Introduction

• ECO Voyage is a tool designed to provide the master with information on optimal speed through every
part of the journey, in order to keep the propulsion power as constant as possible to obtain the lowest
possible fuel consumption.

• Based on vessel particulars and detailed up-to-date information on expected currents, winds, waves and
depth restrictions along the planned route, the optimal track can be chosen, thus avoiding unwanted
oscillations in ship’s power and still maintaining a fixed ETA.

• Updated current information is received from other vessels on the same route via a central server. In
addition general wind, wave and current information is anticipated through the use of SPOS.

• The present quick guide is intended to provide the user with the basic knowledge to make use of the ECO
Voyage program. For detailed information on specific functionality the complete manual should be
consulted.

• The flow of the slides below corresponds to the sequence a standard user would use in his planning and
execution of a voyage, so please start the ECO Voyage program and follow the guide through these steps.
 Quick guide geometry
Start ECOVoyage
Creating a new route Create next route at any time
Select existing route

Planning the voyage

Before the voyage

The waypoints tab SPOS Input SPOS weather optimization

The weather info tab SPOS Create Voyage

The Sea Current tab

To execute the plan

During the voyage

Departure information
Every 4 hours steaming Every 24 hours steaming
Monitoring route progress Entering Observations Update SPOS weather forecast

Ending the route Update ECOVoyage weather

 Select existing route
Fill in first letters of
ports (Country code)
1. From the top menu and press
select Route Library

2. Press here to see and

choose from a list of
previous routes used on this
vessel
OR
2. Press the search icon to select a route
from the whole library.

OR
2. You may also
wish to create
your own route.
See ”Create
route”

3. End by pointing out desired route and press

 Creating a new route
1. Press and you are 2. Press the
asked for a unique name. The new ”Waypoints” tab.
route can either be a copy of the one
on the screen or an empty route,
where you load all the WP yourself.
3. You can import
waypoints from an
external source.
Choose the source
and press
You are then
requested to confirm
which file to load.

4. You might want to

enter waypoints by
hand or to insert or
delete a waypoint or
to followRhumbline
/ Great Circle track.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The coloured circles indicates a hubpoint. Also speed limits are
Only hubpoints containing a waypoint (shown in green) are set here
used to acquire current information , so you might want to
move a WP to include og exclude certain information.
 Planning the voyage: Container Vessels
4. Press this button
1. Information 2. Fill in departure 3. Check that to request data for
tab date/time and arrival suggested ZT- observed current
date/time in local corrections are along the planned
time zone correct. track during preceding
month from other
vessels.

5. Enter the average

draughts during the
voyage. The
possible savings
from different trim
Info: The most economical strategy is should be evaluated
usually to keep propulsion power from pressing the
constant . For vessels with WHR a dual Trim Tool
speed option will always be calculated
and lowest fuel consumption will be
marked green. Select preferred by
pressing “Use Plan”

6. Enter average 7. The other tabs contain detailed info for

electric load (kW) this voyage. You should use the 9. Click to
for reefers and ”Waypoints”, ”Sea Current” and ”Weather find the engine setting
other not included Info” tab to optimize the route. (See next for the voyage
in basic load slide)
 The Waypoints tab
3. Export the raw route to SPOS, where the 4. You might enter a max/min Speed to meet HRA
route may be optimized in accordance with speeds or confined water. You might also set max
current, wind and wave predictions. speed to reduce shallow water influence from own
experience or from calculation by the Shallow water
tool. However, you might also enter a depth to
include shallow water effects.

Buttons for Zooming or 1. Optional: The shallow water tool will allow
different projections of you to evaluate the speed loss from passing
the map. Also use the shallow water. This can be used to decide at
point and drag feature which max. speed you want to pass that area.
to view other parts of Constant power calculation will automatically 2. The desired max. speed can be entered under the
the map. reduce speed if nothing is given. Weather Info tab in order to take it into account
 Weather from SPOS 8 to ECO Voyage

• ECO Voyage can read weather data from SPOS 8, but this requires some preparation in SPOS
8. Unfortunately will SPOS 8 not automatically update weather file for ECO Voyage. This will
describe how to make data both for first plan and as voyage is progressing.

• ECO Voyage and SPOS 8 have been integrated a little, such it is possible to have semi-
automatic update of position in SPOS 8. It is also now an option for ECO Voyage to read
weather directly from SPOS 8.

• If you experience an “Error, Blocked by land” this can be corrected by setting the “Ignore
Land” option (see next page). Note, when “Ignore Land” is marked then will this leg not be
optimized.

Info: Under this tab data for each WP may be corrected.
1. Choose the source of
current you want to use for
calculation. The ”Mean
(SPOS and VESCOS)”
calculation method will in
most cases be optimal.
The Weather Info tab
Info: The import of weather predictions will allow the
program to take the speed loss from wind and wave
encounters into consideration. This will reduce
unwanted oscillations in speed or engine setting
arising from varying conditions during the voyage.
4. You might specific arrival
time at a certain WP –
voyage will then be split
into two
2. If SPOS 8 is installed you can choose
the source of weather data to use for calculation. 3. You might change
“Manual imported Spos data” requires WP to be exported to Spos. weather or current if data
Press when data is available. seem unreasonable.
Good for route optimisation. These may be corrected
“Automatic imported weather data” can read data direct from SPOS 8 for each leg from own
if running. Good for Dual Speed experience.
The Sea Current tab Scaling
buttons

1. Upper window contains a graphic view of observed current. Point at each graph to
highlight the curve and name of the source. You may exclude any source by making it
”Inactive”
 Changing Dual Speed Period
1. The period where the high power part of a Dual 2. Optional. The blue line shows where high power
Speed voyage shall be conducted can be changed on part of a dual speed voyage. However it can be
Information page or Waypoint page. changed by dragging the small point along the route
Select from drop down box. Default is (a tool tip will show position and time). Press
“EndWithWHR” as this provide highest savings if ETA Calculate button for update.
is delayed.
Press Calculate button for update.
 To execute the plan
1. Returning to the
”Information” tab
press the
button to calculate
the voyage plan
This table will show time
for sailing in different
modes and thereby
when to change in a Dual
Speed voyage

2. Evaluate result of calculation. For vessel with WHR

is presented two results. Best result will be selected as
default but can be changed by pressing “Use Plan”
Besides the “Predicted fuel consumption” and
“Average Power” you might also view the detailed
voyage on Plan tab
3. Save the plan and Press “Start Route” to
change to Route Progress and send Voyage
Plan to GVC
Departure information

If ‘Pilot dropped time’ is not

correct, then press
to go back and change.

Fill in the empty fields and

press
Can always
be Reached Monitoring route progress
via top menu

The ”Route progress” screen gives you a number of tabs

to monitor if the vessel is proceeding according to plan.

To enter an observation choose the ”Observations” tab

1. Answer Yes to
open the Route
progress screen
Can always
be reached Entering observations
via top menu
Every four hours during the passage an observation of logged and observed distance should be entered. Fill in the blank fields
under the ”Observations” tab as accurately as possible and finish by pressing the button.

This will create a message containing your observed current, which is sent to the central server for use on subsequent vessels.
As long as the message has not been transmitted from your vessel, you may still delete it .

1.Enter

2. Examine data by this

figure the speed data. If
warnings then correct data.
3. Click
You might also compare
observations with Spos
weather forecast.
NOTE: Own data is preferred

3. Click to recalculate plan

from observed position
 Update SPOS weather forecast

• ECO Voyage can read weather data from SPOS 7, but this requires some preparation in SPOS 7.
Unfortunately will SPOS 7 not automatically update weather file. For information on how to
use SPOS 7 with ECO Voyage, please refer to the “SPOS Quick Guide”.
• ECO Voyage can read weather data directly from SPOS 8 if program is running and “Automatic
imported weather data” is selected.
 Update ECO Voyage weather
1. Update weather from SPOS once a day to always have best available data for the speed
prediction. If using “Manual weather” then select the ”weather Info” tab and press the
button. If using “Automatic weather” then ensure SPOS 8 is running.

2. Press to update the plan The new Present speed, power, rpm and fuel for
new leg is shown under the ”Information” tab
Can always
be reached Re-calculated Plan
via top menu

This table will show time

for sailing in different
modes and thereby
when to change in a Dual
Speed voyage

Note: Here will be

shown what ECO
Voyage suggest of
settings for next leg

1. Latest observations are shown 2. After update of weather or ETA the re-
used for update of “Plan” and calculated plan are shown next to saved plan.
“Update”. Position can be entered Program will request you to update/ Save
directly here, but will not be saved. plan once every 24 hours
Can always
be reached Detailed Plan
via top menu

1. Observations are shown and can 3. Re-calculated plan are shown on top of
be compared with plan. Buffer 2. Holding mouse over a point saved plan. If fuel consumption deviates to
distance shows if you are ahead or and data can be seen. much you can update plan by pressing “Save”
behind plan.
 Ending the route
When the passage is finished and the last progress entry has been made, press at the bottom of the ”Route
Progress” screen. This will cause below screen to appear requiring data for statistical purposes similar to those at the
beginning of the voyage.

Fill in voyage data and

press