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Ship Routing Through Altimetry-Derived Ocean Currents

Author

Listed:
  • Mark R. McCord

    (Civil & Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Sciences, The Ohio State University, 2070 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210)

  • Young-Kyun Lee

    (Center for Infrastructure Studies, Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, 1591-6, Kwanyang-Dong, Dongan-Ku, Anyang-Si, Kyunggi-Do, Korea, 431-712)

  • Hong Kam Lo

    (Civil & Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong)

Abstract

We investigate the potential of strategic ship routing through dynamic currents derived from satellite altimetry by simulating current patterns in a dynamic Gulf Stream region to reflect present and improved current estimation capabilities, using dynamic programming to determine approximately 3-day routes through the current patterns, and estimating relative fuel savings that would be obtained if a 16-knot ship followed these rather than great circle routes. When simulating the use of a modified hydrographic approach to derive directly-gridded current velocities from an orbiting altimeter, reflective of present capabilities, an average fuel savings of 2.5% is calculated over 486 simulated voyages. A 5.8% average fuel savings is calculated when the bias associated with the modified hydrographic estimation approach is eliminated but the spatial-temporal sampling limitation associated with satellite orbits remains. Eliminating both the bias and the sampling limitation, which could be achieved with a current nowcasting model, produces 11.1% average fuel savings. Error-free forecasts lead to only slight marginal improvements over error-free nowcasts. Analysis by route characteristics indicates that the contribution of strategic routing is much better on with-current voyages—when the ship is traveling in the general direction of the primary current flow—than on counter-current voyages. We conclude that beneficial strategic routing through altimetry-derived current patterns is feasible using present capabilities on with-current voyages, but that overall performance and applicability would be substantially improved with the development of a current nowcasting model.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark R. McCord & Young-Kyun Lee & Hong Kam Lo, 1999. "Ship Routing Through Altimetry-Derived Ocean Currents," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 33(1), pages 49-67, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ortrsc:v:33:y:1999:i:1:p:49-67
    DOI: 10.1287/trsc.33.1.49
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    Cited by:

    1. Ricardo Gatica & Pablo Miranda, 2011. "Special Issue on Latin-American Research: A Time Based Discretization Approach for Ship Routing and Scheduling with Variable Speed," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 465-485, September.
    2. Al Baroudi, Hisham & Awoyomi, Adeola & Patchigolla, Kumar & Jonnalagadda, Kranthi & Anthony, E.J., 2021. "A review of large-scale CO2 shipping and marine emissions management for carbon capture, utilisation and storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    3. Marielle Christiansen & Kjetil Fagerholt & David Ronen, 2004. "Ship Routing and Scheduling: Status and Perspectives," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(1), pages 1-18, February.

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