Route optimisation of ferry shipments

If orders that include ferry lines are being optimised, it is possible to specify which shipments should be carried out before and after the ferry lines in the Route optimization window, so that there are no inefficient routes back and forth across the water when calculating the route sequence. The ferry shipment (departure and arrival address) is always kept together, and the shipments before and after the ferry line are optimised separately.

Step 1: Assign shipments and route optimise the resource

Assign the shipments to resources and ferries as usual in dispatch. Then open the Route optimization window by right-clicking on the resource or pressing F9.

When a resource that has ferry shipments assign to it is route optimised, the Optimise the shipments before and after the ferry line separately checkbox appears. Select it. The ferry shipment is marked in green and the route sequences for the shipments before and after the ferry line will be calculated separately.

For more information on how to assign shipments on ferries, see Using ferries in dispatch.

Step 2: Decide which shipments will be before and after the ferry line

Once Optimise the shipments before and after the ferry line separately has been selected, the shipments to be carried out before and after the ferry shipment can be specified by moving the shipments around in the address list. There are four ways to move shipments, but the easiest is usually to select them on the map, as the shipments to be carried out before and after the ferry are divided geographically. It can be difficult to find all address lines in the address list.

Select the shipments on the map. Hold down shift, click and drag across the shipments on the map and they will be highlighted in the address list and can be moved in any of the above ways.
Select the address rows in the list, right-click and choose Selected shipments are carried out before the ferry line or Selected shipments are carried out after the ferry line.
Select the address rows in the list and drag and drop below or above the ferry shipment.
Select the address rows and click on Up (-)/Down (+) at the bottom of the window, or press +/- on the numeric keypad, to move them up/down in the list.

Step 3: Optimising the route

Click on Calculate route sequence and the shipments before and after the ferry line are optimised separately, and the entire ferry shipment (departure and arrival addresses) is kept together.