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Routes & Weather

In SimWAPS, the choice of the route directly influence the ship performance under sails. SimWAPS offers a sample of sea routes for which wind statistics have been calculated from historical meteorological data (ECMWF - ERA5). 

SimWAPS does not support weather routing. Thanks to weather routing, it is possible to reduce ship consumption. CRAIN has weather routing tools at its disposal, so don't hesitate to call on us ! 

Weather statistics 

SimWAPS uses statistical data to estimate fuel economy on the different shipping routes. The table below shows all the routes implemented in SimWAPS, together with the average wind values encontered. 

Having a variety of wind directions and strengths means that we can better assess the performance of the different systems in different conditions. Some technologies will be more effective in strong, downwind conditions, while other offer better gains in light or crosswind conditions. By integrading constrasting meteorological situations, SimWAPS highlights the strenghts and the limitations of each solution, enabling the most suitable option to be chosen for a specific route or operating profile. 

The IMO route is the default. It is the route defined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the calculation of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). It is a fictitious route representing the main routes used by merchant ships. 

Route Average Wind Speed (kt)  Average Wind Angle (°) 
IMO Main Trading Routes

Sao Paulo → Celtic Sea

Sao Paulo → Houston

Sao Paulo → Durban

Shanghai → Seattle 

Shanghai → Singapore

Celtic Sea → Sao Paulo 

Celtic Sea → New York

Suez → Gibraltar 

Suez → Singapore 

Gibraltar → Suez 

Gibraltar → Houston 

Gibraltar → Durban

Panama → Seattle

Singapore → Shanghai

Singapore → Suez

Singapore → Durban

Houston → Sao Paulo

Houston → Gibraltar

New York → Celtic Sea

Seattle → Shanghai

Seattle → Panama

Durban → Sao Paulo

Durban → Gibraltar

Durban → Singapore