Wärtsilä’s €200M revenue ANCS unit to be sold to Solix Group

Finnish technology heavyweight Wärtsilä is set to divest its Automation, Navigation and Control System (ANCS) business to the Swedish investment company Solix Group AB.

Pending formal approvals, the transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025.

ANCS—which was acquired by Wärtsilä in 2015 as part of Marine Systems International—is a player in the hardware and software technology sector focused on marine navigation and automation, with solutions such as integrated navigation and automation systems, “advanced” safety and situational awareness sensors, as well as “dynamic” positioning systems that are said to enable ‘accurate’ vessel station keeping.

As disclosed, its annual revenue for the year 2023 was €200 million.

“Having worked with Solix on some of our previous divestments, I am positive that ANCS will have a solid owner and a great environment to continue driving the business independently towards further success,” Tamara de Gruyter, President, Portfolio Business and Executive Vice President, Wärtsilä, shared.

It is worth noting that this was not the first instance of cooperation between Solix Group and Wärtsilä. Around six years ago, namely in 2018, the latter divested its Wärtsilä Pumps business to the former—a move which, at that time, was described as an opportunity for the Finnish company to devote greater focus to its Smart Marine vision.

On the other hand, Wärtsilä’s subsidiary, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, has recently taken its own steps forward concerning both its business and ‘green’ end of the portfolio.

Specifically, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions has won a contract to supply the cargo handling systems for three new 93,000 cbm very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) that are being built for one Greek and one Japanese shipowner at the South Korean shipyard Hanwha Ocean.

As explained, the Finnish company received these orders in Q4 2024. The equipment is slated for a handover to the yard commencing in Q2 2025.

“We are happy to have Wärtsilä as a project partner for these ships. We have earlier worked with them and have complete trust in the efficiency and reliability of their products,” says Jeong Sun Lee, Head of the Basic Design Team Department at Hanwha Ocean.

This order comes just shy of two months since the Finnish player clinched a similar deal. Namely, in October, Wärtsilä shook hands with Hanwha Ocean and Greek shipowner Naftomar for the outfitting of four 93,000 cbm VLACs.

Wärtsilä elaborated that it would deliver its cargo handling systems to the yard starting In Q1 2025, while the vessels, which will be constructed at the Geoje yard, are scheduled to enter service by 2027.

Most recently, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions secured a contract to supply its cargo handling and fuel gas supply systems for a new 12,5000 cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering ship that China’s Nantong CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering shipyard (CIMC SOE) is building for global energy giant Vitol.