shipping companies and charterers with real-time vessel positions, eReporting, barge tracking, fuel/emission profiles and operational dashboards.
• Tresco eReporting Subscription Subscription service that automates regulatory voyage and cargo reporting for inland vessels to authorities across Europe, removing the need for manual reporting.
• Inland ECDIS Chart Cartography

Quantifiable outcome

• Fuel savings of 2% on straight stretches, over 4% on longer trips of 6+ hours, up to 25% in bends - verified on Rhine with 110m cargo vessel
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PeriskalstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 March 2025Strategic partnership announced March 13, 2025 between Tresco Engineering and Periskal, a prominent player in the inland shipping sector with strong presence in Eastern Europe and India. The collaboration aims to accelerate integration of TrackPilot, Tresco's lane assist technology, leveraging Periskal's extensive dealer network and market reach. Both companies will jointly market TrackPilot while their navigation solutions (Periskal's Inland ECDIS Viewer and Tresco's Navigis) will continue to coexist, with future improvements focused on optimal customer support. Combined, they serve more than 6,000 ships in 21 countries.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Periskal: Periskal is Tresco's strategic partner and a direct competitor in the European inland navigation software market, offering an Inland ECDIS Viewer and TrackPilot-style lane assist. Both companies serve the same inland shipping customers across Benelux, Germany, France, and Eastern Europe, and announced a joint go-to-market in March 2025 while continuing to operate competing navigation stacks.
• BASS GmbH: BASS GmbH provides fleet management and inland shipping software in the German and broader European inland waterway market, competing directly with Tresco Fleet for charterers and shipping operators. The two companies target overlapping BICS reporting, vessel tracking, and compliance use cases across the Rhine and German canal network.
• SIRM Italia: SIRM Italia is a European provider of maritime navigation software and Inland ECDIS solutions, selling chart-based navigation, route planning, and reporting products similar to Tresco's Navigis River. It is comparable in product scope and target customer base (inland and coastal operators in the Mediterranean and EU).

Broad incumbents

• Wärtsilä Voyage: Wärtsilä Voyage (formerly Transas) is a global incumbent in maritime navigation, ECDIS, and fleet operations software serving commercial shipping. While focused on deep-sea rather than inland, it represents the type of broad-scale incumbent that could expand into Tresco's inland ECDIS niche as standards converge.
• Kongsberg Maritime: Kongsberg Maritime provides navigation, automation, and fleet management solutions for commercial vessels globally, including ECDIS and integrated bridge systems. Comparable to Tresco as a maritime technology supplier, though at much larger scale and broader maritime scope.
• Alphatron Marine: Alphatron Marine is a JRC distributor and integrated maritime electronics provider that operates as both a Tresco dealer (channel partner) and a competitor offering alternative bridge navigation and chart solutions. It is comparable as an inland and coastal maritime electronics supplier in Benelux and beyond.
• MarineTraffic: MarineTraffic operates a global AIS-based vessel tracking platform used across maritime and inland shipping, comparable to Tresco Fleet's real-time tracking capabilities. While not focused on inland ECDIS, its shore-side visibility and fleet management feature set overlaps Tresco's shore-side offering.
• Radio Holland: Radio Holland is a global maritime electronics distributor and service provider with a strong Benelux and European footprint, listed as a Tresco dealer and integrating with TrackPilot autopilots. It is comparable as an overlapping channel for inland navigation hardware, installation, and support.

Others

• Navionics (Garmin): Navionics (owned by Garmin) provides electronic charts and marine navigation data worldwide, comparable to Tresco's chart data and Inland ECDIS cartography business. While not a direct Inland ECDIS competitor, it is an enabling data vendor and ecosystem participant in the broader marine navigation value chain.
• C-Map (Navico): C-Map provides electronic vector chart databases (CM-93/3) that Tresco's Navigis Coaster displays, making it an enabling chart-data partner and adjacent peer. Its global electronic sea cartography overlaps Tresco's nautical chart distribution business through Primar, IC-ENC, and UKHO ARCS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TrescoAntwerpen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tresco-engineering

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Tresco Engineering