Why Voyage Intelligence is the 'digital backbone' of the fuel transition

StormGeo pioneered the elements of what we now call Voyage Intelligence, and as part of Alfa Laval we are amplifying that commercial impact. Together we give customers something unique: powerful digital insights and expertly engineered physical solutions working hand in hand to make shipping smarter, safer and more efficient.” – Espen Martinsen, Chief Commercial Officer, StormGeo

From big targets to everyday action

The fuel transition is often framed around new fuel technologies: methanol, ammonia, LNG, batteries, sails and large-scale retrofits. These developments are essential but they will take quite some time to scale. Meanwhile, operators already face the immediate realities of rising carbon costs, tighter regulations and pressure from cargo owners to adopt greener supply chains. The question is: what can be done right now?

I firmly believe that every voyage represents a decarbonization opportunity. The choices made before, during and after each one can reduce emissions, strengthen compliance and improve commercial performance. Individually they may seem incremental but multiplied across tens of thousands of voyages they offer one of the fastest, most cost-effective pathways to net zero.

At StormGeo, we see Voyage Intelligence as the digital backbone that connects operational decisions to decarbonization goals. By integrating weather routing, performance analytics, bunker management and emissions compliance into a single framework, Voyage Intelligence enables smarter choices at every stage of the voyage – choices that reduce fuel burn, lower emissions and control costs.

Why data and digitalization matter as much as new fuels

Debates about the energy transition often focus on technology pathways: which fuel will dominate, when infrastructure will be ready, how to retrofit the existing fleet, etc. These are critical questions but they can suggest progress depends entirely on long-term capital projects. However, operators don't have the luxury of waiting. The EU ETS, FuelEU Maritime and CII regulations are already reshaping voyage economics, with carbon now a direct cost.

This is where data and digitalization are just as important as new fuels. Digital intelligence can be applied across the fleet immediately. The same voyage data that drives routing can also expose inefficiencies, inform bunker strategy and support compliance – delivering measurable reductions in cost and emissions today. And these gains are never achieved at the expense of safety.

Digitalization also maximizes the impact of new hardware. For example, a vessel with wind-assisted propulsion only achieves full savings when route and speed are adjusted to capture favourable conditions. Sometimes this even means seeking out heavier weather. Without the right digital backbone, the performance of even advanced equipment will fall short.

What Voyage Intelligence really is, and why it matters

For many owners, digitalization remains fragmented: one system for routing, another for bunkering, a third for emissions reporting, with performance data scattered across dashboards and spreadsheets. Useful individually, these tools add complexity for crews when they're not linked up. Bridge teams, operators and commercial managers end up working from different assumptions, and optimization opportunities can be lost.

Voyage Intelligence changes that. We define it as a connected decision framework that transforms fragmented data into actionable insight across the voyage lifecycle. Bringing together weather, routing, performance, bunker management and compliance into one environment creates the necessary backbone that aligns bridge and boardroom.

Decisions are never left to algorithms alone. Masters can consult with StormGeo experts to validate recommendations, weigh options and balance real-world conditions. Technology strengthens human decision-making rather than replacing it, combining automation precision with seafaring experience.

The result is a feedback loop where each voyage informs the next, ensuring daily choices directly support long-term decarbonization goals.

Weather routing and performance – Efficiency without risk

Weather has shaped shipping since year dot but routing is no longer just about avoiding storms or finding the quickest passage. It's now about optimizing across safety, fuel, emissions and cost.

Safety remains non-negotiable. With Voyage Intelligence, we can route for emissions as well as safety – but never one at the expense of the other. By continuously analyzing weather patterns, vessel performance and local regulatory factors, our solution recommends routes and speeds that reduce fuel burn while keeping schedules reliable and safety margins intact.

The results are tangible. In 2024, StormGeo supported more than 75,000 voyages worldwide, helping customers save around 0.6 million tonnes of fuel and 1.8 million tonnes of CO₂. These savings came not from new hardware, but from smarter routing, speed optimization and closer coordination between ship and shore.

Bunker management – From procurement to decarbonization

Traditionally, bunker procurement has been about finding the lowest price per tonne. But with fuel costs representing up to 70% of OPEX and carbon now a monetized factor, that approach is no longer enough. The key question becomes: what is the total cost of this voyage, including fuel, time and carbon exposure?

Voyage Intelligence links planning, procurement and performance, allowing operators to model the wider impact of bunker choices. The cheapest option on paper may prove most expensive once deviation time, emissions penalties or off-spec risks are factored in. With integrated intelligence, operators can compare scenarios in advance – whether to deviate for lower-priced fuel or proceed to the next port with less schedule impact.

Compliance as a competitive advantage

Compliance can no longer be treated as an administrative burden. With EU ETS, FuelEU and CII, it's a direct financial variable in voyage economics.

Voyage Intelligence embeds compliance into operations. By integrating regulatory requirements into routing, speed and fuel planning, operators can see carbon cost exposure before a voyage begins, not afterwards. Compliance becomes a forward-looking decision factor, alongside fuel and port charges.

The benefits go beyond cost avoidance. Operators with strong environmental performance are already better placed to attract cargoes, secure financing and strengthen reputation. This is what we call the 'compliance dividend' – turning regulatory alignment into competitive advantage.

Closing the action gap – From data to behavioural change

Shipping is awash with data but much of it is difficult to use. Poor quality, silos and low usability remain the main barriers. If data isn't trusted or actionable, it can't support better decisions.

This is the action gap: the challenge of converting data into choices people are confident to act upon. Voyage Intelligence closes the gap by validating data and translating it into timely, clear recommendations. Masters and shore teams see the same live picture, reducing uncertainty and enabling quicker, aligned action.

Human expertise remains central. Masters can consult StormGeo experts to validate decisions, ensuring technology supports rather than replaces professional judgement. This human-in-the-loop approach builds trust and promotes a positive culture: crews become more fuel-aware, shore teams more confident that onboard actions align with wider strategy.

Looking ahead – AI, simulation and future fuels

It's obvious that AI will play an increasing role in the years ahead. But we must be clear: AI is here to strengthen human decision-making, not replace it. Masters and operators remain at the centre, supported by intelligence that makes complex trade-offs clearer and faster to act on.

Two strands of AI are particularly relevant. Generative AI can turn complex performance or compliance data into plain-language insights. Agentic AI goes further, acting proactively within defined guardrails - for example, monitoring voyage plans, flagging compliance risks or recommending speed adjustments in real time.

Used responsibly, these technologies will make Voyage Intelligence more predictive, proactive and intuitive – always with human judgement in the loop.

Simulation and scenario modelling will also be vital. Voyage Intelligence already enables comparison of different routes, ports or fuel blends, helping operators test cost and emissions trade-offs before committing. This will be crucial as alternative fuels and hybrid propulsion expand.

Backed for the long voyage

Shipping faces intense pressure to decarbonize faster, stay competitive and operate safely in a complex regulatory landscape. These demands can feel conflicting but with the right approach they reinforce each other.

Voyage Intelligence enables that shift by embedding compliance into planning, linking procurement with performance and aligning bridge and boardroom decisions. The result is efficiency and resilience, achieved without compromising safety.

As a pioneer in Voyage Intelligence, now strengthened by Alfa Laval’s scale and long-term commitment, StormGeo can offer customers more than standalone tools. Together we deliver a symbiosis of digital and physical solutions – backed by the financial strength and strategic vision needed to support the fuel transition over decades.