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Maritime · head to head

DNV Navigator Port vs VesselFinder

DNV Navigator Port logo

DNV Navigator Port

Maritime

Port clearance and ship-to-shore reporting software that assembles the documents a vessel needs before arrival

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Maritime

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only VesselFinder has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DNV Navigator Port nothing is published about pricing and licensing is per vessel through DNV sales, so a fleet cannot estimate cost without a commercial conversation.; VesselFinder aPI access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • They diverge on capability: DNV Navigator Port covers Port clearance packs, VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DNV Navigator Port and VesselFinder actually diverge.

Attributes where DNV Navigator Port and VesselFinder differ
AttributeDNV Navigator PortVesselFinder
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, WebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in DNV Navigator Port

  • Port clearance packs
  • Weekly content updates
  • ALRS Volume 6
  • Work and rest hours
  • Crew certificates
  • Offline operation
  • Shore visibility
  • Third-party integration

Only in VesselFinder

  • Real-time tracking
  • Vessel database
  • Port information
  • Weather overlay
  • API access
  • Mobile apps
  • Web support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

DNV Navigator Port

  • A tanker operator whose vessels call at ports where a rejected declaration means a berth is lost and demurrage startsnot VesselFinder
  • A ship manager standardising port formalities across a mixed fleet and multiple crewing agenciesnot VesselFinder
  • An operator that must evidence MLC work and rest compliance to a port state control inspector on demandnot VesselFinder
  • A cruise line calling at many ports per voyage where the paperwork volume exceeds what a bridge team can maintain manuallynot VesselFinder

VesselFinder

  • Tracking vessel positions and voyages from AIS datanot DNV Navigator Port
  • Pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an APInot DNV Navigator Port

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

DNV Navigator Port

  • Nothing is published about pricing and licensing is per vessel through DNV sales, so a fleet cannot estimate cost without a commercial conversation.
  • It is a point solution covering clearance and crew hours only, so it adds another shipboard system to install, update and train crews on rather than consolidating existing ones.
  • The onboard component is a Windows installation that needs periodic updating on each vessel, and update discipline across a fleet with rotating crews is a genuine operational burden.
  • Content coverage is deepest for major commercial ports; operators calling at small or remote terminals will still assemble some documentation manually and pay for a dataset that does not cover their edge cases.
  • DNV is a classification society selling software to the same operators it classes, which some owners view as a conflict when choosing systems that generate compliance evidence.

VesselFinder

  • API access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • Credits expire 12 months after purchase
  • Credit packs start at 330 EUR for 10,000 credits, excluding VAT
  • Tracking a vessel outside terrestrial AIS range multiplies the cost of every position tenfold, so open ocean coverage is the expensive case rather than the standard one

Pricing, plan by plan

DNV Navigator Port

On request
  • Navigator Port$undefined/year
    • Licensed per vessel with fleet agreements available
    • Weekly content updates and 24/7 support included
    • Onboard installation plus shore-side access

VesselFinder

Free
  • Basic$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Extended history
    • Fleet monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose DNV Navigator Port if

  • You need port clearance packs.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want weekly content updates.
DNV Navigator Port review

Choose VesselFinder if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want vessel database.
VesselFinder review

Questions people ask

Is DNV Navigator Port or VesselFinder better?
Neither clearly leads. DNV Navigator Port starts at On request and VesselFinder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DNV Navigator Port or VesselFinder?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DNV Navigator Port and Free for VesselFinder.
Does DNV Navigator Port or VesselFinder run on more platforms?
DNV Navigator Port runs on Windows, Web. VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Yes. VesselFinder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DNV Navigator Port starts at On request.
What is DNV Navigator Port best used for?
DNV Navigator Port is most often used for a tanker operator whose vessels call at ports where a rejected declaration means a berth is lost and demurrage starts, a ship manager standardising port formalities across a mixed fleet and multiple crewing agencies, an operator that must evidence mlc work and rest compliance to a port state control inspector on demand, a cruise line calling at many ports per voyage where the paperwork volume exceeds what a bridge team can maintain manually. Of those, a tanker operator whose vessels call at ports where a rejected declaration means a berth is lost and demurrage starts and a ship manager standardising port formalities across a mixed fleet and multiple crewing agencies are not what VesselFinder is typically brought in for.
What can DNV Navigator Port do that VesselFinder cannot?
DNV Navigator Port covers Port clearance packs, Weekly content updates, ALRS Volume 6, Work and rest hours. VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DNV Navigator Port: How often is port information updated?

Weekly to the onboard installation, which is the main thing the subscription buys.

VesselFinder: What are the main pricing tiers for VesselFinder?

VesselFinder offers four tiers: Free (no cost), Basic (4 dollars per month), Premium (34 dollars per month), and Satellite (139 dollars per month).

Source
DNV Navigator Port: Does it work without internet?

Yes. The onboard component is built to operate through satellite connectivity loss.

VesselFinder: What does the Free plan include?

The Free plan provides terrestrial coverage, 1-day track history, a 10-ship fleet capacity, and 100 route planner uses.

Source
DNV Navigator Port: Does it cover work and rest hours?

Yes, it calculates against selected MLC and STCW regimes and warns on breaches.

VesselFinder: What tracking capabilities come with the Satellite plan?

The Satellite plan includes both satellite and terrestrial coverage, 90-day track history, 2,000-ship fleet capacity, terminal and berth data, proximity event alerts, and ETA prediction.

Source
DNV Navigator Port: Is pricing published?

No. It is licensed per vessel through DNV with fleet agreements negotiated.

VesselFinder: Do subscriptions automatically renew?

No, subscriptions do not renew automatically. Users receive reminder notifications one week before expiration.

Source
VesselFinder: Do the listed prices include VAT?

No, the prices displayed do not include VAT. Payment options include bank transfers and credit or debit cards processed online.

Source
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