Napa and Furuno team up on voyage optimisation

Communications company, Furuno, is to incorporate Napa’s Voyage Optimization software into its new Planning Station PS-100, a voyage planning, monitoring, and briefing system that is currently under development. The new software will be an optional add-on, requiring a separate contract between Furuno and ship operators.  

Napa’s software will provide a digital facility for optimising route selection and voyage speed, thus cutting fuel use and emissions, the companies said. Incorporated into the Planning Station PS-100, the system will also include navigation data, radar echoes, target tracking (TT) to avoid collisions, automatic identification system (AIS) data, weather information, voyage routes, and user charts.

Napa Shipping Solutions’ executive VP, Pekka Pakkanen, said: “This is a fantastic example of how better connectivity, powerful 3D modelling capabilities and innovative hardware can come together to take voyage optimisation to a new level. We will help shipping, ship management, and shipowning companies to improve the efficiency of their operations, reduce fuel costs and CO₂ emissions, improve crew productivity, and optimise ship management from shore.”