‘K’ Line fleet to install new automated weather routing system

A new solution for fuel management and route navigation developed by “K” Line and Kawasaki Heavy Industries will be installed on 120 of the Japanese ocean carrier’s vessels, the companies said in a joint statement.    Ocean carrier Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line) will install Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ (KHI) “Optimum Weather Routing System” within its fleet of operated and managed vessels, the companies said in a joint statement.
   The system provides vessel operators with the safest route with minimum fuel consumption and is part of “K” Line’s KAWASAKI Integrated Maritime Solution (K-IMS) developed in collaboration with KHI group. The system is slated for installation in 120 vessels by 2021, “K” Line said.
   The K-IMS is a broader solution that ship-shore intercommunication system and has functions of operation management of ships, condition monitoring of engine plant, and ship performance analysis from the office.
   On-board testing was utilized during system development and, as a result, “the estimated value of rolling, pitching and fuel consumption on the route selected by the system matched with in-service results with high accuracy that led us to the decision of installing the system to vessels in our fleet officially,” said K Line.
   “By installing the system, beside the safety of ship operation will improve, it leads to economical and environmentally friendly operation by energy saving,” said “K” Line. “We will keep moving forward in achieving our vision of contributing to the society by safe and high quality service with various advanced technologies.”