Repsol Supplies First Bioethanol to Maersk in the Port of Barcelona

Repsol has completed what it describes as the first bioethanol bunkering operation in the Port of Barcelona, delivering 2,800 tonnes of the alcohol-based fuel to Maersk's 16,000 TEU container vessel Antonia Maersk. The Spanish energy group said the transfer, carried out under commercial conditions, ranks among the earliest of its kind across the Mediterranean.

The fuel was supplied by Repsol's newest bunker vessel, Bahía Candela, operated by Mureloil and built to handle both conventional and next-generation marine fuels. Notably, the barge ran on its onboard battery system throughout the operation, allowing the transfer to be completed without local emissions. Repsol positioned the delivery within its broader multi-energy strategy, which spans conventional fuels, renewable alternatives and emerging low-carbon options.

For Maersk, the bunkering marks its first ethanol trial aboard a large dual-fuel vessel. The Danish liner previously tested ethanol on its 1,800 TEU feeder Laura Maersk, which in 2023 became the world's first methanol-capable dual-fuel container ship and has since sailed on both pure ethanol and ethanol-methanol blends. Maersk now operates 23 dual-fuel vessels designed for methanol but is examining ethanol as a compatible option for the same engines. Company executive Emma Mazhari said the trial deepens the group's understanding of ethanol's operational potential at scale, while officials stressed close coordination with port authorities to develop the necessary infrastructure and procedures.

Port of Barcelona president José Alberto Carbonell framed the operation as evidence that the port can support new low-carbon fuels under its Energy Transition Plan, describing the exercise as a model of cooperation between ports, shipping lines and energy suppliers.

The development carries relevance for Malaysian and Southeast Asian maritime and oil and gas readers, given the region's ambitions to establish itself as a bunkering and alternative-fuels hub, with Singapore and Malaysian ports competing for early-mover advantage in methanol and other clean fuels. The demonstration that alcohol-based fuels can be supplied efficiently under commercial conditions—and that existing methanol-ready vessels may accommodate ethanol—signals both opportunity and competitive pressure for regional bunkering operators, terminal investors and energy providers weighing where to build supply chains. It also reinforces the value of battery-assisted bunker barges in cutting port-side emissions, a consideration increasingly shaping fleet renewal decisions across Asian hubs.