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Maritime · head to head

Kongsberg Vessel Insight vs Windward

Kongsberg Vessel Insight logo

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

Maritime

Vessel data infrastructure and satellite connectivity sold as a per-vessel subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Windward logo

Windward

Maritime

AI-powered maritime risk intelligence

From
$3000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kongsberg Vessel Insight vessel Insight is infrastructure, not insight; the applications that produce operational value are separate purchases, so the subscription buys a capability that shows a superintendent nothing on its own.; Windward requires embedded expert analysts for actionable intelligence; cannot operate fully autonomously
  • They diverge on capability: Kongsberg Vessel Insight covers Onboard data collection unit, Windward covers AI-powered risk scoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kongsberg Vessel Insight and Windward actually diverge.

Attributes where Kongsberg Vessel Insight and Windward differ
AttributeKongsberg Vessel InsightWindward
Starting priceOn request$3000/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, CloudWeb, Api
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Kongsberg Vessel Insight

  • Onboard data collection unit
  • Bundled satellite transfer
  • Standardised vessel data model
  • Kognifai marketplace
  • Fleet dashboards
  • Kongsberg equipment integration

Only in Windward

  • AI-powered risk scoring
  • Sanctions compliance
  • Ship-to-ship detection
  • Dark activity alerts
  • Compliance systems
  • Trading platforms
  • Banking systems
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

  • A shipowner with a mixed fleet who wants one normalised data feed instead of a different data extract per engine makernot Windward
  • An owner who has stalled on digitalisation because nobody will own the satellite bandwidth costnot Windward
  • A manager wanting to run several third-party performance and emissions applications from one onboard installation rather than one box per vendornot Windward
  • A fleet already running Kongsberg automation where the onboard integration is straightforward rather than a bespoke engineering jobnot Windward

Windward

  • Detecting vessel spoofing using multi-sensor AIS, dark vessel signals, and satellite datanot Kongsberg Vessel Insight
  • Conducting UN sanctions investigations for North Korea maritime compliancenot Kongsberg Vessel Insight
  • Performing financial AML and sanctions screening for maritime transactionsnot Kongsberg Vessel Insight
  • Identifying drug smuggling routes in international shipping networksnot Kongsberg Vessel Insight
  • Tracking port delays and causes in real-time shipping visibilitynot Kongsberg Vessel Insight

Where each one falls short

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

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

  • Vessel Insight is infrastructure, not insight; the applications that produce operational value are separate purchases, so the subscription buys a capability that shows a superintendent nothing on its own.
  • Pricing is per vessel per year and unpublished, which for a large fleet is a substantial committed annual cost with no benchmark available before entering a sales process.
  • Onboard installation has to fit a vessel's trading pattern, so a fleet rollout is measured in port calls and dry dockings rather than in weeks, and the subscription usually starts before the whole fleet is producing data.
  • The vessel data model is Kongsberg's, so migrating to a different data platform later means re-instrumenting every ship, not renegotiating a software contract.
  • Integration is easiest with Kongsberg equipment; on vessels with other makers' automation the collection scope and the engineering effort both increase, and what you can actually collect varies ship by ship.

Windward

  • Requires embedded expert analysts for actionable intelligence; cannot operate fully autonomously
  • Platform focuses on specific maritime regions (Strait of Hormuz, Somali piracy zones); may not provide equally robust global coverage
  • Classified as unclassified and shareable, limiting penetration into highly classified defense operations
  • API-dependent architecture (GraphQL-based) may create integration complexity for some organizations
  • Multi-source data integration can be resource-intensive for organizations lacking dedicated intelligence staff

Pricing, plan by plan

Kongsberg Vessel Insight

On request
  • Vessel Insight$undefined/year
    • Subscription per vessel per year
    • Onboard collection hardware included in the subscription
    • Satellite data transfer cost included

Windward

$3000/month
  • Professional$7500/month
    • Behavioral analytics
    • Dark activity detection
    • API access

Which should you pick?

Choose Kongsberg Vessel Insight if

  • You need onboard data collection unit.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want bundled satellite transfer.
Kongsberg Vessel Insight review

Choose Windward if

  • You need ai-powered risk scoring.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want sanctions compliance.
Windward review

Questions people ask

Is Kongsberg Vessel Insight or Windward better?
Neither clearly leads. Kongsberg Vessel Insight starts at On request and Windward at $3000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kongsberg Vessel Insight or Windward?
Kongsberg Vessel Insight starts at On request and Windward at $3000/month.
Does Kongsberg Vessel Insight or Windward run on more platforms?
Kongsberg Vessel Insight runs on Web, Cloud. Windward runs on Web, Api.
What is Kongsberg Vessel Insight best used for?
Kongsberg Vessel Insight is most often used for a shipowner with a mixed fleet who wants one normalised data feed instead of a different data extract per engine maker, an owner who has stalled on digitalisation because nobody will own the satellite bandwidth cost, a manager wanting to run several third-party performance and emissions applications from one onboard installation rather than one box per vendor, a fleet already running kongsberg automation where the onboard integration is straightforward rather than a bespoke engineering job. Of those, a shipowner with a mixed fleet who wants one normalised data feed instead of a different data extract per engine maker and an owner who has stalled on digitalisation because nobody will own the satellite bandwidth cost are not what Windward is typically brought in for.
What can Kongsberg Vessel Insight do that Windward cannot?
Kongsberg Vessel Insight covers Onboard data collection unit, Bundled satellite transfer, Standardised vessel data model, Kognifai marketplace. Windward covers AI-powered risk scoring, Sanctions compliance, Ship-to-ship detection, Dark activity alerts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kongsberg Vessel Insight: Does Vessel Insight include the satellite cost?

Yes. The subscription bundles onboard hardware and data transfer, which is the main reason owners choose it over building their own collection.

Windward: Does Windward provide autonomous intelligence or does it require human analysts?

Windward requires expert analysts to embed directly in your mission to deliver intelligence-ready products. The platform supports analyst workflows but cannot operate fully autonomously.

Source
Kongsberg Vessel Insight: Do I get performance analytics with it?

No. Analytics and reporting applications are bought separately from Kongsberg or from third parties on the Kognifai marketplace.

Windward: What data sources does Windward use beyond AIS?

Windward integrates multiple data sources including AIS, dark vessel signals, Earth Observation (EO), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and RF signals to provide multi-sensor maritime intelligence where AIS alone is insufficient.

Source
Kongsberg Vessel Insight: Does it only work with Kongsberg equipment?

No, but integration is deepest there. On other makers' automation the collectable signal set and the installation effort both vary.

Kongsberg Vessel Insight: How is it priced?

Per vessel per year, quoted. Nothing is published, and installation timing depends on vessel availability.

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