Wärtsilä and Japan-based weather routeing provider Weathernews have signed a strategic partnership agreement to integrate Weathernews’ weather forecasting data and Optimum Ship Routeing (OSR) service with Wärtsilä products.
Under this agreement, Weathernews’ forecasting models can be integrated, for example, into Wärtsilä’s Fleet Operations Solution (FOS), used to automatically optimise vessel routes based on the latest available data, keeping both onboard and shore-based personnel notified.
With the addition of frequent weather information, FOS can be made more effective in increasing navigational safety, reducing fuel consumption, and optimising the voyage leg, the partners said.
Another Wärtsilä solution likely to be improved via this agreement is Navi-Planner, the company’s voyage planning and optimisation system connected through the ship’s ECDIS.
“Sailing through bad weather has numerous downsides. Containers can get lost overboard, fuel consumption increases, and schedules can be compromised,” notes Kay Dausendschoen, Head of Product, Fleet Operations Solutions & Optimisation, Wärtsilä Voyage.
“By having the fastest and most accurate advance warning of weather situations integrated into our navigational and voyage systems, these losses can be avoided. This is why this agreement with WNI is so important.”
Additional features, such as route overlays and charts, are also expected to be developed once the WNI weather service has been fully integrated into Wärtsilä’s systems.
