{"text":[[{"start":8.25,"text":"The founder of analytics platform Kpler said the company has gained millions of new users since the outbreak of the Iran war as governments, businesses and media use its data to track ships and energy flows. "}],[{"start":20.45,"text":"Kpler has become a dominant provider of shipping and trade data since acquiring shipping intelligence firms MarineTraffic and FleetMon in 2021 and Spire in 2025."}],[{"start":31,"text":"It has been a rare winner of the current conflict in the Gulf, where thousands of ships are stuck as a result of the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz. MarineTraffic’s platform allows anyone to watch shipping movements in real time. American comedian and presenter Stephen Colbert said in March on The Late Show that it was his favourite app. "}],[{"start":51.55,"text":"A recently launched sales process for a minority stake in the business has valued it at between $3bn and $5bn, according to people with knowledge of the sale. "}],[{"start":60.349999999999994,"text":"Francois Cazor, who co-founded Kpler in 2014, told the FT the platform had an “inundation of requests” to join after US-Israeli strikes on Iran began at the end of February."}],[{"start":72.25,"text":"MarineTraffic user numbers were 8.5mn in April this year, up from 3.5mn in the same month last year. The number of paying users rose 11,000 in the same timeframe, while users of its Kpler commodities platform have increased 28 per cent so far this year, the company said."}],[{"start":92,"text":"The company offers a free version of its platform and a paid subscription that gives access to more data. The latter is used by companies, governments and journalists to track key information on supply chains and commodities trading in real time."}],[{"start":105.85,"text":"Other data providers have also reported sharp increases in usage. LSEG said in its recent first-quarter results that use of its shipping data “saw a threefold increase in March and use of our oil applications grew 75 per cent”. "}],[{"start":122.75,"text":"After Kpler bought MarineTraffic, a leaked video call showed Cazor telling employees that “now Kpler has a monopoly on data quality for AIS”, referring to the maritime navigation safety system that broadcasts a vessel’s position."}],[{"start":137.8,"text":"“Never ever write monopoly,” he added. “But this is a monopoly and that is good because when you have a monopoly, you don’t have to compete.”"}],[{"start":146.3,"text":"Cazor said a former employee had leaked the call and that his remarks had been taken out of context. He said they were intended to persuade staff that MarineTraffic’s data was not just for “shipping geeks and enthusiasts”."}],[{"start":159.35000000000002,"text":"He also rejected the idea that Kpler has a monopolistic position, noting “another little company called S&P”, which provides market intelligence."}],[{"start":168.05,"text":"Kpler draws its data from a range of sources including AIS, satellites and more than 500 people on the ground, such as port terminal operators. Cazor said accuracy was a major focus of the business in order to maintain customer trust. "}],[{"start":183.4,"text":"“When we make a mistake, it’s going to have a large impact,” he added, because Kpler has many business users."}],[{"start":190.8,"text":"The company had received queries from Opec members, for example, about its data, Cazor said, adding that Kpler was unbiased but covered markets that could be “full of people trying to influence price action”."}],[{"start":203.20000000000002,"text":"Because of the potential security risks of publishing ship location data, military ships do not use publicly available navigation systems and do not appear on MarineTraffic."}],[{"start":213.8,"text":"The only other instance when data was withheld is when the company had received a request not to publish a ship’s location — such as that of a billionaire’s yacht — for personal security reasons, Cazor said."}],[{"start":226.55,"text":"Brussels-headquartered Kpler said it expects $300mn to $400mn in annual recurring revenues this year and “is profitable”. "}],[{"start":236.25,"text":"Cazor said that while the business could seek a stock market listing in the future, he wanted the founders and the current management to control it “for as long as possible”."}],[{"start":245.05,"text":"Kpler was also looking to break into the insurance market, he said, adding that he believed the company had the potential to become a “household name, like if I can become a verb like Google: you can Kpler that”."}],[{"start":257.8,"text":"Additional reporting by Nikou Asgari"}],[{"start":267.7,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1777363135_6198.mp3"}