ESL Shipping has launched the Smart Fleet Optimization project, a multi-year research and development initiative focused on improving fleet-level planning and decision-making through advanced optimization methods, including quantum computing applications.
Partially funded by Business Finland, the project addresses the challenge of managing cargo flows, capacity constraints, emissions and commercial priorities at the same time. It combines operational data, optimization models and new approaches to pricing and information sharing to examine how emerging computational methods could support more advanced shipping decisions.
In tramp trade shipping, fleet optimization involves many variables that change dynamically. The project is designed to assess how far advanced and emerging optimization methods can support operational planning and emission reductions.
ESL Shipping has partnered with QMill to evaluate the suitability of quantum computing for optimization problems using real operational data from ESL Shipping. The work will include modeling, validation, and close collaboration between technical specialists and business stakeholders.
The project will also assess the potential of hybrid quantum-classical optimization algorithms, linking QMill’s technology with operational shipping data. The approach is intended to deliver business value while examining longer-term opportunities as quantum hardware develops.
With support from Business Finland, the project provides a structured framework to investigate how quantum computing could address highly complex optimization challenges in shipping while staying closely connected to operational needs.
