Van Weelde Shipping cuts fuel costs through voyage optimisation

摘要

Shipowners can reduce their bunker costs and schedule maintenance more effectively using weather information to optimise voyages. This becomes even more effective when information and optimal routeing is continued during the voyage. Van Weelde Shipping Group uses Napa's voyage optimisation software to reduce operating costs for its fleet of dry bulk carriers on transatlantic routes. It also uses Napa's voyage optimisation program to plan cost-effective routes around South America and to schedule drydockings. These examples were presented by Van Weelde Shipping technical director Raoul de Troije during Riviera Maritime Media's 'Voyage planning for maximum vessel efficiency' webinar on 14 May. "We have been looking for transparency in our ship performance and opportunities to use the weather to our advantage to optimise routes," said Mr de Troije. The first example he gave was a transatlantic crossing in winter from the Baltic to the Caribbean. A bulk carrier would typically follow the Great Circle route, which is the shortest voyage to the Caribbean, of 4,845 nautical miles (nm). The calculated bunkers cost for this voyage was US$207,574.