Weather Routing of Ships for the Northern Oceans

• Published in: Journal of Navigation
• Main Author: Motte, R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1985
• Subjects: Ocean Engineering; Oceanography; Pacific; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0373463300031398; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0373463300031398

Time and space scales are compared for selected speeds of ships in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Viability of westbound passages on some northern great circle routes is discussed. There would be no problem in precisely weather routing a vessel across an ocean if it were possible to forecast with total accuracy the actual sea state existing for the duration of a voyage. All mariners are well aware that such an ideal circumstance is not as yet possible. Depending upon the general synoptic situation existing for the period, it is fair to make the assumption that the actual accuracy of a weather forecast deteriorates as time progresses.