Cepsa bunkers Hapag-Lloyd’s containership with biofuel in Barcelona

Spanish supplier of energy for maritime transport Cepsa has undertaken the largest supply of second-generation biofuels to date at the Port of Barcelona. The operation was conducted on a 350-meter-long containership operated by Hapag-Lloyd.

According to the company, the supplied biodiesel contains a 24% sustainable component, which will prevent the emission of 2,860 tons of CO2.

The use of biofuels enables shipping companies to stay ahead of the objectives of the European Union and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Specifically, the European Commission’s Fit for 55 package includes the Fuel EU Maritime legislative initiative, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity in maritime transport by 2% in 2025, 6% in 2030 and 80% in 2050, compared to 2020 levels, through the use of sustainable fuels.

Concurrently, the IMO has recently updated its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transportation, establishing ambitious targets that will incrementally rise from 20% in 2030 to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, compared to 2008 levels.

“The second-generation biofuels can be used in ships without the need for modifications to their engines, and they have a high potential for reducing CO₂ emissions compared to conventional fossil fuels, achieving a reduction of up to 90%, which makes them an ideal immediate solution. That’s why we want to make them available in all the ports in which we operate and lead their production in this decade to help our customers meet their own decarbonization challenges,” Samir Fernández, director of Marine Fuel Solutions at Cepsa.

This initiative further underscores Cepsa’s unwavering commitment to second-generation biofuels as a catalyst for advancing the decarbonization of maritime transportation. It complements other recent supply efforts, including this summer’s supplies for 84 ferry voyages by Naviera Armas Trasmediterránea at the Port of Algeciras, as well as the recent supply operation in Algeciras using the hybrid supply vessel Bahía Levante.

The company had previously conducted successful tests of these sustainable fuels within its own fleet. Through its 2030 strategy, “Positive Motion,” Cepsa aims to promote sustainable mobility and decarbonization of heavy transport (air, maritime and land) through the production of green molecules.