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US-headquartered Applied Weather Technology, Inc. (AWT), has today announced the release of Version 6.0 of its BonVoyage System (BVS) software, a leading onboard system for optimizing marine voyages.

BVS 6.0 introduces new features designed to help ship Captains and fleet managers reduce fuel costs and curb CO2 emissions by planning the most fuel-efficient routes given the latest weather and sea conditions. BVS 6.0 also delivers several new innovations for the shipping industry, which include high-resolution NCOM data, 16-day forecasts updated four times daily, and 10-years of historical climate data for planning voyages longer than 16 days.

BVS 6.0 Recommends Routes Intended to Minimize Fuel Consumption, Costs and CO2 Emissions

BVS is widely used by Captains from the largest and leading shipping companies to obtain around-the-clock weather data, providing them with recommendations for the safest, fastest routes to their destinations given the latest weather and sea conditions while taking their vessels' specifications into consideration. With the release of 6.0, BVS now claims to offer significantly faster and higher resolution data, making it possible for the first time for the system to suggest routes intended to minimize voyage time, fuel costs and CO2 emissions given the vessel's target ETA.

"To ensure on-time arrivals, Captains often take a get-there-as-fast-as-possible approach at the start of the voyage, and then slow down at the end. Now with BVS 6.0, they can plan courses designed to help them arrive on time and conserve fuel by travelling at more constant speeds, which benefits both the ship's engines and the environment," said Skip Vaccarello, president and CEO for AWT. "BVS 6.0 gives the shipping industry a solution for saving fuel and money."

"The biggest advantage of using BVS 6.0 is taking the safest route that uses the least amount of fuel," said Master North, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation. "BVS 6.0 quickly and clearly displays weather and sea conditions. I recommend the product to our entire fleet."

BVS 6.0 Supplies NCOM Data in High Resolution

Among the most significant new innovations within BVS 6.0 are the higher-resolution updates of the Naval Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) current data, which now allow ship Captains to view real-time analyses and forecasts of ocean current conditions at a quarter by quarter degree, rather than at the generally available one by one degree.

According to AWT, it is the only company to offer NCOM data at this level of detail and accuracy, which can also contribute to fuel conservation by enabling Captains to make key decisions about whether to sail with or avoid specific currents. In addition, users can request nested high resolution wind, wave and swell data to show a more detailed view of areas of interest.

BVS 6.0 claims to be the only onboard routing software to provide Captains and crew with 16-day forecasts updated four times daily.

"Providing 16-day forecasts four times daily puts AWT a step ahead of its competitors which only deliver new forecast information one to two times daily," said Rich Brown, AWT's VP of Product Management. "As a result, Captains using BVS 6.0 are empowered to make better decisions with more detailed information."

"Also, BVS 6.0 delivers forecast data to ships three to six hours sooner than competitors, supplying Captains with earlier access to critical information they need to make key decisions about avoiding adverse weather conditions," AWT said.

BVS 6.0 Offers Historical Climate Data for Voyages Longer than 16 Days

For planning voyages longer than 16 days, BVS 6.0 includes a sophisticated proprietary database developed by AWT that gives Captains historical information about climatological conditions in a particular area on a specific day based on 10-years of weather data from the government and AWT.

AWT Introduces New Service Levels to Make BVS Accessible to all Shipping Companies -- Regardless of Trading Pattern

With the release of BVS 6.0, AWT now offers three distinct service levels - BVS Viewer, BVS Planner and BVS Ultra Planner - which makes BVS accessible to vessels and shipping companies of all sizes, enabling ship owners, operators and charterers to choose the set of features they want, and giving them new pay-as-you-download or monthly subscription options.