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Associate Professor Shane Keating of the School of Mathematics and Statistics has received a grant in support of his project to develop new fuel-efficiency routing software for the shipping industry.

Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Seed funding is part of the federal government’s support for the development and commercialisation of world-leading research in the university sector. ±«±·³§°ÂÌýreceived 11 of the 36 AEA Seed grants announced in this round. 

A/Prof Keating will lead ‘A new method for commercial ship route optimisation using real-time ocean intelligence’, which aims to commercialise research on cutting emissions in the shipping industry by using ocean currents.

The shipping industry produces over one billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year, amounting to 3% of total global emissions. At the same time, fuel can comprise 50-60% of total ship operating costs.

A/Prof Keating has developed an algorithm that allows ships to find more fuel-efficient routes by taking advantage of ocean currents. These routes can reduce fuel use and emissions from commercial vessels by 10-20% with the same transit time.

The funding ($198,000) will support A/Prof Keating's innovative work with ÁñÁ«¹ÙÍø spin-out company Ocean Intelligence to develop the algorithm into an operational product. 

"This funding will help accelerate our ambition to change the way that ships cross oceans", said A/Prof Keating.

"By combining cutting edge ocean forecasts, artificial intelligence, and satellite data, Ocean Intelligence will help shipping companies find more efficient routes to save fuel and cut emissions."