Traversing through the seas might seem like a relatively easy task for seasoned voyagers. However, the sea is still a perilous environment that will easily overpower anyone who is foolish enough to take it lightly. In the news, we are often told about container liner ships that crash on reefs, causing not only financial losses on the part of the shipping lines and delays with the freight cargo, but also environmental issues that include destruction of precious marine habitat and the possibility of the much dreaded oil spill.
Just recently, it was reported on The Australian that a bulk carrier from Hong Kong lost power off the north coast of Queensland. The carrier slowly drifted towards the Great Barrier Reef - a world heritage site - but luckily passed over it safely. Australian authorities were initially alarmed that it may hit the Shark Reef, and immediately rushed to secure the shipping vessel. However, because it was the third reported incident in the past month, marine pilots have asked authorities to review the current shipping trade routes to avoid the possibility of an actual Great Barrier Reef disaster.
To help prevent the frequent occurrence of these accidents, marine software companies use recent advancements in technology to develop maritime software solutions that will enable shipping lines to calculate the safest and most profitable trade routes for transporting goods, particularly when they are carrying dangerous chemicals such as oil. A voyage calculation software such as this will help shipping lines avoid costly disasters should their tankers and carriers lose power similar to what happened with ID Integrity.
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