Page 69: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2025)

Tech Files

Latest Products & Technologies

Sofar Ocean launches Way? nder Voyage Simulator

Sofar Ocean launched Way? nder Voy- ocean intelligence to the forefront age Simulator, a ? rst-of-its-kind voyage of voyage planning and simula- planning tool. Part of Sofar’s broader tion.”

Way? nder Platform, it is designed to allow Way? nder Voyage Simulator operators, commercial teams, and charter- seeks to transform voyage planning ing desks to instantly generate and evalu- from multiple hours of spreadsheet ate unlimited voyage scenarios, with each guesswork into just seconds of in- scenario based on Sofar’s marine weather telligent analysis, via a straightfor- forecasts, vessel-speci? c performance ward process:

Images courtesy Sofar models that update daily based on actual Select a vessel operations and the latest market condi- ? Upload a route or choose and vessels tions, such as daily hire rates and fuel costs. ports Way? nder Voyage Simulator adds to “Voyage planning tools have not kept ? Adjust inputs (e.g. departure the expanding suite of solutions within pace with the speed and complexity of time, RPM, RTA, etc.) Sofar’s broader Way? nder Platform. modern shipping markets,” assesses ? Create a simulation to evaluate For current clients such as MOL Group,

Dennis Rong, Head of Product at Sofar. arrival time and real-time voyage eco- Berge Bulk and the U.S. Navy, in 2024, “We saw an opportunity to change this nomics — time, fuel, emissions, cost, etc. Sofar claims that Way? nder Voyage Opti- dynamic; not just by improving existing ? Repeat and compare — create mization delivered customers 5.5% aver- work? ows, but by bringing real-time unlimited simulations across voyages age fuel savings across key global routes.

Wearable Robots: Fabric Muscle”

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) unveiled a break- through in wearable robotics: an automated system that continuously weaves ultra- thin shape memory alloy (SMA) yarn —each strand one-fourth the width of a human hair — into lightweight, high-strength “fabric muscles.” Weighing only 10 grams yet capable of lifting 10–15 kilograms, the material enables mass produc- tion of ? exible actuators that move naturally with the human body. With it, KIMM researchers created the world’s ? rst clothing-type wearable robot that simul- taneously assists the elbow, shoulder, and waist, weighing under 2 kilograms and reducing muscle effort by more than 40%. A separate 840-gram shoulder- assist version improved mobility by over 57% in clinical trials with patients suf- fering from muscular weakness. Dr. Cheol Hoon Park, Principal Researcher at

KIMM’s Advanced Robotics Research Center, said the breakthrough “lays the foundation for truly wearable robotic clothing that enhances human capability across multiple industries.”

Credit: Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) www.marinelink.com 69

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