Energy saving method for ship weather routing optimization

In this paper, an improved three-dimensional dynamic programming algorithm for ship route optimization is proposed. As a consequence of the weather conditions and constraints, the ship course and speed are planned, and the optimal solution of ship route planning is generated. Compared with the actual navigation data of the VLCC oil tanker, the calculation accuracy of the method is verified by referring to the great circle route. Under the objective function of minimum FOC (fuel oil consumption) and ETA (estimated time of arrival), the economic benefits of the VLCC oil tanker per voyage are increased by 1.59% and 1.33% respectively, and ETA is shortened by 14.63h and 17.79h. In addition, the method also has the ability of other objective function optimization, weather updating and route updating, which can provide sufficient support for ship operators in route planning.