Port of Málaga Completes First Bio-LNG Bunkering with MSC Vessel
The Spanish Port of Málaga has completed its first bio-liquefied natural gas (bio-LNG) bunkering operation, supplying a Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) container vessel with this alternative fuel.
On September 24, the Liberia-flagged MSC Gabon refueled with bio-LNG at the port, marking an important step in Málaga’s push toward sustainable operations in line with tightening environmental regulations.
Details of the Operation
According to port officials, the refueling was carried out by the Avenir Aspiration, a 7,500-cubic-meter (cbm) small-scale LNG vessel built in 2021 and chartered by Switzerland-based renewable energy producer Axpo.
The bunker ship delivered 3,000 cubic meters of bio-LNG to the 260-meter-long MSC Gabon.
The Port of Málaga confirmed that Axpo is the first maritime player to conduct a ship-to-ship (STS) LNG transfer in the region.
Axpo’s Earlier Milestones in Spain
Back in March, Axpo supplied an MSC vessel with 2,800 metric tonnes of LNG, which marked two firsts in Spain:
- The first STS LNG bunkering in the region.
- The first simultaneous operations (SimOps) for a container ship in Spain, allowing LNG refueling to take place alongside cargo loading and unloading.
In early August, Axpo also celebrated Spain’s first-ever bio-LNG transfer at the Port of Algeciras. During that operation, the company refueled the CMA CGM Foet Bourbon with more than 4,000 cubic meters of ISCC-certified bio-LNG.
The clean fuel was sourced through virtual liquefaction at the Enagás Regasification Plant in Cartagena, a critical LNG infrastructure hub for the Mediterranean.
Axpo’s Digital Bunkering Expansion
Most recently, Axpo joined the FuelBoss platform, a fully digitalized end-to-end bunkering solution developed by Ofiniti, a spinoff of classification society DNV.
According to the company, the decision was driven by the goal of streamlining LNG bunkering services, improving process integrity, and enhancing data transparency and operational efficiency. Axpo emphasized that the move would also strengthen its position in the Mediterranean bunkering market.
