Tue 24 May 2011, 11:18 GMT

Ship routing firm launches specialized services


Specialized ship routing and fleet management services designed to reduce fuel consumption.



Applied Weather Technology, Inc. (AWT), has today announced that it is rolling out specialized ship routing and fleet management services designed to meet the specialized needs of voyages by vessel and cargo type. With maritime experts specializing in each of five ship types, AWT aims to meet the specific, segmented needs of the industry, ultimately helping to enhance fleet safety and reduce fuel consumption.

"At AWT, we are dedicated to continuous innovation to meet the needs of our customers," said Skip Vaccarello, president and CEO for AWT. "We understand that ship routing and fleet management encompass myriad factors. Now, by offering specialized services, we are providing that next level of personalized service."

AWT's routing experts zero in on specific needs by vessel type – including vessel age, type, size, speed, cargo, draft, client and vessel special requirements – then plot the most appropriate routes based on the goals of each individual voyage.

AWT's experts include meteorologists, route analysts, forecasting specialists, maritime scientists, computer scientists and technology innovators, mathematical modelers, end-of-voyage analysts and ship captains who are all focused exclusively on fleet optimization to identify the safest and most cost-efficient routes while also reducing fuel consumption, costs and carbon emissions.

Pre-voyage planning and daily status reports with alerts and links to detailed voyage information are provided. AWT's BonVoyage marine voyage optimization software considers many variables, including weather and sea conditions, scheduled arrival times, and fuel consumption targets. Additionally, with AWT's GlobalView™ Fleet Management System, fleet managers can track in-the-moment ship performance, fuel consumption/carbon emissions, weather conditions, ETAs or other factors specific to those vessel types.

As part of AWT's Tanker Service, fleet managers are given laycan data to ensure that the ETA of the vessel remains within the agreed laycan. Fleet summaries with color-coded icons give a quick view to easily identify ships that need attention regarding fuel consumption and estimated time of arrival (ETA). The data is refreshed every hour to show up-to-date status of the fleet. Custom reports can be generated for each vessel type and customer-centric reports vary by company and its departmental requirements.

"We believe AWT provides highly specialized services for our business needs," said Erik Hjortland, Advisor, Ship Performance and Bunker Management, Odfjell Tankers. "We consider AWT to be a very innovative company, and they are very customer driven."


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