Can artificial intelligence and the experience of a ship's crew make ocean crossings faster, more efficient and more sustainable? A recent project by Heerema Marine Contractors and French ocean intelligence company Amphitrite demonstrates that the answer is yes.
The companies successfully completed a voyage optimization pilot aboard the semi-submersible crane vessel Sleipnir, one of the world's largest offshore construction vessels. By combining machine learning, high-resolution weather forecasting and vessel-specific performance data, the Atlantic crossing was completed 2.5 days faster than originally planned.
Unlike traditional weather routing, the optimization system was trained using five years of operational data collected from Sleipnir. The model predicts the vessel's speed and power consumption under different wind, wave and ocean current conditions, allowing the route to be optimized specifically for the ship instead of relying on generic routing models.
During the voyage from Rotterdam to New York, the system identified the best departure window to take advantage of favorable tidal currents in the English Channel before recommending a more northerly route around a developing storm. The optimized crossing reduced the sailing distance by 240 nautical miles, lowered CO₂ emissions by up to 18%, and maintained higher average speeds without increasing fuel consumption.
The return voyage demonstrated another advantage of intelligent voyage optimization. Instead of following the shortest route, the system guided Sleipnir toward the Gulf Stream, where favorable ocean currents increased the vessel's speed over ground to 14.6 knots. Although the vessel traveled a longer distance, the stronger current allowed it to complete the crossing in less time.
One of the key outcomes of the project is that AI does not replace navigators. The platform analyzes weather, waves, currents and vessel performance to provide routing recommendations, while the captain and bridge team remain fully responsible for all navigational decisions. Artificial intelligence serves as a powerful decision-support tool, combining advanced analytics with professional maritime experience.
Following the successful pilot, Heerema has started integrating the optimization platform into voyage planning across its fleet. The project demonstrates how AI and human expertise working together can reduce transit times, improve fuel efficiency, lower emissions and increase the overall efficiency of offshore operations while maintaining the highest standards of navigational safety.
