Weather Routing at the Royal Academy of Sciences

The scientific workshop “Environmental Monitoring: An Exploratory Workshop” recently took place at the Royal Spanish Academy of Sciences (RAC). The event brought together experts in environmental science and maritime transportation to address ecological challenges faced by the blue economy and find innovative weather routing solutions.

The workshop kicked off with David Gómez-Ullate, professor at IE university and lead researcher of our weather routing project. He gave a plenary talk introducing the problem of weather routing, the required data, models and optimization methods and giving a broad perspective on the history and economic implications of this technology.

Next was Daniel Precioso, who presented his Hybrid Search algorithm as part of the research on his PhD. This approach addresses the Zermelo’s Navigation Problem by combining optimal path search methods with variational refinement. Through real-world examples, Daniel showcased how the application of mathematics enhances navigation capabilities, and contributes to the ecological transition of maritime transportation.

Following Daniel’s presentation, Rafael Ballester-Ripoll, professor at IE University, introduced an alternative solution for weather routing, drawing inspiration from evolutionary algorithms and the Bézier curves. His research showcased the potential for diverse approaches to weather routing, and how each has its own strengths and scope.

The session also included talks from Fernando Cañavate and José Enrique Gutiérrez, two naval engineers working on different aspects of this project.

Generous financial support from the BBVA Foundation and Agencia Estatal de Investigación played a crucial role in the workshop’s success, demonstrating their commitment to environmental research and sustainability.

For more updates and exciting developments in maritime transport and optimization, stay tuned to the project’s blog!