Weather routing solutions towards decarbonisation of maritime transport

Approximately 90% of trade occurs through maritime shipping, which makes it a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 3% of global emissions [1]. Reducing the carbon footprint of maritime industry is therefore crucial to combat climate change and achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. One effective approach to decarbonize the industry is through weather routing. It is a cost-effective tool, which allows shipping companies to select the most energy-efficient navigation routes.

Adverse weather conditions, such as rough sea state, strong winds and currents can increase voyage time and ship’s resistance, leading to higher fuel consumption rates. Our research is centered on the integration of weather forecasts into voyage planning to identify optimal and most sustainable routes. Effective route optimization depends on the availability of reliable weather forecasts. To this end, we have established collaborative partnerships with several academic institutions to access high-quality model and satellite data. Moreover, we address the inherent uncertainty of weather models by integrating Artificial Intelligence algorithms to enhance accuracy of our analysis.

Our results based on numerous case studies demonstrate the benefits of weather routing solutions. We have consistently observed reduction in fuel consumption and travel time by at least 3-10% across various scenarios, which is substantial given the scale of the maritime industry. With shorter voyage times and consequently fuel consumption, our approach leads to decreases in operating costs. This cost efficiency provides an incentive for mariners to adopt more sustainable solutions, which are relatively easy to implement in their daily operations.

Our developments and collaborative approach underscore the potential of weather routing as an efficient tool to support climate-neutrality goals within the maritime industry. Substantial fuel savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions can by achieved with minimal route adjustments, which emphasizes the importance of integrating weather routing strategies into maritime operations to facilitate the industry’s transition towards a more sustainable future.

[1] Arslan, O., E. Besikci, and A. Olcer. "Improving energy efficiency of ships through optimisation of ship operations." No. FY2014-3 IAMU (2014).