A new study from Germany show rapid expansion in the maritime fleet management software sector. While shipowners are generally classified conservative in the uptake of new technology, the advent of increasingly sophisticated software solutions which manage everything from fuel to cargo to crew make a compelling financial case to modernize quickly. Earlier this summer Germany’s Fraunhofer CML issued what is arguably the most thorough study to date which analyzes the software market as applied to shipping companies. Entitled “Fleet Management Systems 2013,” the 60-plus page report provides exhaustive detail and insightful research on software solutions from 46 providers globally, with many pages of product overview helping to measure how one system stacks up versus another.