About us
Vessel Performance Management
... for owners, operators and technical managers
From standardized compliance reporting to more advanced vessel performance management and optimization, our team of experts provides the full spectrum of modern vessel performance management. We turn data into strategic decision-making.
As a trusted partner, Bestship offers holistic optimization consultancy services for investors, owners, charterers, and ship managers. The goal is to provide a true added value, ensuring to deliver economic benefits every single day of the ship’s operation.
Bestship shareholders are the globally operating Wilhelmsen Group and MPC Capital AG.
Vision
We are bringing the future of the maritime industry into the present by proving that decarbonization doesn’t require massive capital investments. Our innovative solutions reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, seamlessly combining operational efficiency with environmental responsibility.
Mission
We advocate for a future where decarbonization and profitability in shipping go hand in hand. Through our services, we empower shipowners and operators to optimize fuel consumption, enhance commercial performance, and reduce carbon emissions—driving both sustainability and profitability.
Our Values
What we stand for
At Bestship, our values are the compass that guides us in everything we do. We navigate with integrity, innovation, and a deep commitment to sustainability. We are proactive and forward-thinking, constantly developing new tools and solutions to help our clients optimize their operations, reduce emissions, and drive business success.
Flexibility
Proactive, Adaptive Implementation
Flexibility
Proactive, Adaptive Implementation
We actively seek innovative solutions and tailor them to your specific operations. Our agile implementation process ensures smooth adoption of changes that enhance efficiency and profitability.
We offer flexible, forward-thinking solutions that anticipate challenges before they arise, ensuring smooth integration with your existing systems.
Connectedness
Data-Driven Efficiency
Connectedness
Data-Driven Efficiency
By offering clear, actionable data, we help clients stay closely engaged with their fleet’s performance, ensuring a smooth integration of operational efficiency and profitability.
Our automated data management systems deliver real-time insights for performance optimization, making decision-making straightforward and effective.
Innovation
Innovation Meets Profitability
Innovation
Innovation Meets Profitability
We are at the forefront of maritime technology, bringing a new wave of expansive, field-tested solutions that push the limits of efficiency and sustainability. Our innovations prove that decarbonization isn’t a cost – it’s a competitive advantage.
We deliver cutting-edge solutions that optimize vessel performance and minimize fuel consumption.
Sustainability
Sustainable Performance Optimization
Sustainability
Sustainable Performance Optimization
We are dedicated to minimizing the shipping industry’s environmental footprint, demonstrating that sustainability and profitability can thrive together. Our solutions empower you to enhance performance while driving a greener future.
Our services optimize vessel fuel efficiency, cut carbon emissions, and ensure regulatory compliance – all essential for long-term commercial success.
Human Factor
Trust-Based Relationship
Human Factor
Trust-Based Relationship
At Bestship, we foster strong, trust-based relationships with our clients, guiding you through the complexities of the industry as mentors. Your success drives ours, which is why we customize our services to address your unique needs and goals.
We provide trusted guidance, focusing on long-term partnerships and tailored solutions that help you implement changes to boost profitability and achieve sustainable growth.
Permanence
Long-Lasting Solutions
Permanence
Long-Lasting Solutions
Our solutions are designed for lasting impact. We offer services that drive sustained value and ongoing success, aligning with your long-term business objectives.
Our strategies focus on delivering enduring results, not just short-term gains.
At Bestship, our diverse team of experts delivers tailored solutions that optimize performance, ensure compliance, and enhance profitability, giving you a competitive edge in the maritime industry.
The diversity of our team is one of our greatest strengths, directly enhancing the quality of the services we provide. Our team members come from a wide range of backgrounds, including data scientists, ESG managers, naval architects as well as former top vessel officers and vessel operators. This wealth of expertise allows us to view maritime challenges from multiple angles, resulting in holistic solutions that improve both sustainability and profitability.
For example, our data management services benefit from the deep technical knowledge of engineers who specialize in hull and propeller performance, ensuring accurate and actionable performance data. Our regulatory compliance offerings are strengthened by our ESG experts, who are well-versed in sustainability frameworks, ensuring your operations meet international standards with ease.
In our comprehensive services, where technical and commercial performance improvements are paramount, the combined experience of naval architects, chief engineers, and performance specialists ensures we provide solutions that optimize fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and streamline operational workflows – all while staying compliant with charter party agreements.
This diversity embodies our commitment to the human factor. We believe that the best solutions come from diverse minds working together, and our team’s broad expertise allows us to develop services that are not only technically advanced but also tailored to the specific, evolving needs of the shipping industry.
Michael Brandhoff
Managing Director
Michael Brandhoff was appointed Managing Director in 2024 bringing with him a wealth of more than 25 years shipping experience.
Starting his seagoing career with Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg Süd, followed by positions as technical director and managing director at Reederei Hamburger Lloyd and Hamburger Lloyd Tanker and managing director and chief executive officer for Zeaborn Ship Management, Michael has extensive knowledge of tanker, container and bulk management.
Haakon Lenz
Managing Director
Haakon Lenz joined Bestship as Managing Director in 2025 after the Wilhelmsen Group acquired a stake in the company. The CEO and President of Wilhelmsen Ship Management (WSM) is a trained naval architect with a passion for innovation and operational excellence. He brings over 17 years of leadership experience within WSM and deep expertise in the maritime technical ship management.
Haakon joined WSM in 2008 as General Manager of WSM Norway, later advancing to Vice President Manager Region Europe and US. Since 2021, he has served as Chief Operating Officer, leading global management centers across 8 countries and managing a worldwide crewing network spanning 10 manning offices in 9 countries. Known for his hands-on leadership style and interest in leveraging digital solutions to enhance operational efficiency, Haakon has been instrumental in driving growth and fostering collaboration throughout the organization.
Stefan Schindler
General Manager
Stefan Schindler was appointed General Manager of Bestship under the new shareholders Wilhelmsen Group and MPC Capital AG, in 2025. He has been Technical Director of the company since 2021 – at the time, a subsidiary of Zeaborn Ship Management – and brings with him almost three decades of broad experience in the shipping industry, both on the owners' and managers' side.
Stefan started his seagoing career as an engineer on container vessels with Hamburg Süd. Early on, he gained experience as a newbuilding supervisor and site manager in Korea, Romania and China. He later held various responsible positions ashore at the shipping company Hamburger Lloyd, including Vessel Superintendent, Fleet Manager, Project Coordinator and Head of Technical Department. In 2021, he joined Zeaborn Ship Management as Senior Vice President Projects & Performance.