WEATHER

ROUTING
SERVICE
(WRS)
By
 INTRODUCTION
 Historyof WRS
 WRS System
 Application to Passage plan
 Advantages / Disadvantages
 Modern ship routing ideas began
during the early stages of WWII
 “Optimum Track Ship Routing”
(OTSR) was started to provide safety
and cost saving routing services to
all ships utilized by the military for
long duration open ocean voyages.
 Commercial marine weather routing had it start in
the 1950’s when Howard Kaster, a meteorologist
for United Airlines, started a company called
“Pacific Weather Analysis Corporation” which
later evolved into Ocean Routes in 1967 under Ray
Maier and Bill Dupin.
WRS PROVIDER
WHO’S BEHIND WRS

A team of
ex-master Mariners +
professional forecasters
with the reference of
Meteorological Office
 WRS SYSTEM
 A system providing a vessel with a
route recommendation prior to sailing
and thereafter
 closely monitoring the progress of the
vessel en route and updating the
Master to ensure the vessel achieves
either
the earliest possible safe arrival or
arrives safely at the required time
 WHY WE USE WRS
 Optimize routes to avoid
specific weather conditions.

 Predict potentially damaging

conditions before they occur.

 Optimize routes on the basis

of a fixed ETA.
 WHO’S USING WRS
 Container, car carriers, high sided
ferries
+Expected to experience windage /leeway effect

 Passenger/ Roll on/off

+to reduce excessive rolling

 Tanker, Ore-Bulk-Oil (OBO)

+Deep draught required DWR

 Vessel without Ice classification

+required ice free route
 THE STAGES
1 ●
Initial

2 ●
Prior

3 ●
During

4 ●
Post
INITIAL STAGE-BEFORE PASSAGE
 Company/Charterer
will request the
service of WRS
provider.
 The ship particular/
Characteristic
sent in advance
or before a voyage
commence
INITIAL STAGE-BEFORE PASSAGE
 When providing the service, WRS use
the latest ship performance curves,
(for that particular type & size of the
vessel).
 These are plotted against the current
weather information, to predict the
vessels position up to five days in
advance.
 These positions are used to determine
the expected weather conditions for
each of the five days ahead.
 PRIOR STAGE-WHAT WE SEND

 Ship name + call sign

 Port of Departure + ETD
 Estimated voyage speed
 Summer deadweight (Load/ballast) + nature of cargo
 Weather and sea conditions to be avoided
 Whether maintenance is being carried out en route (fair
weather required)
 PRIOR STAGE-RECEIVING
 A preliminary routing message is
transmitted to the master of a
vessel prior to departure
 Master will decide to follow or
not
 Once the vessel departs, the
vessel’s progress is monitored
closely with weather and route
updates sent as needed
 WHAT THE INFO PROVIDED
The following are normal info mariner
will received from WRS :
 Any suitable recommendations, from
the team, which may facilitate the
passage safely and economically.
 A fully detailed Synoptic Situation, in
text format. This will describe all the
weather systems in the area and
their expected movement over the
next 24/48 hours.
 WHAT THE INFO PROVIDED
 Wind direction and speed (Beaufort)
for each day throughout the next five
days.
 Significant sea heights (combination
of sea and swell waves) and direction
for each of the next five days.
 Full details of all tropical cyclones,
ice limits and any other significant
features which may
affect the passage.
IN SIMPLE WAY, ALL WEATHER INFO
YOU NEED TO KNOW
SECONDARY STAGE-DURING
PASSAGE
By pressing this we
can advance the
display and
We can see the
weather expected for
next 5 days.

This info will provide

Master whether vsl
performance as
expected base on
*route he choose
DURING PASSAGE
FINAL STAGE-POST PASSAGE
REPORT
 After completion the
voyage.
 Provider will provide
analysis of the voyage
called end of voyage
report/post voyage report
 This is important as post
mortem of ship performance
POST VOYAGE REPORT

Analysis of vessel
performance etc.
distance covered,
fuel
consumption/fuel
saved
WRS ADVANTAGES
 As a supporting evidence when
company received claims
 Protect crew, ship and cargo from
extreme conditions and dangers.
 Avoid costly structural damage
and expensive repairs.
 Take the most cost-effective
route while avoiding hazardous
areas.
 Arrive on time while reducing fuel
consumption
 Help Master to make decision
in advance if changes require
from current passage plan to
avoid weather hazard
 Easy for fleet manager to
monitor the vessel and give
advice to Ship’s Team before
it’s to late. As they can
monitor via internet (more
info rather than ship’s team)
WRS DISADVANTAGES
 The system provides advice on
meteorological safety and navigational
safety on latest development. Mariner
has to consider any new hazard might
be encounter during the passage such
as wreck, buoy, shallow patches or
island base on the route suggestion.
 Possibility of data corrupted unnoticed
during information update during
passage, no indication for errors.
 Sometimes at certain time the system
might not be able to upload latest info.