Interested in the saving potential of wind propulsion for your ship? Try MARIN’s updated BlueRoute application!
Conference/JournalMARIN Report 148
Date27 Sep 2026
The number of vessels equipped with wind propulsion is increasing. Ship designs integrating wind propulsion are moving from concept to more detailed design stages. MARIN’s BlueRoute application is following suit.
Originally the BlueRoute application (blueroute.application.marin.nl) was developed in the WiSP2 projectas a tool to quickly evaluate the potential of wind propulsion for any route on the planet. The effect on fuel savings are calculated by combining the wind statistics with a basic performance model of the ship with wind propulsors. Supported by the WiSP3 projectand the BlueRoute user group, the basic way of defining the ship and wind propulsors has recently been extended. This gives enormous flexibility to the users.
Originally the BlueRoute application (blueroute.application.marin.nl) was developed in the WiSP2 projectas a tool to quickly evaluate the potential of wind propulsion for any route on the planet. The effect on fuel savings are calculated by combining the wind statistics with a basic performance model of the ship with wind propulsors. Supported by the WiSP3 projectand the BlueRoute user group, the basic way of defining the ship and wind propulsors has recently been extended. This gives enormous flexibility to the users.
Contact
Joost Schot
senior specialist
Resolving 4DoF
It is now possible to make a model of the ship and wind propulsors both using limited data at an early design stage - aided by MARIN’s prediction methods - and tables with high fidelity performance data. This data is usually obtained from wind tunnel, tank tests or CFD at a later design stage. The extended models allow the application to resolve a 4DoF (thrust, side force, yawing moment and heeling moment) equilibrium of the wind propelled vessel, instead of only the 1 DoF (thrust) equilibrium.
Shortest route with the average yearly wind statistics over 30 years
Blueroute application for wind propulsion savings
Meet BlueRoute The BlueRoute application can quickly evaluate the potential of wind propulsion for any route on the planet. The effect on fuel savings is calculated by combining the wind statistics with a performance model of the ship with wind propulsors. Supported by the WiSP3 project and the BlueRoute user group, the basic way of defining ships and wind propulsors has recently been extended, giving users enormous flexibility.
Tags
wind propulsion