As operations become more connected and weather forecasting becomes more available, it's the maritime sectors duty to harness these developments and use them to improve its environmental impact on the planet. An important aspect to achieving this goal is to increase the revenue directed towards this solution and Seall believes that this can be achieved by pushing Voyage Planning beyond the essential safety measures and towards a clearer commercialised direction.

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What is seall's response?

To develop a licenced feature within our software that can be used alongside the expertise of Mariners to display and optimize proposed routes against daily weather forecasting and predefined vessel parameters. The feature’s unique display allows users to:

• Run an animation of their vessel along their intended route against the various weather displays
• Highlight any potentially hazardous or inconvenient approaching weather that could hinder the vessels voyage
• Straightforward interface comprises of simple scroll, toggle and drop-down menu buttons  
• Enhance usability and confidence in implementing this as a routine in daily navigational operations

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Laden Vs Unladen

The Under Ballast toggle button allows the Mariner to ensure that the Optimized module accounts for the difference in performance of a fully laden vessel to that of an unladen vessel. The latter, for example, can travel more quickly through weather conditions and as such provides considerable leeway for adjustment to the ballast in rough weather. Whereas, fully loaded vessels, with their limited adaptability may benefit from a more conservative route. By including this consideration within our algorithm, Seall’s weather optimization feature removes the redundant manpower directed to completing this fairly precise operation, and instead automates the process allowing for a quick and clear reviewal.

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Uncertainty of optimized routing

A short costal shipping route can depart with a much higher level of confidence in the upcoming weather forecast than one heading across oceans because of the constantly changeable nature of this aspect of routing. This means that costly Optimized routes can became outmoded almost as quickly as they are purchased if the Voyage lasts over a couple days.  

Seall’s answer:  

• Update our weather module several times a day
• Ensures that our customers always have immediate access to changeable data
• Endless running of the Optimized module and reporting feature activated within your licence  
• Vessels can continually account for and optimize against unpredictable facet of route planning at no additional costs.  

By enabling optimisations in real time, we hope not only to continue to support and protect the safety of the Vessels using our products but also provide shipping companies the ability to act on these voyage planning recommendations with a commercial agenda in mind, and in doing so account for their sustainability impact.

Scheduling Challenges

Scheduling of any type in the shipping industry is extremely challenging. The tight timetables that Ports work to, mean that arriving even marginally early or late to approaches can result in significant impact to not only the individual vessels and that of their shore-based management team, but also on the end user of any goods and services aboard.  

Seall’s answer:  

• Our Optimization feature reduces the negative impact surrounding this hazardous scenario by providing details of beneficial adjustments to the route and speed of the planned Voyage

• Significantly improving the visibility and subsequent communication from shore-to ship-to shore.  If for example on day three of a voyage, the weather takes an unsuspected turn for the better, the crew can rerun the optimization and then report to shore the new timeframe for arrival to avoid wasting time and creating shipping backlogs. Long-term cost savings of port operations, and reduced man hours – both within the planning and operational stages
• Immediate cost savings in fuel consumption  
• Timely delivery of goods  

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The above points allow shipping companies to build healthier profit margins that can be directed back into the areas that need to be addressed in the sector, such as renewable energy.  This means that not only does the Optimized module have environmental significance by reducing fuel usage but also in promoting the transition to low carbon alternative fuels.  

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The Sample Rate Button

By adjusting the Nautical Mile Sample Rate within this feature, Mariners can instantly calculate thousands of routing options based on the latest weather forecast and business needs. The module uses this set boundary along with the predetermined ship parameters to immediately test all possible varieties to the route that could improve efficiency. This newly optimized route will then be demonstrated on the map display to be evaluated, adjusted and then finally accepted by the Master. Once accepted, the animation can then be ran again against the optimized route and reviewed at any time against any of the weather forecast displays.

By updating and displaying all the relevant data in one platform, the vessel doesn’t require multiple vendors to achieve the same practical and usable results they need consistently during their voyage, no matter the outside influence.