Marine electronics specialist MARIS AS has completed an ECDIS (electronic chart data information systems) technical training programme to enhance support services covering North America and the Caribbean. The initiative is part of its commitment to the Global Distribution & Service Agreement with IMTECH MARINE.
Engineers in IMTECH MARINE’s service network covering US and Caribbean ports have been trained and certified by MARIS to install, commission and support the MARIS ECDIS900-series. IMTECH MARINE centres in New York, Jacksonville, Miami, Houston, Long Beach, Seattle, Point Lisas (Trinidad & Tobago) and Curacao now offer enhanced expertise in MARIS ECDIS to customers calling at US East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast and Caribbean regional ports.
The programme, undertaken at IMTECH MARINE’s Houston facilities, certifies support staff to service all vessels operating in US and Caribbean waters. Current MARIS clients making regular regional calls include tanker majors Torm and Stolt Tankers.
“Demand for the MARIS ECDIS900 continues to surpass expectations, and today 20% of the vessels in service worldwide that are fitted with ECDIS have MARIS technology installed, ” says Willy Hansen, MARIS Director Special Projects. “The enhanced set up in North America and the Caribbean brings critical technical support for long-established customers, and ensures that the growing number of new customers can call on the same call-out response excellence.
“As mandatory ECDIS is phased in, completing this training initiative is a regional milestone in our global agreement with IMTECH MARINE. Comparable ECDIS training support has been delivered in Europe via IMTECH MARINE’s facilities in Rotterdam, while MARIS Singapore office trained IMTECH MARINE engineers centred in Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.”
IMTECH MARINE recently bought MARIS spares and back-up equipment to enhance availability throughout its US and Caribbean network. Through the global agreement, IMTECH MARINE recognises MARIS as a ‘preferred supplier’ and co-ordinates spares support through sea, air and truck freight.

MARIS Training
The MARIS support service training initiative has been spearheaded by Mr Hansen, who took on the role as part of his new brief as MARIS Director Special Projects last year, having formerly acted as MARIS Sales Director. [ENDS]
For further information, please contact: Willy Hansen, Director Special Projects, Tel: +45 28 35 19 27, email: willy.hansen@maris.no, or see www.maris.no
About MARIS
MARIS is a limited company with its head office in Tønsberg, Norway, a recognised centre for maritime information technology.
The majority owner is the Grieg Group (www.grieg.no). MARIS has supplied more than 10, 000 navigation systems to customers in 40 countries. The Grieg Group has a long and proud maritime tradition. Today, the Group operates globally within a variety of business areas; shipping, terminal operations, ship service, shipbroking, maritime information systems, investment consulting and fish farming. The Grieg Group has approximately 1, 910 employees.
The roots of MARIS can be traced to the start of the maritime information technology explosion in the mid-1960s. MARIS is a system house with world class experience in onboard systems. Innovative engineering has added several ´world firsts´ to its global list of milestones. Among these are our ´Wheelmark´ certified ECDIS and PC Radar/ARPA, IEC 60945 certified Flat Panel Computer and VDR/ECDIS COMBO. MARIS is working with the UKHO to develop The Admiralty e-Navigator.