Dynamic Route Optimization Supports Fuel Savings, Reduced Emissions, and Improved Time Charter Performance

(HOUSTON) Voyage planning insights to drive decarbonization goals through dynamic route optimization will soon be available for charterers and ship managers through ABS My Digital FleetTM, as Sofar Ocean, which recently announced a $39M Series B round, became the latest innovative technology startup to join the ABS My Digital Fleet Alliance Program. The Alliance Program is designed to nurture an ecosystem of industry-trusted data, technology, and intelligence service providers, enabling integrated insights on one digital platform.

ABS My Digital Fleet is the only customizable risk management platform that seamlessly integrates data to provide real-time insights for driving sustainable operations and reducing operational risks. Sofar Ocean operates an “ocean intelligence platform” informed by the largest open ocean sensor network of the coastal and open ocean drifting IoT sensors, known as Spotter buoys, covering all five of the world’s oceans. It provides dynamic route guidance, evaluating over 100 million routing options daily based on the latest weather forecast data, charter party requirements, and decarbonization goals. The Sofar Ocean platform will integrate with ABS My Digital Fleet to deliver voyage planning insights tailored for each vessel and journey, supporting shipmasters and fleet operations staff to take action when needed to support desired outcomes.

“With the addition of Sofar Ocean’s capabilities to ABS My Digital Fleet, we are bringing voyage insights that enable the flexibility to optimize for what is most important for each voyage, delivering the optimal route that supports charterers and ship managers in their daily operational decision-making towards meeting decarbonization goals. The actionable insights available include the optimal sea route, the optimal speed and heading, and estimated arrival time for each vessel considering the weather, vessel performance, bunkers, and other charter terms to maximize the time charter earnings for each voyage,” said Smarty Mathew John, ABS Vice President, Digital Solutions.

“At Sofar, we aim to deliver large-scale ocean data to accelerate climate insights,” said Sofar CEO, Tim Janssen. “Ocean intelligence, powered by our global sensor network, is essential to reduce weather and climate uncertainty. This is especially valuable to the shipping industry, which is currently facing a perfect storm of carbon, climate, and Covid. We’re very excited to join ABS’s Alliance Program and ensure shipping operators have access to a robust risk management solution.”

More information on ABS My Digital Fleet™ is available here.

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About ABS

ABS, a leading global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries, is committed to setting standards for safety and excellence in design and construction. Focused on safe and practical application of advanced technologies and digital solutions, ABS works with industry and clients to develop accurate and cost-effective compliance, optimized performance, and operational efficiency for marine and offshore assets.

About Sofar Ocean

Sofar Ocean connects the world’s oceans to provide data-driven insights to science, society, and industry for a more sustainable planet. Sofar owns and operates the largest open ocean sensor network providing critical real-time insights that power applications for customers across industries from shipping and government to environmental research and more in order to demystify the world’s oceans.