SUNNYVALE, California, February 25, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Weather Technology, Inc. (http://www.awtworldwide.com/index.asp ) (AWT), the largest company that exclusively specializes in providing the maritime shipping industry with voyage optimisation services and on-board software, today announced the hiring of a European sales manager, Bob Billett, and the opening of a new London office. AWT is taking these steps in response to increasing demand from European-based companies in the maritime shipping industry for services and software that enhance safety, reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

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AWT's ship routing and voyage optimisation technologies enhance safety by helping ship Captains and fleet managers to avert severe weather and sea conditions, and reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by identifying the most fuel-efficient routes to their destinations.

With increased interest from European shipping companies to save fuel and reduce carbon emissions, the demand for AWT products and services is growing rapidly, said Skip Vaccarello, president and CEO of AWT. AWT has demonstrated how we can help fleets to significantly curb carbon emissions by reducing their fuel use by five to 10 percent. We anticipate more and more companies in the maritime shipping industry will turn to AWT to help them achieve their fuel and carbon emissions reduction goals, and our expansion in London puts AWT in a better position to meet growing demand.

AWT's London office will be led by the company's new European sales manager, Bob Billett, a veteran sales and marketing executive with a track record of contributing to growth for a wide range of companies and winning large contracts, as well as extensive experience in the maritime industry. Early in his career, Mr. Billett served for nearly a decade in the British Merchant Navy as a radio/electronics officer. The London office is located at One Lyric Square, Hammersmith, West London.

We are pleased to welcome Bob to our staff of ship routing, meteorology, IT and maritime science experts, said Martin Shields, managing director, AWT Europe. One of the key differences between AWT and competitors is that AWT's sales team has extensive expertise in technology and the maritime industry, enabling us to better serve customers. Bob has this depth and breadth of experience, and we look forward to it benefitting future customers in Europe.

AWT routes greater than 30,000 ships per year, more than any other company. The company's BonVoyage System (BVS), the world's most popular onboard system for optimizing marine voyages, is widely used by Captains aboard more than 3,000 vessels, and by the largest and leading shipping companies, to obtain around-the-clock weather data and identify the safest, most time-efficient or fuel-efficient routes.

AWT estimates that if every ship routed by AWT followed its recommended routes, they could achieve a combined fuel savings of approximately 450,000 metric tons of fuel oil per year. At current fuel rates, that translates to potential cost savings of over $207 million USD per year and reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 1,400,000 metric tons annually, the equivalent of removing 320,000 cars from the road.

About AWT

AWT (http://www.awtworldwide.com) is the leading provider of fleet optimisation services and onboard voyage management software designed to help ship owners, charterers, operators, fleet managers and captains identify the safest, most time-efficient or fuel-efficient routes for their fleets, as well as reduce fuel consumption, costs and carbon emissions. AWT is focused solely on the maritime industry and staffed by world-renowned experts in ship routing, meteorology, IT, and maritime science, as well as former ship captains. Using the most sophisticated technology available, AWT routes more ships per month than any other company. Founded in 1996, AWT is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with worldwide offices located in the UK, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Korea, Germany, New York, and New Jersey. More information is available at http://www.awtworldwide.com or by calling +1-408-731-8600.

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SOURCE: Applied Weather Technology, Inc.

CONTACT: Cynthia Harris of PR Strategy Group, +1-650-520-8343,charris@prstrategygroup.com, for Applied Weather Technology, Inc.