The aim is to advance and implement analyses tools and decision support system for voyage optimization. Based on marine weather analyses and forecasts including wind, wave and surface current conditions, ship characteristics and cargo requirements, the best shipping route will be determined. The proposed approach will not exclusively consider adverse environmental conditions as the exclusive boundary condition; the philosophy is to identify the optimum balance between minimization of transit time and fuel consumption and reduction of emissions without placing the vessel at risk to damage or crew injury. The tools will be tested both in post-voyage analyses and real time operations for North Atlantic Ocean crossings, voyages from Europe through the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Channel to the Far East (e.g. China, South Korea) and voyages around Southern Africa including porting in Cape Town.
TOPVOYS is funded by the MarTERA partners Research Council of Norway (RCN), French Ministry of Environment, Energy and the Sea (MEEM), South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) and co-funded by the European Union.
Coordinator
Prof Johnny A. Johannessen, Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Norway
Consortium
Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Research institute, Norway
OceanDataLab, SME, France
ACTIMAR, SME, France
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Research institute, South Africa
CMA-CGM, Large scale enterprise, France
Grieg Star AS, SME, Norway
South African International Maritime Institute, Research institute, South Africa