It’s good to have options. Whether prioritizing speed to meet tight schedules or choosing a safer, more fuel-efficient course, route selection plays a critical role in achieving both commercial and operational goals. Knowing your options from the outset is key and is exactly what leading logistics and freight services provider Lila Global was looking for. 

Lila Global wanted to plan a voyage from the Suez Canal to Huanghua, China, and was looking for a weather routing system to ensure its bulk carrier was sailing on the most efficient route. Using NAPA Voyage Optimization and NAPA’s Expert Route Monitoring service, Lila Global was able to make data-driven decisions that delivered measurable benefits to environmental, operational and safety performance.

The opportunity: Tailored weather routing and voyage optimization for a bulker

Lila Global was looking for support in planning and optimizing a voyage for its bulker carrying more than 167,000 metric tons of iron ore concentrate. The company wanted reliable advice it could trust, rooted in real-time data and deep technical understanding of its vessel’s performance profile.

That’s where NAPA’s Expert Route Monitoring service stepped in; developed in collaboration with Interoutes, Expert Route Monitoring combines NAPA’s advanced weather routing digital technology with expert guidance from seasoned maritime professionals resulting to an optimum proposal directly available in NAPA Voyage Optimization. The service offers real-time route optimization, frequent weather updates and direct captain support for more efficient, cost-effective voyages. Ship operators, in turn, can benefit from proactive decision-making and straightforward communication with experts onshore, highlighting the value of human-to-human support.  

NAPA’s experts advised the vessel’s Master in planning the safest, most efficient route avoiding adverse weather conditions. Backed by close collaboration and good communication on the proposed recommendations from NAPA, over 80% of the route proposals were followed, with minimal deviation of just 7.3 nautical miles on average. 

The results at the end of the voyage confirm the masters’ decision to follow NAPA advice. NAPAs’ routing algorithm and forecast data were very accurate and as a result the updated routing suggestions and actual conditions that the vessel met did not have any substantial differences. The strength of this project came not only from technical accuracy, but from the working relationship it fostered. NAPA’s ability to clearly explain the rationale behind the available options for Lila Global helped build confidence and operational alignment. By creating a shared understanding between ship and shore, NAPA enabled smarter decisions that could be implemented quickly and effectively.

The impact and results: Creating real value for ship operators

This was Lila Global’s first voyage with NAPA and the results speak volumes. They demonstrate how targeted, continuous digital interventions and improvements, grounded in vessel data and proactive monitoring, can unlock better outcomes for voyages. Across the vessel’s 34-day voyage, NAPA delivered 20 tailored route updates, averaging one update every two days, to ensure real-time optimization that factors changing weather, such as storms, sea currents, and vessel-specific performance data to minimize fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. 

By combining digital navigational process with the human expertise, NAPA helped Lila Global achieve:

• $40,200 in voyage cost savings – a 2.5% reduction in total costs
• 35 metric tons of LSFO saved through optimized fuel use
• 106.51 metric tons of CO₂ emissions avoided, contributing to improved environmental performance
• Reduced steaming time by almost one full day compared to the simulated standard route

With Expert Route Monitoring service NAPA helped Lila Global’s team increase productivity, achieve operational reliability, save fuel consumption and emissions. 

What’s next? Building trust through results and transparency

The collaboration between NAPA and Lila Global is testament to the immediate impact deploying digital tools can have on a vessel’s performance. At a time when voyage routing is more complex than ever, with tightening decarbonization requirements, changing weather patterns and fluctuating fuel prices, effective planning is key for success and gaining competitive advantage. 

By leveraging both human expertise and digital insights, NAPA is raising the bar for safer, more efficient and sustainable shipping, giving shipowners and operators the invaluable peace of mind to focus on operational excellence.

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Insights today, 
performance tomorrow

With the Retrospective Assessment Report, NAPA and Interoutes help you see how each voyage performed – and how the next one can be even better!

By reviewing real voyage data, you gain a clear picture of routing choices, performance, and fuel use, supporting smarter decisions that save time, cut emissions, and improve efficiency.