The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

OneOcean launches first Environmental Planner as part of Voyage Planning

(Posted on 15/01/22)

OneOcean Group has expanded its platform capability to include a new and unique Environmental Planner, which uses a dynamic timeline to provide a real-time look ahead at the environmental rules and restrictions in force during a voyage. For the first time, navigational and environmental planning can be done in a simple integrated workflow. With the addition of the advanced environmental timeline, the software platform enhances its offering for a unique Total Voyage approach that integrates and visually presents data, to both minimize risk and support effective decision-making. The timeline displays a comprehensive list of environmental events that can safely and legally take place aboard a vessel during a rolling 12-hour window, based on the ship’s departure time, its current position, and speed.

The Active Environmental Timeline can be generated as part of the ship’s official passage plan, as a section in the pdf document. Access to the environmental planner in the passage plan and the active timeline enables a coordinated approach for better decision-making in both the planning and monitoring stages of a voyage. Should the departure be delayed, both the timeline and document can be dynamically adjusted to reflect an accurate representation of the ship’s position in relation to the environmental regulations in place along the route. If the vessel speed is increased, the timeline will adjust to accurately reflect that, as is refreshes every three minutes.

“Traditionally, if a ship’s actual departure time doesn’t match the one on the passage plan, then all the environmental considerations have to be re-calculated. The new Active Environmental Timeline saves a great deal of effort by performing these re-calculations based on real-time information in just one click, enabling dynamic updates to all relevant data. This delivers real value to customers because they can now truly operationalise environmental planning, weaving environmental events and cadence into the planning stages for effective fulfilment throughout the voyage.” said Tony Brown, Deputy CTO.

Decision makers can access an accurate picture of when and where environmental events can safely and legally take place aboard. This makes it much easier to plan operations with peace of mind that the ship is in full compliance. All relevant data is easily viewed on a single screen with information specific to the vessel, and the company requirements and policies in place. Actions, such as discharges and emissions, are detailed by category and can be grouped in line with the user’s specifications. The timeline indicates how long the ship is likely to remain in the zone where vessels must comply with regulations or stringent company guidelines. Colour codes indicate whether the status is green: legal, amber: legal with conditions, or red: illegal. This high visibility significantly reduces the risk of non-compliance.

Nicholas Bourque, Chief Strategy Officer commented “In order to meet the ever-growing regulatory challenges, companies will need to implement a more connected and simplified approach to operationalise environmental planning. The enhanced OneOcean platform represents a better way of preparing for any voyage.”

The connected software approach from OneOcean significantly reduces workload for mariners in the planning process by combining all aspects of voyage planning, including outfit management, routing, calculations, weather, due diligence on notices and risks, and the monitoring of environmental restrictions to provide optimised decision making. Navigational planning events and environmental events are automatically calculated dynamically, saving significant time and effort in the planning stages, and providing real-time agility in the monitoring stage. The result is a comprehensive planning solution that visually presents all relevant data based on routing criteria, situational factors, and vessel details, resulting in a highly effective planning process.