The Implications of Adaptive Speed Management (ASM) for Fast Ferries

Profit is the difference between revenue and expenses. Fast Ferry operators earn revenue by providing high-speed service. The revenue formulas are clear and well behaved. Expenses, however, can be well defined or can be completely unanticipated – and occasionally quite dramatic. For example, recent highly publicized mishaps have given a "black-eye" to the Fast Ferry industry [“Fisherman dies”, 1999]. Collisions with marine mammals and other vessels, bank erosion due to vessel wake, excessive near-shore smoke, and speed limit infractions have all contributed to unanticipated difficulty and expense – both in real terms and as a public-relations challenge. Less sensational perhaps, but certainly important, is the management of expense with strategic planning. Maintenance of propulsion equipment, reduction of emissions and improvements in fuel efficiency all provide a different challenge. The author proposes that the use of "adaptive speed management" (ASM) can contribute to the mitigation of these problems and challenges by • managing speed in real-time, • optimizing engine-propulsor system performance, and • documenting actual vessel speed to prove compliance with regulations. This paper introduces ASM, and how it can be deployed and effectively utilized within the Fast Ferry industry. Results of a case study are also presented.