Fujitsu Field Trials Ship Performance Estimation
Fujitsu Laboratories announced that it has conducted a trial of a ship performance estimation technology(1) together with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Ube Shipping & Logistics, Ltd. Developed by Fujitsu Laboratories and Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT), the technology can predict figures such as ship speed and fuel consumption.
The results of the trial showed that the technology is capable of estimating ship performance with an estimated margin of error under 1.5%, both on the ocean and near the coast, and in a variety of weather and wave conditions.
With this technology, it is possible for operators to accurately predict ship courses that will reduce fuel consumption, leading to lower fuel costs. Fujitsu Limited will include this technology as an option in Fujitsu Mobility Solution SPATIOWL, a cloud service that utilizes location information, aiming to offer the service in 2018. Details of this trial will be exhibited at the 2017 Fujitsu Forum Munich, to be held November 8-9.
If maritime companies can get an accurate handle on ship performance, including changes to ship speed and fuel consumption due to weather and ocean conditions, they can plot optimal ship courses in response to such conditions along the route (this technique is called "weather routing").
For example, companies can know in advance if a slight deviation from the shortest route could actually improve fuel consumption as it avoids strong wind and waves (figure 1). In May 2016, Fujitsu Laboratories worked with TUMSAT to jointly develop technology that could estimate a ship's performance with high accuracy.
Fujitsu Laboratories' proprietary high-dimensional statistical analysis technology utilizes Fujitsu Human Centric AI Zinrai, Fujitsu's AI technology, to produce highly accurate estimates.
