The optimal route: Moving beyond conventional thinking to holistic voyage planning in International Shipping News 25/04/2026 Digital tools for automated routing have been a game-changer for shipping by enabling shorter voyage times and enhanced fuel efficiency to cut costs and emissions. But, with the complexity of modern shipping, the most profitable route is rarely the shortest one, says StormGeo. Traditional routing has focused on finding the safest route with the most practical combination of time and distance, and this balancing act is the foundation of voyage optimization, according to StormGeo’s Commercial Lead Routing Rolf Reksten. But he says: “The shortest route is not necessarily the shortest time – and time is money. In today’s complex operating environment, it is important to take into consideration the whole picture to achieve the right voyage outcome.” Routing is no longer purely a navigational decision – it’s a commercial one, influenced by fuel costs, port dynamics and fluctuating market conditions. Value-focused optimization Optimal voyage planning therefore depends on being able to properly evaluate a wide range of shifting parameters and adapt effectively to fluctuating conditions during the voyage through assimilation of real-time data, according to Reksten. “Routing decisions must reflect multiple operational and commercial variables to focus on value, not just distance,” he says. An industry shift is taking place towards holistic voyage intelligence that integrates weather, vessel performance, and commercial data to manage this complexity and support better, faster and more responsive decision-making at sea. AI-driven predictive analytics, combined with human expertise, enables operators to evaluate multiple voyage scenarios through a commercial lens and choose the one that delivers maximum value, rather than just minimizing miles. Complex voyage picture Voyage routing decisions must consider an expanding set of variables that can have direct commercial implications. Among the primary factors are fuel consumption and costs – with fuel as the largest variable cost that is affected by speed decisions and routing – and weather and ocean conditions that impact speed, fuel burn and safety, as well as leading to potential schedule delays. Port congestion and arrival timing are also critical as early arrival may lead to idle time waiting at anchor, while late arrival may result in missed laycan/Notice of Readiness windows. In addition, there is cost exposure from carbon pricing and emissions reporting with environmental regulation, as well as canal and transit costs that must be evaluated versus longer alternative routes. Consequently, small routing decisions can affect fuel costs, ETA, emissions exposure and contractual obligations. “The ETA at the next port is the primary commercial driver – whether it’s a bunkering, load or discharge port. Contractual obligations around those ETAs determine which route options are actually viable,” Reksten says. Hidden costs can arise when optimizing solely on the basis of distance and fuel efficiency that unintentionally reduce voyage profitability. This can occur, for example, if the shortest route through heavy weather increases fuel consumption and delays arrival; faster transit to port results in days waiting at anchorage; or slower routing to save fuel leads to missing a cargo delivery window, or other time loss relates to the contractual obligations. Understanding trade-offs Ev