Italian utility company Edison completed an LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises’ newbuild cruise ship, Mein Schiff Relax, in the Adriatic Sea on February 23, according to the company's release.
The refueling, conducted at the port of Trieste, utilized Edison’s LNG supply infrastructure, marking a milestone in the adoption of cleaner marine fuels for the cruise sector.
Mein Schiff Relax, launched in November 2024, is TUI Cruises’ first LNG dual-fuel cruise ship, with a gross tonnage of 143,000 and capacity for 3,913 passengers across 1,939 cabins. Edison, a leader in Italy’s energy sector, supplied the LNG through its Adriatic LNG terminal, located off the coast of Rovigo, which handles up to 8 billion cubic meters of LNG annually.
The bunkering operation involved approximately 2,500 cubic meters of LNG, sufficient to power Mein Schiff Relax’s dual-fuel engines, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 20% compared to traditional marine fuels.
TUI Cruises, part of the TUI Group, operates a fleet of 16 ships, with Mein Schiff Relax joining Mein Schiff 7 as the second LNG-powered vessel, both built by Meyer Turku in Finland. The ship’s design includes advanced energy efficiency features, such as waste heat recovery systems, reducing emissions further. The operation follows similar LNG bunkering for TUI’s Mein Schiff 7 in 2023 and reflects growing collaboration between Edison and TUI Cruises, initiated with a 2022 LNG supply agreement.
Edison, is an Italian energy company, one of the country’s largest utilities, headquartered in Milan, specializing in electricity, gas, and LNG supply, including operations at the Adriatic LNG terminal.