Baleària has initiated the regular use of renewable liquefied natural gas (bioGNL) on three of its vessels with dual engines, as part of its strategy towards emission-free navigation. Since the beginning of September, the ferries Margarita Salas, Abel Matutes and Rusadir operate exclusively with this fuel on their assigned routes, covering the connections Barcelona–Alcúdia–Ciutadella and Málaga–Melilla. The company has acquired a total of 132 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of bioGNL, which will allow these units to navigate without generating carbon dioxide emissions until December 2025.
This volume of supply represents 13% of the liquefied natural gas that Baleària's fleet will consume throughout 2024. The use of this renewable fuel is framed within an energy policy aimed at the progressive decarbonization of its services and, according to data from the shipping company, represents a reduction of emissions of 80,300 tons of CO₂ in the period from September 2024 to December 2025. This figure is equivalent to temporarily removing 153,500 vehicles from circulation or planting more than 160,000 trees.
The bioGNL used by the company comes from biomethane obtained from the treatment of livestock waste. This process allows capturing methane that would otherwise be directly released into the atmosphere and transforming it into a useful energy source for maritime transport. Biomethane is converted into bioGNL through a pioneering liquefaction and supply service operated at Enagás's regasification plants, already enabled in the ports of Huelva, Barcelona, and Cartagena.
Thanks to this system, bioGNL positions itself as an energy alternative with a neutral carbon balance and the potential to generate a negative climate impact, by reducing emissions beyond its own footprint. According to Baleària, the savings from greenhouse gases associated with the use of this biofuel exceed 200% compared to conventional fossil derivatives.
In the words of Baleària's CEO, Georges Bassoul, the operation with bioGNL represents "a tangible and verifiable step" within the company's environmental commitments. He also highlighted that the investments made in recent years in dual technology allow for operation with renewable fuels without the need to modify the technical conditions of the current fleet.
This initiative adds to the tests previously carried out by the shipping company with biofuels. In 2021, Baleària completed the first decarbonized route in Europe between Barcelona and Menorca, and during the first quarter of 2025, it carried out bioGNL supply operations at Spanish port terminals as part of its energy transition plan.
At the same time, Baleària has been recognized as the first ferry shipping company in Europe to obtain the ISCC EU (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) certification, a standard recognized by the European Commission that validates the sustainability and traceability of the renewable fuels used. The Proof of Sustainability (PoS) system, associated with this certification, guarantees the origin of the biomethane, its technical characteristics, and the real emission savings obtained from its use.
This recognition adds to other environmental certifications that the company already holds, such as the Green Maritime Europe label, and reinforces its position as a maritime operator committed to the transition towards low-carbon mobility. Baleària maintains its roadmap towards climate neutrality with an approach based on transparency, technological investment, and the progressive adaptation of its operations to sustainable energy sources.