The Port of Barcelona supplied 236,946 cbm of LNG as marine fuel in 2025, a 3% increase on the previous year’s record, consolidating its position as Spain’s leading LNG bunkering hub and one of the largest in Europe.
A total of 547 LNG bunkering operations were carried out during the year. Of these, 447 were conducted by tanker trucks, supplying 47,593 cbm, while 100 operations were performed from barges, delivering 189,353 cbm.
The port said calls by LNG-powered vessels continued to rise, particularly from car carriers, container ships and cruise ships. Nearly 30% of cruise ship calls in 2025 were made by LNG-fuelled vessels, accounting for more than 40% of total cruise passengers handled during the year.
Barcelona also began supplying bio-LNG from barges in 2025, which the port described as a zero-emission fuel expected to grow in importance in the coming years.
Growth in ship-to-ship LNG bunkering over the past seven years has been driven by the port’s LNG import and storage infrastructure, the deployment of the Haugesund Knutsen bunkering barge in early 2023, and demand from operators such as Spain-based ferry company Baleària.
The 7,500 cbm barge is owned by Knutsen-Scale Gas, a Norway-based LNG shipping and bunkering company, and has been operating at full capacity for several months during peak cruise season, the port said. Baleària has also slightly increased its LNG uptake, contributing to the overall rise in volumes.
The port reiterated its view of LNG as a transitional fuel aligned with the EU’s Fit for 55 package and the European Green Deal, noting that LNG eliminates sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions and can reduce nitrogen oxides by up to 70% and CO₂ by around 20%.
It added that gradual substitution with bio-LNG would support compliance with FuelEU Maritime and the EU ETS.
Prepared for future fuels
The Port of Barcelona said it is drafting tender specifications for a commercial LNG bunkering service, including a simplified authorisation process based on vessel type. It also plans to carry out the first barge-to-container ship and anchorage LNG bunkering operations in 2026.
To support further growth, the port aims to increase the number of authorised suppliers and barges operating locally, noting that several companies have already expressed interest in positioning bunkering vessels in Barcelona or the wider western Mediterranean.
In parallel, the port authority is preparing tender documents for a commercial methanol bunkering service, with a first pilot operation planned for later this year.
