IMOS - Routes Tab - Vessel

This is a Key Topic, with high value for all users.

On the Vessel Routes tab, you can set preferences for routes to take or to block, for example, because of piracy or contract specifications.

You can set a route for an individual vessel if it is specific to a single vessel. For generalized routes that could apply to several vessel types or fleets, you can set up a Benchmark Vessel.

Benchmark Vessels can be used for estimates and do not need to represent an actual vessel. Select the Estimate Only Vessel checkbox to designate the vessel as a Benchmark Vessel instead of an actual vessel.

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Once the routing preferences are set up for a Benchmark Vessel, any other vessel can inherit them using Inherit Route Preferences From field in Vessel Properties.

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Additionally, if all new vessels of the same type should automatically inherit the Benchmark Routing Preference, you can add it to the Benchmark Vsl column of the Vessel Types table.

Apart from the route, you can specify default costs to import into the Estimate for this vessel. If necessary, these costs can be changed on the estimate.

To specify route preferences, click to add a new row and complete the fields for the Region in the row.

• Region: this drop-down list will display Passing Ports.

  • You can only enter a Region once. For example, you cannot enter 1 line to use Taiwan Strait while Ballast and 1 line to block Taiwan Strait while Laden.

• Toll (Ballast/Laden): These default into the Port Expenses of the Voyage Estimate or voyage.

• Port days and Extra Port days: This will designate the number of days to include for a given port. Any value here will supersede a value set with a configuration flag such as "CFGDefaultSuezXPDays" or "CFGDefaultPanamaXPDays.” 

• Func: required field to specify either canal or passing point.

• Block: enabling this checkbox allows a passing point to be blocked from use.

  • Blocking a route will override anything that is designated for use. For example, if you have Taiwan Strait set to “Blocked” and use set to “Laden Only,” that doesn’t mean it’s blocked for laden only – that means it’s just blocked.

• Hide: enabling this checkbox will hide the route from the itinerary.

• No Tolls: enabling this checkbox will avoid tolls on the route.

• Use: The Estimate is sensitive to settings for when to use in calculating the route between ports.

  • In this drop-down, Always, Laden Only, and Ballast Only can be specified.

    • Always will always use the specified routing preference unless a shorter route is available.

    • Ballast Only will use the specified routing preference while the vessel is Ballast unless a shorter route is available.

    • Laden Only will use the specified routing preference while the vessel is Laden unless a shorter route is available.

    • To note with the Ballast vs. Laden routing preferences, these preferences being pulled into the itinerary depend on cargo quantities being specified on the itinerary. Quantities need to be specified before the distance calculations are performed – so the Load port needs a quantity entered before the Discharge port is added to the itinerary for the routing preferences to be fully considered. Otherwise, the itinerary will default to the shortest route.

If necessary, you can modify routes applied to an estimate due to the routing preferences in the estimate itinerary.

Default Piracy and ECA Avoidance routing preferences can also be applied in the Estimate and the Voyage Manager.

Estimate:

Voyage Manager:

Inshore and River routing: CFGDistancesAvoidInshore and CFGDistancesAvoidRivers can dictate Vessels to avoid inshore and river routing as best as possible throughout the system.