Berge Bulk deploys Sofar Ocean voyage optimization fleetwide

Photo: Berge Bulk

Singapore-headquartered Berge Bulk has adopted San Francisco based Sofar Ocean’s Wayfinder voyage optimization platform across its fleet of owned vessels, including new vessels equipped with wind propulsion technology.

Berge Bulk uses Wayfinder’s dynamic voyage optimization to save fuel, time, and emissions. The solution makes use of the best available weather and vessel data. — powered by Sofar’s own global network of ocean sensors — and data-driven vessel performance models that are continuously calibrated using the best available weather and vessel data.

“Using innovative technology to boost vessel efficiency is key to our ‘Maritime Marshall Plan’ for decarbonization,” said James Marshall, founder and CEO of Berge Bulk. “Sofar’s Wayfinder helps us understand fleet performance and importantly improves the vessels route optimization as we aim for a zero-emissions fleet.”

“By reducing uncertainty in the weather predictions, Wayfinder delivers significant efficiency gains immediately and does so voyage after voyage, saving an average of 4—6% on fuel and emissions,” said Tim Janssen, co-founder and CEO of Sofar Ocean. “We are excited about the role of Wayfinder in supporting new technologies to drive the energy transition and look forward to partnering with Berge Bulk on its journey to decarbonization.”

Berge Bulk’s adoption of Wayfinder is the latest in a series of measures it has taken that areaimed at achieving zero scope 1 emissions fleetwide by 2050. In the past year, Berge Bulk has equipped two ships — Newcastlemax vessel Berge Olympus and Valemax carrier Berge Neblina — with wind propulsion technology. Wayfinder is used on both these sail-assisted vessels to maximize the benefits of the sails on efficiency. As Berge Bulk outfits more vessels with wind propulsion and invests in additional decarbonization initiatives that include the use of alternative fuels, it will use Wayfinder to help measure and optimize the performance of each new technology.

Wayfinder provides dynamic route and RPM (engine speed) guidance that accounts for variations in weather, market, and vessel performance. Wayfinder uses Sofar’s weather forecasts, which are powered by its proprietary ocean sensor network. These data-driven weather models greatly reduce forecast uncertainty and increase vessel performance model accuracy, ensuring Wayfinder keeps vessels on the most efficient path to port.

“Better weather data and forecasts are a cornerstone to unlock superior vessel performance models and voyage optimization,” said Janssen. “Our partnership with Berge Bulk is built on this philosophy and we are committed to help prepare its fleet for a present and future defined by decarbonization. We know that there is no silver bullet for getting to net zero, but are confident that voyage optimization is a stepping stone technology to support the efficient rollout of new, green technologies.”