Skip Vaccarello

These are challenging times in which we live. High and volatile fuel prices, the threat of climate change and increased pirate activity have greatly affected our industry. Ship operators often have to decide between increased safety and loss of time and fuel. In this month's issue of AWT Insights, George Schlinkert, AWT's VP of Operations, discusses the weather and time loss implications ship operators should expect as they avoid the War Zone off the coast of Somalia.

It has been long understood that weather routing can save fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, and time. In What Other Sources Say about the Benefits of Weather Routing Rich Brown, AWT's VP of Product Management, cites an IMO report which backs up the benefits of weather routing, but leaves some questions unanswered. Rich balances the report with information gleaned from his and AWT's years of experience routing ships.

Enjoy reading these insightful articles. We welcome your feedback.

Thank you,
Skip Vaccarello

Rich Brown

What Other Sources Say About the Benefits of Weather Routing
by Rich Brown

Various studies by the IMO and its consultants from 2000 to 2009 have reported that significant gains in fuel and emission reduction can be achieved by weather routing. The range reported is 2-4 percent while AWT data suggest typical savings of 4-8% on trans-ocean passages and smaller savings for near-shore voyages.

The IMO values were first published in the 2000 study, "Study of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships," (Martinek, et al) and contrasted and compared a number of different technical and operational measures.

Here is the breakdown of individual operational measures in the 2000 report… read more >

George Schlinkert

The Effect of Piracy and the Southwest Monsoons on Routes
by George Schlinkert

At the time of writing this article, war zones published by the Joint War Committee established the war zone for the Gulf of Aden as:

a) on the west, longitude 45E
b) on the north, latitude 15N
c) on the east, longitude 57E
d) on the south, latitude 10N

Then 250NM east of Somalia, and in the Indian Ocean extending 600NM east of the African coast until 10S with some stated exceptions.

The Maritime Security Patrol Area operates within this war zone in the Gulf of Aden.

Historically, routing guidelines for voyages across the Arabian Sea during the summer monsoons call for tracks which limit exposure to the heaviest SW winds and waves in the region. The following map shows in green a seasonal route from maritime publications. It clearly runs through the listed areas from the Joint War Committee.

However, the track shown in red is one of the possible alternates for those vessels attempting to remain outside of the war zone until nearing the Maritime Security Patrol Area.

It can be seen that during the summer months, vessels will need to work against the monsoon winds in an area where the greatest likelihood of high waves generally prevails.… read more >

BonVoyage System

Marine voyage optimization system provides 24/7 on-board weather…
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BonVoyage System & Ship Routing

The combination of BonVoyage System & AWT's ship routing services…more >

Fleet Management

Quickly monitor your fleet & ensure they are operating efficiently & safely…
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Ship Routing – Earliest Arrival

Our weather routing experts recomend the optimum route analyzing… more >

Ship Routing – Fuel Optimization

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Tracking/Polling

Tracking & automated satellite position polling service locates vessels…
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Offshore Support

Pre-departure route planning & forecasting en-route… more >

Arbitration Support &
Forensic Studies

AWT has prepared numerous reports for use in arbitration & legal venues…
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AWT (www.awtworldwide.com) is the leading provider of fleet optimization services, ship routing services and onboard voyage management software to ship owners, operators and charterers seeking the safest and most efficient routes for their fleets. Unlike companies that provide weather services for multiple industries, or companies which only offer onboard weather software, AWT is staffed by world-renown experts in ship routing, meteorology, IT, maritime science and former mariners who are focused solely on the maritime industry. Using the most sophisticated technology available, AWT routes more ships per month than any other company. Its superior customer service and integrity have made AWT the most trusted fleet optimization provider in the maritime industry. Founded in 1996, AWT is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with worldwide offices located in the UK, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Korea, Germany, New York, and New Jersey. More information is available at www.awtworldwide.com or by calling 1-408-731-8600.