Oceanroutes Helps Steer Vessels To Safety In Inclement Weather

Provisions for the routing of containerships servicing the Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific trades - specifically Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), have been implemented by WNI Oceanroutes. A leading transportation company, OOCL utilizes all that WNI offers within its services and products hub: Optimum Weather Routing, ORION for onboard guidance and the POLARIS fleet management system. "Together, Optimum Weather Routing and ORION help us maintain schedule and integrity and minimize weather risks," said Alfred H.Y. Cheung, manager Nautical Advisory & Safety Audit Section for OOCL's Ship Management Department. Proven as an imperative tool for schedule and safety management, POLARIS has helped OOCL by furthering its already effective management style and high-tech image. POLARIS grants an overview of a vessel's revised position in addition to its weather patterns. In addressing the needs of ship operators based in the choppy North Sea, Oceanroutes meets their concerns with the development of its first PC-based Offshore Weather System. Established in 1985, the program is touted as greatly improving in the presentation of offshore weather. Oceanroutes newest project in this field is SATURN - building on the positive feedback of its first satellite system. Powered by any new-generation PC, SATURN heightens both the presentation of offshore forecasts as well as the convenience of user interaction. User functions consist of chart animation, zoom and parameters. With the click of a computer mouse, SATURN's ability to sample the main offshore forecast parameters - particularly wind and wave, is activated. Each map background is specifically tailored to each client's offshore forecast sites with data that can be printed out or saved to a file. SATURN can also be transferred to a corporate Intranet giving international operators the ability to access forecast data. The useful information is applied to rigs and/or platforms spread out from South America, up to Arctic Norway and the Tropical Far East. SATURN is Y2K ready and expected to carry the presentation of offshore weather forecasts into the next millennium.