DIRECT Optimization Algorithm for Ship Routing Plan

Paper in proceeding, 2015

Weather routing represents one increasingly recognized method for reducing fuel consumption, hereby lowering emissions and costs. This paper provides a short outline of the general concept of weather routing of ships, while focus is on the implementation of the DIRECT (DIviding RECTangles) algorithm in the construction of a novel weather routing tool made in cooperation with Maersk Maritime Technology. The developed routing tool is demonstrated on several conceptual cases to determine capabilities of route profiles avoiding obstacles such as land, avoiding adverse storms by varying voyage speed and utilizing weather to schedule a route with minimized fuel consumption. Strengths and weaknesses of the utilization of the DIRECT algorithm are discussed.