The history of manav goes back fourteen years to 1967 when Esso placed a contract with the Ministry of Technology (mintech) to carry out work to develop a system to assist in ensuring the safe operation of its Very Large Crude Carriers, which were then coming into service. The 1967 era saw much public, governmental and company concern about the stopping and manoeuvring ability of large tankers, particularly when close to shore in estuaries or when berthing.

manav was therefore one of a number of developments or studies initiated by the introduction of VLCCs. Some years were to pass before coordination of the various study results proved possible.

The Racal-Decca (or Decca as it then was) involvement began in 1969 when Esso and mintech decided that an industrial partner should be sought. From the firms approached, the Decca Navigator Company was contracted to undertake a design study. The cost of this study, which started in January 1971, was equally shared between Decca and mintech. This said, it is remarkable how even with a wealth of supporting data having been collected in the intervening fourteen years, the objectives for manav, as set by Decca and mintech, have not radically changed.

The present Department of Industry involvement in funding the sea trial evaluation of manav has its roots in yet a different study; namely the Bridge and Wheelhouse Ergonomics Study, which resulted in the DOI Code of Practice for Ship's Bridge Design.