The launching of a superyacht is a momentous occasion. However, for a captain of a 40+ metre vessel, the final stretch in the shipyard can be a logistical storm. From outfitting the bridge with navigation equipment, the list of compliance checks can feel never-ending, especially when facing the time crunch of a looming launch date.
At DSNM, we specialise in taking the complexity out of superyacht navigation. We provide a one-stop-shop navigation solution, facilitating the ‘technical handshake’ between crew, operational software and compliance. We take on the heavy lifting, so you can focus on your vessel.
To ensure your bridge has access to the world’s most reliable data, we provide a gateway to the industry’s most trusted authorities. By maintaining strategic partnerships with NAVTOR, Imray, REGS4Yachts, MARPOL and the UKHO, we deliver multi-layered, real-time data. This ensures your vessel isn’t just compliant but remains safe and future-proof.
Getting to know you:
- Fact finding – Identifying vessel size, primary source of navigation (paper/ECDIS), location, timelines, etc.
- Quoting – Tailored to mandated flag state requirements. We advise on safety publications based on audit feedback and master mariner guidance.
- Logistics – Delivery and licensing dates are synchronised with your launch schedule.
- Implementation – On-site or remote setup and crew familiarisation for NAVTOR and Compass via live demos.
- Additional support services – Working with our trusted partners, we offer a full selection of training courses for bridge refresher, management and safety to address skill fade or new crew employment.
We are at the end of the phone
We take great pride and care in our outstanding customer service. We are not an anonymous ticket system but a team built specifically around the vessels we support.
Yacht managers
Following your onboarding with our specialist, each vessel is assigned a single yacht manager who acts as an extended part of your crew. They support the crew with compliance, navigation equipment procurement and expert assistance with Compass, our software. Essentially, they ensure coverage and licensing always align with the vessel’s upcoming plans.
In-house tech support
Our yacht managers are supported by our in-house team of digital specialists who offer assistance with everything from complex ECDIS integrations to software troubleshooting. Our digital team provides immediate support to ensure bridge systems are updated and ready for launch.
Building the digital foundation
As we see an increasing number of new build vessels choosing their primary source of navigation to be ECDIS, we have developed our digital support service to reflect the needs of a digital infrastructure.
NAVTOR & PAYS
We offer a comprehensive setup of NAVTOR and Pay As You Sail (PAYS) products, if required. PAYS offers access to operational areas, giving the crew the tools to act and respond to changing instructions, licensing and planning data. Cells are only activated once the keel of the vessel has passed into the cell boundary, ensuring you only pay for the data you actually use.
REGS4Yachts
We handle flag-specific compliance by providing digital and paper statutory and non-statutory publications and manuals tailored to your vessel’s registered flag state. Access mariner notices relevant to your vessel, IMOs and safety publications via our software.
COMPASS
At the heart of our service is Compass, our award-winning software. Far from being another software to add to your bridge, it acts as the vessel’s operational ‘brain’. As the industry’s most intuitive hub, Compass integrates passage planning, weather and compliance into a single interface. It allows the crew to:
- View all licensed digital publications – Instant access to all the vessel’s licensed digital publications for streamlined management and inspections.
- Passage planning – Create in-depth passage planning, complemented by the multilayer overlays, supported by information from NAVTOR, IMRAY and MARPOL. Neatly packaged in a downloadable, customisable passage plan.
- Weather – Advanced features provide real-time updates and precise forecasts (wind speed, wave height, etc.) to ensure vessel safety and guest comfort.
- Digital products – Through our partnership, we can provide over 30 Lloyd’s Register-certified and flag-state-approved paperless logbooks. Additionally, we have offered eLearning resources within the Compass platform.
Whether you are overlaying data onto your passage plan or need to adjust your course mid-voyage, Compass provides the real-time, crucial data you need.
Fitting out the fleet
Supporting the crew on the bridge goes beyond digital software. We manage the procurement of essential bridge equipment, including sextants, binoculars, and chart-correcting sets. In collaboration with our sister company Navigatx, specialists in superyacht bridge hardware, we can offer full bridge refits.
New vessels require a comprehensive inventory of physical products; this can include bespoke logbooks and ring binders tailored to the management company’s requirements. We also offer a full range of flags based on your planned itinerary.
What we need to start your journey
To ensure a seamless transition from the shipyard, we typically require:
- Vessel specifications – Gross tonnage, flag state, shipyard location and timelines.
- Bridge equipment list – Details of the primary source of navigation (paper/digital).
- Proposed itinerary – To set up chart licensing, PAYS coverage or supply relevant paper charting.
- Key contacts – Appropriate bridge team crew and management company.
Beyond the shipyard
The delivery of a new build isn’t the end of the journey; it is the beginning of our relationship with the crew. At DSNM, we provide continuous and ongoing support that evolves as the vessel transforms.
Our goal is for all navigating crew to step onto the bridge and find everything they need – from digital charts to physical flags. Fully operational, compliant and supporting the crew from day one.
As your crew rotates or cruising areas change, your dedicated yacht manager and our tech team remain the constant, ensuring your navigation management is one thing you never have to worry about.
Planning a 2026 launch? Don’t wait until sea trials to secure your digital foundation. Contact [email protected] today.
