Ness, Risan & Partners is an independent and privately owned investment firm. NRP offers clients direct investments and fund solutions within cleantech, real estate, shipping, and offshore sectors.  

They are alternative investment managers specializing exclusively in private shipping investments. Today, the company manages three active funds: two equity funds that co-invest with private shipping companies specializing in tankers, bulk carriers, and feeder container vessels, as well as a private debt fund offering secured loans to small and medium-sized shipping companies.

With a portfolio spanning several vessel types and geographies, maintaining visibility and control over ship activity is critical to NRP’s investment strategy and risk management practices.

The need for clearer and faster real-time market insight

As both a financial investor and lender, NRP needed a solution that could provide a clear, real-time overview of their fleet and the projects they’re involved in. The goal was to monitor vessel positions, track commercial activity, and ensure compliance with international sanctions and conflict-zone restrictions.

“We started using ShipIntel in 2023 as a tool to monitor our fund portfolios. As a financial advisor bringing together investors and lenders, besides investing and lending money, it’s important for us to have a platform that provides good visibility of where our vessels are at any time,” says Mathias Børresen, Investment Manager at NRP.

“This enables us to efficiently follow commercial activity and maintain full control regarding sanctions and conflict zones. A user-friendly interface, combined with a service-minded and flexible team at Maritime Optima, made the decision to subscribe to ShipIntel an easy one.”

The implementation of ShipIntel has given NRP the ability to make data-driven decisions and act rapidly when vessel movements require attention.

Features that make the difference

One of the benefits of ShipIntel Mathias highlights is the ability to create custom vessel lists and tailor notifications. To make sure everyone in the office has an overview of the current situation, they also display their portfolios in a live updated map at the office.

“For us, it’s especially useful to create different portfolio overviews with lists of vessels, which we always have visible on a screen at the office,” Mathias explains.

“Portfolios and individual vessels can easily be linked to alerts that notify us if a ship enters defined areas, zones, or ports. We also use the feature that shows trading history for individual ships, as well as predictions for the next port of call - both time and place - which is a valuable supplement to our ongoing monitoring.”

With these tools, NRP’s portfolio monitoring has become both more proactive and more efficient. The predictive insights and alert functions help the team focus attention where it matters most.

A positive partnership

Since adopting ShipIntel, NRP has found both the platform and the collaboration with Maritime Optima to exceed expectations. The combination of an intuitive interface and responsive customer support has made ShipIntel a seamless part of the company’s daily operations.

“Our experience with ShipIntel and Maritime Optima has been exclusively positive. The platform is highly user-friendly and has become a valuable tool in our day-to-day operations. The team at Maritime Optima is service-minded, solution-oriented, and always available if we’re in need of assistance.”

By using ShipIntel, NRP has gained the oversight needed to manage its portfolios more efficiently. The platform makes it easier for them to follow vessel movements, stay updated on market changes, and respond quickly when needed. We value the close collaboration with NRP and look forward to continuing to support their work going forward.