Baleària has begun using 100% bioLNG across three of its ferries, marking a major step in port decarbonisation and the use of alternative fuels in ferry crossings.
The shortsea shipping operator is now exclusively operating its fast ferry Margarita Salas and ferries Abel Matutes and Rusadir on bioLNG, serving the Barcelona–Alcúdia–Ciutadella and Málaga–Melilla routes.
“The use of bioLNG on our regular routes represents a real and verifiable step forward in our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions,” said Georges Bassoul, CEO of Baleària.
“Our investment in dual-engine technology has made it possible to adopt this renewable fuel, cutting greenhouse gases and accelerating decarbonisation across our ferry operations.”
A cleaner choice
bioLNG, which accounts for 13% of Baleària’s total LNG consumption in 2024, enables the vessels to sail with zero emissions while contributing to cleaner port operations and reduced greenhouse gases.
The company’s procurement of 132 gigawatt-hours of bioLNG will allow its three ships to operate emission-free until December 2025, avoiding the release of 80,300 tonnes of CO₂.
That’s the equivalent of removing over 150,000 cars from the road.
As the first European ferry company to receive ISCC EU certification for biofuel management, Baleària said it is helping set a new benchmark for sustainable ferry and port decarbonisation.
The switch to bioLNG by operators such Baleària has wider implications for Spanish ports too - biofuels are transforming ferry ports into hubs for sustainable shipping.
In the first quarter of 2025, Baleària carried out the first bioLNG supply tests at Spanish port terminals.
Methane is first captured from livestock and then converted into bioLNG at Enagás’ plants in Huelva, Barcelona and Cartagena.
So increased opportunities for the supply and storage of the fuel are also something that the ports are benefitting from.
