A method based on genetic algorithms was investigated for its capability to identify efficient paths for maritime robots. Data for determining robot motion from information obtained in map form regarding regions with topographical features or other obstacles in the control volume, such as structures or navigational markers, or dangerous regions containing such features as ocean currents, tidal currents, or wind, which increase energy consumption and travel time, were encoded as genes. The fitness values of the procedure for finding the optimal motion path after evolution of the population were observed. The motion path was divided into a rectilinear array and 120-bit genes containing motion data as bit information were constructed. A criterion for assessing each gene was calculated from the route length and penalty value and used as the fitness value. The optimal solution was then searched for by driving the evolution of the travel-pattern population. This study generated information about the basic characteristics and the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.