The Mein Schiff Relax, the first InTUItion‑class vessel of Hamburg‑based TUI Cruises, has conducted the inaugural ship‑to‑ship bioLNG supply at the Port of Barcelona, according to the company's release.
On 26 July 2025, the bunker barge Haugesund Knutsen, owned by Knutsen Scale Gas and chartered by Shell, delivered 1,875 m³ of bioLNG from the regasification plant operated by Enagás at the port.
BioLNG, or liquefied biomethane, is a 100 % renewable fuel derived from organic waste.
It enables greenhouse gas emission reductions ranging from 70 % to 100 % depending on feedstock, aligning with commitments under the FuelEU Maritime Directive.
The fuel is chemically identical to fossil LNG and thus compatible with ships already equipped for LNG, including modern cruise ships calling at Barcelona, where LNG accounted for 23 % of calls in 2024.
The operation marks the second bioLNG delivery in Barcelona; earlier, Baleària took on bioLNG via truck, while this barge‑to‑ship approach increased delivery capacity by over 15 times.
The Mein Schiff Relax is the first LNG‑powered vessel in TUI Cruises’ fleet, and all newbuilds are dual‑fuel ready and prepared for next‑generation fuels such as green methanol.
The entire operation qualifies as a “kilometre zero” supply since Enagás’ certified facility at the Port of Barcelona served as both production and delivery source.
TUI Cruises GmbH is a joint venture between German leisure company TUI AG and the U.S. cruise operator Royal Caribbean Group. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, TUI Cruises operates a modern fleet of premium cruise vessels under the brand Mein Schiff. The company employs approximately 750 staff in Hamburg and Berlin and is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, leveraging dual‑fuel propulsion, energy efficiency technologies, and alternative fuels.
Knutsen Scale Gas AS is a marine fuel logistics provider resulting from a strategic collaboration between Norwegian shipowner Knutsen OAS Shipping and infrastructure company Scale Gas, a subsidiary of Enagás. It owns and operates the LNG bunkering vessel Haugesund Knutsen, based in Barcelona, under charter to Shell.
Enagás SA is a Spanish state‑majority regulated gas transmission and storage company operating the regasification plant at the Port of Barcelona. Through its subsidiary Scale Gas, it participates in public‑private projects (e.g. LNGhive/LNGhive2) to develop small‑scale LNG and bioLNG bunkering infrastructure at Spanish ports.