The shipping company Baleària will incorporate the eNomad system, an autonomous electricity generation container from e-methanol developed by the Catalan company Methanol Reformer, into the electric ferry Cap de Barbaria in the coming weeks. This installation will make the vessel the first ferry in Europe to use methanol as an energy vector for hydrogen production, a technology that the shipping company will evaluate in real operational conditions on the route connecting Ibiza and Formentera.
The eNomad system combines electricity generation from hydrogen produced through reforming e-methanol with a modular, compact, and autonomous design, features that allow for its efficient operation in port and maritime environments. The generated hydrogen will power a fuel cell to produce auxiliary electricity, which will support the recharging of the vessel's batteries and reduce reliance on conventional generators, thereby decreasing fuel consumption and emissions.
Cap de Barbaria, in service since 2023 on the Ibiza-Formentera connection, was designed from its inception to integrate a hydrogen system capable of supplying part of the energy required by the vessel. This technical configuration now allows Baleària to use the compact hydrogen production equipment to test different combinations of batteries and fuel cells in the electric motor of the ferry.
Assessment of methanol as an energy vector
The pilot experience will allow the shipping company to evaluate the possibilities of methanol as a flexible energy vector for maritime transport, a fuel that combines the advantages of a liquid that is easy to store with the ability to generate hydrogen on site, without the need for large-scale supply infrastructures. The company will analyze the contribution of hydrogen to overall consumption, emissions reduction, and the scalability of the solution to other vessels and routes in its fleet.
Javier Cervera, corporate director of Institutional Relations and Energy Transition at Baleària, explained that "this compact equipment allows us to have a small-scale green hydrogen experimental laboratory in a real operational environment and on a route as sensitive and emblematic as the one that connects Ibiza and Formentera." The executive added that the shipping company is once again being "pioneering by testing today the technologies that will enable zero-emission navigation tomorrow."
For his part, Javier Torres, general director of Methanol Reformer, stated that he is "proud to collaborate with Baleària on this project, which demonstrates how technological innovation can transform maritime mobility and contribute to a more sustainable energy future."
Trajectory of Cap de Barbaria and decarbonization strategy
Cap de Barbaria began operating in 2023 as the first electric passenger and cargo ferry in Spain with zero emissions during approaches and stays in port. Its entry into service resulted in a 33% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to the vessel that previously operated on the same route.
The installation of the eNomad system is part of the BUCEMTO project, financed with Next Generation Funds from the European Union. Through this initiative, Baleària explores various technologies applicable to the decarbonization of maritime transport, combining natural gas, biofuels, electricity, hydrogen, and methanol as elements of its energy transition strategy.
Baleària's fleet currently has 11 vessels powered by dual natural gas engines, three of which operate on bioLNG. At the same time, the company is working on total electrification of certain routes through projects of 100% electric zero-emission fast ferries, such as the future green corridor between Tarifa and Tangier.
In terms of environmental results, Baleària recorded nearly a 10% reduction in its carbon footprint per passenger in 2024, a metric that reflects the cumulative effect of various energy efficiency measures and adoption of alternative fuels implemented by the shipping company in recent years.