Time, Not Distance

(Article originally published in Jan/Feb 2026 edition.)

For centuries, the great circle route has been an elegant solution addressing the shortest path between two points.

Modern shipping, however, operates in a world where distance alone is an incomplete metric. Climate volatility, the economics of fuel, charter party complexity, congestion, safety and even wildlife migration patterns have turned voyage planning into a complex, multi-variable equation.

How's the weather?

In an industry where small weather interruptions can cascade into significant delays, disputes and increased risk exposure, even a few additional days of foresight into weather and other factors can significantly and positively impact scheduling and voyage outcomes.

StormGeo's roots in weather routing stretch back decades, but the company's vision of modern voyage optimization goes far beyond avoiding heavy seas.

"Weather routing has developed into the cornerstone of voyage optimization," says Rolf Reksten, Global Head of Sales-Route Advisory Services, at StormGeo. "But we are building on this foundation with an understanding of the commercial aspects of route planning and execution that allows us to optimize details that relate to saving time, thereby improving every aspect of voyage efficiency."

That focus increasingly defines how optimization is applied in practice.

Todd Lanouette, Business Manager-Shipping at StormGeo, emphasizes the importance of earlier and more confident decision windows: "We have increased our lead time ahead of heavy weather events up to five days out. This allows our operations team to provide alternative options earlier, which often reduces added voyage costs, fuel burn and GHG emissions."

Vessel-specific intel

One of the most significant evolutions in voyage optimization has been the inclusion of vessel-specific intelligence. In a shift away from generalized assumptions of performance, optimization companies are relying on remote monitoring, modeling and machine-learning to recognize how an individual vessel actually performs rather than how it is supposed to perform on paper or based on theoretical models.

"We now leverage our extensive performance database and use vessel-specific fuel curves to identify the sweet spot where the vessel's performance can be optimized in coordination with the optimal route and commercial objectives," explains Reksten.

Lanouette adds that these refined models improve risk assessment and human-decision confidence: "These improved estimates give our operations team higher confidence in where a vessel will be relative to major storms and tropical cyclones," noting that this allows route analysts to communicate options to vessel masters with greater clarity and credibility.

The result is optimization that is operational rather than theoretical—grounded in real behavior, not generic performance curves.

Technology stack

While StormGeo approaches optimization through forecasting, performance and advisory services, Kongsberg Maritime brings a fundamentally different strength: ownership of the vessel's operational technology stack.

"Kongsberg Maritime has played a defining role in shaping voyage optimization, building on more than two centuries of innovation in delivering safer, smarter and more efficient maritime operations," says Anders Bryhni, Product Line Manager-Performance & Fleet Management.

That legacy increasingly manifests as deep integration between onboard systems and digital decision tools. "Unlike software-only providers, Kongsberg Maritime owns the full technology chain – from the sensors and automation on the vessel to the digital applications that interpret and optimize performance," Bryhni explains.

Following its 2025 acquisition of the maritime software unit of Kongsberg Digital, the company consolidated its capabilities into a harmonized digital solutions portfolio now supporting more than 3,000 vessels worldwide – enabling optimization across entire fleets rather than individual voyages.

The human element

As voyage optimization platforms mature and reach across a greater number and variety of vessels, integration across planning, execution and post-voyage analysis has become essential.

But amid all of the technology and innovation, the human element remains of paramount importance even as service providers offer more integrated solutions.

StormGeo describes its current service package as comprehensive but with an unwavering focus on the end-user. "StormGeo provides an end-to-end solution, from onboard planning to weather routing and commercial optimization," Reksten states. "While we are now much more of a one-stop shop with expert support, we still firmly believe in the human in between."

That philosophy extends well beyond marketing language. Lanouette emphasizes the operational value of direct human engagement: "Having a human contact available during a voyage helps onboard crew feel confident that an experienced route analyst has checked the route recommendation."

Automation handles benign conditions efficiently, but when weather risk, commercial pressure or safety trade-offs emerge, human judgment remains decisive. Rather than replacing navigators, optimization tools improve their ability to make better decisions faster.

Challenges

As with any new and developing technology, voyage optimization carries significant challenges.

Kongsberg is direct about where the industry still struggles. "Voyage optimization is not just a digital challenge – it's an integration challenge," the company noted in an emailed response. "Measurable impact only happens when digital applications are tightly connected to the operational technology that runs the vessel."

From Kongsberg's perspective, optimization can be realized only when insights flow directly into propulsion control, power management, navigation and energy systems. Without that linkage, operators risk fragmented tools, inconsistent data and unrealized value.

This integrated approach also supports the gradual, practical adoption of automation and AI, closing the loop between recommendation and execution while keeping the master firmly in control.

Verifying performance

As both a classification society and technical advisor, DNV occupies a unique position in the voyage optimization ecosystem. While operators pursue efficiency and fuel savings, DNV increasingly focuses on trust, verification and standardization – critical enablers for scale.

Fuel and emissions regulations across the commercial maritime space are seeing accelerated adoption, but charter requirements remain a powerful parallel driver. Optimization is no longer optional when efficiency metrics influence competitiveness and contract awards.

DNV's work in digital ship systems, performance verification, cyber-secure data pipelines and emerging standards provides a neutral framework that allows new optimization tools to gain acceptance.

By validating data quality and system integrity, DNV helps bridge the gap between innovation and operational trust, particularly as automation takes on a larger advisory role across industry stakeholders.

Managing time

Voyage optimization has emerged not as a single technology but as an operating discipline – one that blends forecasting, vessel performance modeling, commercial decision-making and human judgment into a continuous process spanning the full berth-to-berth lifecycle of a voyage.

What was once a relatively straightforward calculation is now a complex, strategic tool influenced by safety, profitability and regulatory compliance.

What defines this new era is not autonomy alone, nor AI in isolation, but the convergence of trusted data, integrated systems and experienced humans making informed decisions. Voyage optimization is no longer about finding the shortest distance between two points but rather finding the most intelligent route between them.

Spanning providers and vessel types, a common theme emerges: Time is the most valuable variable in shipping. "The main goal is to manage time. Less time equates to less fuel and emissions, which is a win-win," StormGeo's Reksten says, noting that even the simplest optimization strategies can deliver seven to eight percent savings, often with no hardware investment, making optimization one of the most accessible efficiency and decarbonization tools available today.

The great circle has not disappeared; it's been absorbed into something larger. Modern voyage optimization reframes navigation as a continuous decision process – balancing safety, efficiency, emissions and commercial realities in real-time.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.