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Maritime · head to head

Windward vs ZeroNorth

Windward logo

Windward

Maritime

AI-powered maritime risk intelligence

From
$3000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ZeroNorth logo

ZeroNorth

Maritime

Voyage optimisation, bunker procurement and emissions reporting for shipping, priced per vessel per module

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Windward requires embedded expert analysts for actionable intelligence; cannot operate fully autonomously; ZeroNorth zeroNorth reported a net loss of roughly $65m for the 2024 financial year, deepening by around 57 per cent, so a multi-year fleet commitment should include contractual protection on continuity and pricing.
  • They diverge on capability: Windward covers AI-powered risk scoring, ZeroNorth covers Voyage optimisation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Windward and ZeroNorth actually diverge.

Attributes where Windward and ZeroNorth differ
AttributeWindwardZeroNorth
Starting price$3000/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Cloud, iOS, Android
Founded1996Unknown

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 Windward

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

Only in ZeroNorth

  • Voyage optimisation
  • Bunker procurement
  • Bunker price intelligence
  • Emissions compliance
  • Vessel selection
  • Agentic voyage automation

What people use each for

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

Windward

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

ZeroNorth

  • A tanker operator wanting speed decisions that account for the freight market rather than optimising fuel in isolationnot Windward
  • A bunker buyer testing supplier quotes against independent fair value pricing before fixing a stemnot Windward
  • An owner needing EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime reporting derived from the same voyage data that drives operational decisionsnot Windward
  • A charterer evaluating which vessel to take on a cargo based on projected voyage economics rather than on nominal specificationsnot Windward

Where each one falls short

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

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

ZeroNorth

  • ZeroNorth reported a net loss of roughly $65m for the 2024 financial year, deepening by around 57 per cent, so a multi-year fleet commitment should include contractual protection on continuity and pricing.
  • The company consolidated operations during 2025, liquidating a Norwegian subsidiary, which is prudent cost control but means local presence and account continuity may not be what was originally sold.
  • Pricing is per vessel and per module, so the headline vessel figure understates the cost of an owner who wants voyage, bunker and emissions capability across a fleet.
  • Recommendation quality depends on the quality of noon reports and vessel data supplied, and an owner with poor reporting discipline will get poor optimisation regardless of the algorithms.
  • It sits between technical performance tools and chartering systems and fully replaces neither, so most owners run it alongside an existing voyage management system and pay for overlapping capability.

Pricing, plan by plan

Windward

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

ZeroNorth

On request
  • ZeroNorth platform$undefined/year
    • Subscription per vessel and per module
    • Voyage optimisation, bunker and emissions modules priced separately
    • Multi-year agreements typical

Which should you pick?

Choose Windward if

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

Choose ZeroNorth if

  • You need voyage optimisation.
  • You work on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want bunker procurement.
ZeroNorth review

Questions people ask

Is Windward or ZeroNorth better?
Neither clearly leads. Windward starts at $3000/month and ZeroNorth at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Windward or ZeroNorth?
Windward starts at $3000/month and ZeroNorth at On request.
Does Windward or ZeroNorth run on more platforms?
Windward runs on Web, Api. ZeroNorth runs on Web, Cloud, iOS, Android.
What is Windward best used for?
Windward is most often used for detecting vessel spoofing using multi-sensor ais, dark vessel signals, and satellite data, conducting un sanctions investigations for north korea maritime compliance, performing financial aml and sanctions screening for maritime transactions, identifying drug smuggling routes in international shipping networks. Of those, detecting vessel spoofing using multi-sensor ais, dark vessel signals, and satellite data and conducting un sanctions investigations for north korea maritime compliance are not what ZeroNorth is typically brought in for.
What can Windward do that ZeroNorth cannot?
Windward covers AI-powered risk scoring, Sanctions compliance, Ship-to-ship detection, Dark activity alerts. ZeroNorth covers Voyage optimisation, Bunker procurement, Bunker price intelligence, Emissions compliance.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
ZeroNorth: How is ZeroNorth priced?

Per vessel and per module on subscription, typically multi-year and quoted. Nothing is published.

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
ZeroNorth: Is ZeroNorth financially stable?

It is well funded, raising $20m in February 2025, but reported a net loss of roughly $65m for 2024. Treat continuity terms as a contractual issue.

ZeroNorth: Does it replace my voyage management system?

No. It complements commercial voyage management platforms; most owners run both and accept some overlap.

ZeroNorth: Does it need onboard hardware?

No. It works from noon reports, AIS and existing vessel data feeds rather than requiring its own collection box.

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