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StormGeo: Voyage optimisation falls short without real-time commercial clarity

‘Without full visibility of the commercial picture, optimisation remains subject to uncertainty due to unseen variables,’ says Rolf Reksten.

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StormGeo: Voyage optimisation falls short without real-time commercial clarity

A lack of commercial clarity in voyage planning can lead to inefficiencies that silently erode margins – and real optimisation is all about connecting the dots between a range of operational and economic factors to fully unlock value, according to StormGeo’s Commercial Lead Routing Rolf Reksten on Thursday (26 March). 

“Voyage optimisation has become an industry buzzword. It is nothing new – this has been the ship operator’s job for decades. What is missing is properly integrating the commercial dimension into that equation,” Reksten said.

“This means that a significant amount of value is being left on the table simply because decisions are not connected to real commercial outcomes. Without full visibility of the commercial picture, optimisation remains subject to uncertainty due to unseen variables.”

Relating to real-world conditions

When planning a ship voyage, commercial parameters determine whether the voyage will be profitable, contractually compliant and operationally efficient. Key parameters include TCE/market value and charter terms, operating costs (fuel, port charges, insurance etc.), bunkering strategy, laytime and demurrage risk, cargo delivery, port efficiency, weather-related delay risk and emissions costs.

While digital tools have transformed voyage planning, these remain largely focused on routing efficiency and fuel consumption, in line with conventional thinking in the industry. But without proper assimilation of economic data, this can result in commercial blind spots in decision-making.

Market conditions and economics are constantly changing, and it is therefore necessary to manage and relate to current market data in voyage planning so that decisions are aligned with the real-world situation, according to Reksten.

“Voyage optimisation isn’t static; it’s a dynamic picture. Relying on averages for freight and bunker prices is insufficient as you need real-time market insight to make the right decisions,” he explains.

The complexity of modern shipping combined with market volatility demand a holistic approach in which commercial considerations are truly integrated into operational planning and execution, Reksten believes.

Managing voyage trade-offs

A typical voyage entails multiple commercial trade-offs, but these may not be properly considered if there are fragmented responsibilities and a lack of data-sharing between chartering and operations teams in voyage planning, which can result in missed opportunities.

For example, reducing fuel usage with slower routing to cut emissions or taking a detour to capture a lower bunker price may appear to make sense. But the resulting delay could mean missing a cargo offloading window – and incurring penalties – or losing out on a more lucrative contract in a higher market. Consequently, fuel or emissions savings could be heavily outweighed by avoidable losses.

“Understanding these commercial trade-offs and accessing actionable market data for adaptive planning is key to a successful voyage. Operational optimization without commercial context can deliver a sub-optimal outcome,” Reksten says.

Operational decisions on speed, routing and arrival timing directly influence the commercial variables of a voyage in terms of fuel consumption, daily earnings, arrival performance and emissions exposure.

“Time is money in shipping. This is a critical factor in an industry where every minute counts. Commercial visibility means connecting the right data to the right decisions at the right time to effectively manage and relate to these variables in real time,” Reksten says.  

Optimising with commercial goals

StormGeo, a global provider of weather intelligence and decision-support solutions, is enabling data-driven voyage optimisation powered by commercial goals to ensure routing and speed decisions are aligned with key priorities such as fuel efficiency, earnings performance, emissions targets and arrival certainty.

“A small change in speed can influence margins, market timing and operational commitments. Value is lost when optimisation is not aligned with a clearly defined commercial objective,” Reksten explains.

The shift towards commercially smart voyages is being facilitated by voyage intelligence that harnesses AI-driven predictive analytics to assimilate operational, commercial and sustainability insights into a single decision-making framework, supported by human expertise.

This allows structured comparisons of routing and speed scenarios in pre-voyage planning to determine voyage duration, fuel consumption, total cost and time-charter equivalent (TCE) implications. Speed and routing can be reassessed daily to reflect changing weather, operational conditions and commercial priorities, ensuring continuous alignment during execution by giving operators full visibility of the trade-offs that influence commercial outcomes.

“When you align operational decisions with commercial priorities, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the many small inefficiencies that erode voyage margins and thereby maximise total value – not just fuel efficiency,” Reksten says.

Human support for decision-making

He emphasises the importance of having humans in the loop to provide expert insights that balance algorithmic recommendations with real-world considerations.

“You cannot optimise a bad route. That is where human judgment comes in: to secure accountability with AI and ensure the correct routing fundamentals are in place for optimisation through rigorous data validation and vessel-specific performance modelling,” he explains.

Voyage intelligence provides commercial clarity by integrating voyage economics, bunker strategy, ETA accuracy and charter party implications with operational factors – such as metocean conditions and dynamic routing – and sustainability factors, including emissions monitoring and regulatory compliance. Such integration makes it possible to optimise across profitability, contractual compliance, supply chain timing and environmental costs.

Maximising total voyage value

And this, according to Reksten, has been proven to deliver improvements of between 3-8% in total voyage cost performance through tangible fuel savings, reduced emissions, less waiting time and higher earnings, while improving charter party compliance. It also enables better fleet-wide performance benchmarking.

“The idea that you can plan a voyage once and execute it exactly as planned is becoming outdated,” Reksten concludes. “Voyage optimisation is evolving into something much bigger – it’s about making every decision count from both an operational and a commercial perspective to truly realize value.

“And operators that can continuously adjust voyage strategy in line with changing conditions will be able to capture most value in a cost-sensitive and sustainability-focused industry.”

 

Photo credit: StormGeo
Published: 26 March, 2026

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Genevos and Koedood Marine Group team up on maritime hydrogen fuel cell deployment

Collaboration will explore how ready-to-use marine fuel cell systems can support shipowners and shipyards in the transition towards zero-emission operations.

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July 20, 2026

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Genevos and Koedood Marine Group team up on maritime hydrogen fuel cell deployment

Marine fuel cell systems provider Genevos recently said the company signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with engine supplier Koedood Marine Group to explore the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell systems for inland and coastal maritime transport. 

The LOI was signed by Phil Sharp, co-founder and CTO of Genevos, and Mühlheim, Business Development Director of Koedood Marine Group during the 2026 Advanced Maritime Technology Show in Amsterdam.

Building on Koedood’s proven experience in hydrogen maritime projects – including its ongoing work with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and TNO on hydrogen engine development – the collaboration will explore how ready-to-use marine fuel cell systems can support shipowners and shipyards in the transition towards zero-emission operations. 

“Koedood has a strong reputation in the maritime sector and a deep understanding of vessel operators’ needs. This LOI is an important step in exploring how Genevos’ hydrogen fuel cell systems can be deployed more widely across inland and maritime applications, helping shipowners reduce onboard emissions with robust, practical and scalable clean power solutions,” said Sharp.

The collaboration aligns with growing market demand for rapidly deployable hydrogen solutions and the wider need to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission technologies across the maritime sector. 

“With this collaboration, we are further strengthening our portfolio of maritime energy solutions. Together with Genevos, we are exploring how we can support our customers in the adoption of hydrogen technology,” said Mühlheim.

 

Photo credit: Genevos
Published: 20 July, 2026

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DNV awards TADC to Econowind for VentoFoil 3-Series

System actively harnesses wind power to generate forward thrust, helping to reduce bunker fuel consumption and mitigate FuelEU penalties.
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July 17, 2026

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DNV awards TADC to Econowind for VentoFoil 3-Series

Dutch wind-assisted propulsion technology firm Econowind on Wednesday (15 July) said it has received a Type Approval Design Certificate (TADC) from classification society DNV for its VentoFoil 3-Series boundary layer suction wing. 

The company said the certification confirms compliance with DNV’s ST-0511 standard for Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems and enables easier integration of VentoFoils on DNV-classed vessels worldwide. 

Econowind added that the approval accelerates the deployment of wind propulsion across the shipping industry.

“DNV is one of the world’s leading classification societies. This TADC gives DNV-classed shipowners confidence that VentoFoils meet the highest industry standards,” said Chiel de Leeuw, Chief Commercial Officer at Econowind. 

“It simplifies the approval process for both retrofits and newbuilds. VentoFoils are ideal for late-stage design integration and retrofit projects. This is an important milestone for Econowind and for the wider adoption of wind-assisted ship propulsion.”

The 3-Series VentoFoil is Econowind’s best-selling suction wing to date, with over 150 units sold. The system actively harnesses wind power to generate forward thrust, helping to reduce fuel consumption and mitigate FuelEU penalties. The system includes a tilting foundation, allowing the wings to be tilted down during port operations or in adverse weather conditions, making it a flexible solution.

The TADC applies to the 16-meter VentoFoil 3-Series product design and supports easy integration into DNV-classed vessels without repeating the full design assessment process. This enables shipowners, shipyards, and project teams to move more efficiently from concept to installation, reducing project complexity and accelerating deployment. 

Hasso Hoffmeister, Senior Principal Engineer at DNV Maritime, said: “It is a great pleasure to award Econowind this new certificate. WAPS have been going from strength to strength over the past few years, from 2022 the number of vessels in operation has increased five times, and we’ve now topped the century mark. 

“And with the current advances in technology, materials, and production capacity in the segment, we expect this to accelerate. So, while the wind always changes, the shipping industry is likely to be sailing strong for years to come.”

Econowind expects the DNV Type Approval Design Certificate to accelerate adoption of the VentoFoil, particularly among shipowners seeking proven, independently certified technology that can support fuel savings, emissions reductions, and decarbonization goals.

MS Heinz of HS Schiffahrt is among the first vessels to sail under this TADC.The company said the approval builds on Econowind’s growing installed base and further strengthens confidence in wind-assisted ship propulsion as a practical solution to address energy scarcity and high fuel prices. 

In addition to the 3-Series, Econowind offers the 5-Series for the deep-sea market.

 

Photo credit: Econowind
Published: 17 July, 2026

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Technology

Malaysia: Maharani Freeport to implement MFM and e-BDN technologies for enhanced bunkering transparency

Initiatives reflect the Freeport’s commitment to delivering transparency, operational integrity and international best practices across its bunkering ecosystem, says MEG spokesperson.
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July 15, 2026

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MEG 1145 cropped MT

Maharani Freeport, a National Project officially launched by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, in November 2025, will be introducing mass flowmeter (MFM) and electronic bunker delivery note (e-BDN) technologies to its bunkering operations, learns Manifold Times.

These strategic initiatives underscore the port’s commitment in establishing a highly transparent, efficient and trustworthy bunkering environment, aligned with global best practices and addressing critical industry demands, according to a Maharani Energy Gateway (MEG) spokesperson.

MEG is the Master Developer of Maharani Freeport and seeks to position the Freeport as a strategic nexus for shipment, storage and trading operations on a global scale. MEG Synergy is the trading division and a wholly owned entity of MEG; it seeks to position Maharani Freeport as a strategic nexus for shipment, storage, and trading operations on a global scale.

As part of its long-term bunkering strategy, the Freeport is currently in the process of acquiring bunker vessels of various sizes to support marine fuel deliveries and accommodate the evolving requirements of regional and international customers. These vessels will be equipped with MFM technology to ensure accurate, transparent and efficient fuel transfer operations.

Including bunkering and ship-to-ship (STS) trading operations from its High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO) Floating Storage Unit (FSU), MEG Synergy already oversees a healthy volume of Bunker cargo deliveries to regional players each month.

MFM for Trust, Transparency and Traceability

MEG highlighted the custody transfer of bunker fuels at the Freeport will be handled by MFM-equipped bunker tankers.

“The adoption of MFM technology to support bunkering operations is a direct response to persistent industry challenges such as quantity discrepancies and delivery disputes,” explained the spokesperson.

“By equipping our bunker vessels with certified mass flowmeters, we aim to ensure precise and verifiable fuel delivery measurements.

“This initiative is pivotal in fostering trust among customers and strengthening the Freeport’s reputation as a professionally managed zone where businesses can operate with confidence. The overarching goal is to create a secure and well-governed environment for commercial activities, reducing operational risks and uncertainties while supporting efficient and transparent trade.”

e-BDN to Digitalise Documentation Workflow

The implementation of electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDN), together with MFM technology, further aligns with the Freeport’s focus on creating comprehensive digital custody transfer records and robust data retention systems, added the spokesperson.

This digital approach, integrated with MFM technology, will streamline operational workflows, reduce administrative burdens and provide an immutable record of transactions to enhance transparency, minimising potential friction and expediting dispute resolution

MEG emphasised that the Freeport’s commitment extends beyond technological enhancements to encompass a comprehensive governance framework.

The port aims to adhere to stringent international standards, including those established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), while offering dispute resolution mechanisms under the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to ensure the swift and fair handling of disagreements.

This holistic approach to operational integrity and governance is designed to address perceived transparency gaps, positioning the Freeport as a reliable and commercially attractive hub for the maritime and commodities sectors.

Note: For enquiries in respect of Maharani Freeport, readers may reach out to:

[email protected]

Related: Interview: Maharani Energy Gateway – Forging a new energy nexus in the Straits of Malacca
Related: New Johor bunkering hub: Maharani debuts as Malaysia’s first duty-exempted energy freeport

 

Photo credit: Maharani Energy Gateway
Published: 15 July 2026

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