United Heavy Lift Implements Syroco Weather Routing Platform on F900 Eco-Lifter Vessels

Germany’s leading heavy lift shipping company, United Heavy Lift (UHL), has taken a significant step towards enhancing fuel efficiency and ensuring special cargo safety by deploying a cutting-edge weather routing platform developed by French climate tech startup, Syroco, on its F900 Eco-Lifter class ships.

The deployment of Syroco’s innovative weather routing platform has been confirmed on 11 out of UHL’s fleet of 19 F900 Eco-Lifter class vessels, following a successful pilot phase conducted on three ships. These 150-meter-long heavy lift vessels, with a transport capacity exceeding 15,000 tons, are utilized for transporting a wide range of cargo, including modules, renewable energy components, machinery, mining equipment, and other industrial goods.

With an average fleet age of three years, UHL’s F900 Eco-Lifter vessels boast a significantly lower carbon footprint, estimated to be 30% to 50% lower compared to other fleets in the heavy lift sector.

By leveraging Syroco’s weather routing platform, which utilizes digital twins and machine learning, UHL aims to reduce fuel consumption and enhance the safety of transporting special cargo. The platform utilizes precise weather and sea data to assist crews in planning the most optimal and safe route, considering factors such as desired arrival time and the seakeeping parameters of the laden vessel. Additionally, the platform continuously updates the route to account for evolving weather conditions and any schedule changes after departure.

Lars zum Felde, representing UHL, highlighted that the pilot phase demonstrated significant improvements in decision-making, performance prediction accuracy, and a noticeable reduction in fuel consumption, leading to strong adoption among crew members.

Alex Caizergues, President and Co-founder of Syroco, emphasized the effectiveness of the weather routing platform during the pilot phase on UHL’s vessels. He expressed confidence that the extended adoption of the platform will not only reduce the energy footprint of operations but also enhance safety and performance.