Patent attributes
An optimum engine configuration is determined, based on a predicted required power, for a seafaring vessel having a plurality of thrust engines. The predicted required power is determined by inputting vessel operational data, environmental data, and voyage data to a required power model. At least some of the vessel operational data and environmental data is received from a plurality of sensors positioned onboard the vessel. The optimum engine configuration is selected from a plurality of candidate engine configurations. Each candidate engine configuration includes a specified number of thrust engines running and a specified power output level of each thrust engine. The optimum engine configuration is selected based on a candidate total predicted fuel consumption of each candidate engine configuration. The candidate total predicted fuel consumption amount is determined as a sum of the engine-specific predicted fuel consumptions determined for each running thrust engine of that candidate engine configuration.
