Weathernews has been leading the way in proposing to the world’s shipping industry this concept of “Virtual Arrival” – through which we can provide our clients and their counterparties with a means of reducng fuel costs and emissions from their vessels through reducing speed to meet revised arrival times resulting from port delays and suchlike.

Weathernews, BP Shipping, OCIMF and Intertanko have been trialing the Virtual Arrival service over recent months – and OCIMF and Intertanko have established an industry-wide working group to move towards a full launch of the service later in 2010.

Attendees at the MEPC greeted warmly the development of a working “Virtual Arrival” process, which they saw as being overdue and in keeping with the global shipping industry need to be seen to be proactive in emissions reduction and in meeting the challenges arising from climate change - both in environmental terms and in showing to the world that the shipping industry takes its responsibilities seriously.

Further meeting of the working group are planned for this summer and Weathernews will continue to play an important role in the project for further contribution to the shipping industry.