Drewry, the maritime industry’s leading independent research and advisory firm, today announced the launch of OpCost IQ, a new vessel operating cost benchmarking tool delivered via Drewry OnDemand. The platform transforms how maritime organisations benchmark vessel performance by combining Drewry’s trusted operating cost methodology with AIS-enabled operational analytics.
The shipping industry faces mounting pressure on operating margins as costs rise across crewing, maintenance, insurance, spares, lubricants and technical services. Simultaneously, increasingly diverse vessel operating profiles create complexity in understanding cost performance.
"OpCost IQ helps solve a fundamental problem," said Dr Ferenc Pasztor, Head of Ports and Specialised Shipping Research. "Where traditional benchmarking focuses solely on cost comparisons, our new tool combines cost performance with operational context, helping decision-makers identify and understand potential cost irregularities and inefficiencies across their operations."
How OpCost IQ works
The service enables shipowners, operators, technical managers and finance professionals to:
- Benchmark individual vessels or entire fleets against industry averages using Drewry’s established operating cost framework
- Streamline operating cost benchmarking process through a simple online workflow
- Understand operational context through AIS-derived deployment and utilisation analysis
- Identify cost irregularities with clarity and diagnostic insight
- Generate actionable intelligence that supports procurement negotiations, budget forecasting and technical decisions
- Users submit vessel data via an intuitive online interface
- Drewry specialists validate submissions using predefined quality assurance procedures before benchmarking against sector-specific datasets, relevant peer groups and operational profile metrics.
OpCost IQ is exclusive to Ship Operating Cost Annual Review 2025/26 clients, with each client receiving 10 complimentary credits. This limited-period offer allows organisations to:
- Evaluate the benchmarking process
- Explore fleet-level opportunities
- Assess operational insights
- Become familiar with the platform
- Trial the tool before wider deployment
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