Italy’s Edison refuels TUI Cruises newbuild with LNG in Adriatic Sea

Italian utility company Edison has refueled the newbuild Mein Schiff Relax, a cruise ship owned by Germany’s TUI Cruises, with LNG in the Adriatic Sea.

As disclosed, Edison conducted the bunkering operation for TUI Cruises’ recently delivered LNG-powered cruise ship in the port of Trieste using the 2021-built 30,000 cubic meter LNG carrier Ravenna Knutsen.

Mein Schiff Relax is the first of two LNG dual-fuel cruise ships constructed by Italian shipbuilding player Fincantieri for TUI Cruises, featuring a length of 333 meters, a beam of 42.1 meters, and a gross tonnage of 160,000 tons.

The Malta-flagged unit runs on a dual-fuel propulsion system, with the capability of operating on LNG and marine gas oil (MGO) with the possibility for it to use low-emission fuels such as bio- or e-LNG.

In addition, Mein Schiff Relax has been outfitted with a shore power connection system, catalytic converters that are compliant with Euro 6 standards, a waste heat recovery turbine that harnesses residual warmth from diesel generators, as well as a waste treatment system that can convert organic substances into recyclable components through a thermal process.

Owing to these characteristics, the ship will reportedly emit zero emissions while docked, accounting for approximately 40% of its operational time.

The refueling of Mein Schiff Relax follows other ship-to-ship refuelings carried out by Edison in 2024 in the Adriatic Sea, the first ones executed in this area of the Mediterranean.

According to the company, this operation further consolidates Edison’s presence in the Italian LNG bunkering market. It is also said to confirm the growing strategic role of the Adriatic Sea for the supply and refueling of alternative fuels for the maritime sector.