Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2060
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2060
16 Nov 2023
 | 16 Nov 2023

VISIR-2: ship weather routing in Python

Gianandrea Mannarini, Mario Leonardo Salinas, Lorenzo Carelli, Nicola Petacco, and Josip Orović

Abstract. Ship weather routing, which involves suggesting low-emission routes, holds potential for contributing to the decarbonisation of maritime transport. However, its quantitative impact has been explored only to a limited extent, also for a lack of readily deployable open-source and open-language computational models.

As a response, the VISIR model has been refactored in Python, incorporating new features. The velocity composition with currents has been refined, now encompassing leeway as well. For motor vessels, the angle of attack of waves has been considered, while sailboats now account for the combined effects of wind and sea currents. A least-CO2 algorithm in presence of dynamic graph edge weights has been implemented and validated, proving a quasi-linear computational performance which outperforms VISIR-1. The software suite’s modularity has been significantly improved, alongside a thorough validation against arious benchmarks.

The resulting VISIR-2 model has been employed in numerical experiments within the Mediterranean Sea for the entire 2022, utilising meteo-oceanographic analysis fields. For a 125-meter-long ferry, the distribution of carbon dioxide savings follows a bi-exponential distribution. Two-digit CO2 savings were possible for more than ten days in a year. Largest savings were achieved in avoiding upwind sailing and using the lowest engine load. In the case of an 11-meter sailboat, time savings increase with the extent of path elongation, particularly during upwind sailing. The sailboat’s routes were approximately 3 % shorter thanks to optimisation, and there was potential for additional savings when favourable currents were in play. The impact of leeway was minor, but disregarding it would result in a systematic underestimation of route durations.

VISIR-2 is a collaborative model with the capacity to harness knowledge from oceanography, ocean engineering, and computer science, to contribute to the decarbonisation efforts in the shipping industry.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Share

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

24 May 2024
VISIR-2: ship weather routing in Python
Gianandrea Mannarini, Mario Leonardo Salinas, Lorenzo Carelli, Nicola Petacco, and Josip Orović
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 4355–4382, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4355-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4355-2024, 2024
Short summary
Download

The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
Ship weather routing has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions, but it currently lacks open and...
Share