GNS aims to build range of integrated navigation solutions

GNS was founded on 21 November last year with former UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) chief Mike Robinson at the helm and the financial backing of Phoenix Equity Partners, acquiring the businesses of Thomas Gunn. This acquisition was followed up with GNS buying up HanseNautic and DPM/Lillie & Gillie this year.

As the businesses are integrated together GNS made its first public appearance as a brand at Marintec China 2013 in Shanghai this week.

“We just saw an opportunity to something different and bring something fresh to shipping companies with the distribution of their navigational information,” Robinson ceo of GNS told Seatrade Global. “We decided the only way to gain a global presence was to make acquisitions on which to build our distribution business.”

Robinson said they have now achieved the “significant” market share they set to gain. “Today we are the largest distributor of Admiralty publications both electronic and paper as well as publications from hydrographic offices and the IMO.”

With the acquisitions GNS has made it now has 11 businesses, in eight countries,  employing some 300 people.

The next phase of the business expansion will be the development of integrated navigation solutions. At present GNS offers one solution, Voyager Planning Station.

“My focus over the next six to nine months is really building the solutions side of the business which we will do organically, we will almost certainly work in partnership with some companies and we may make acquisitions,” Robinson explained.

As to what products the company has planned he is playing his cards close to his chest saying: “We are looking at everything to do with navigating a vessel safely from A to B.”