ABB has introduced a new feature to its range of routing services to allow vessel owners to manage fuel costs on a through-voyage basis by optimising vessel optimal route and speed at the same time.
The system can optimise track and operating speeds simultaneously against anticipated weather as part of the ABB Ability Routeguard onshore routing service, and has been added as a first upgrade since ABB acquired the shipping business of weather data firm DTN earlier this year.
Optimal Speed Routing can advise operators of any changes they should make to the vessel track or speed to avoid heavy weather as part of overall calculations made within Routeguard covering route optimisation.
It uses the latest available meteorological information and real-time inputs like vessel daily hire costs, fuel costs and user defined vessel performance models to recommend slowing down to let rougher conditions pass or speeding up to stay ahead of them, thereby minimising fuel consumption on calculated routes.
“Optimal Speed Routing is an exciting addition to our digital offering, and we are grateful to our esteemed new colleagues who joined us recently and brought with them the Routing Services portfolio,” said Osku Kälkäjä, Head of Digital Business, ABB Marine & Ports.
In addition to Routeguard, Optimal Speed Routing is also available via ABB’s Shipping APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).
