Axpo and Carnival Corporation have successfully completed Naples’ first-ever ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation, utilizing the vessel Green Zeebrugge to refuel the cruise ship Sun Princess. This milestone highlights the rapid expansion of Italy’s small-scale LNG infrastructure as the maritime sector accelerates efforts to cut emissions and meet stringent European decarbonization targets.
Naples, Italy | May 26, 2026 – The Southern European cruise market has marked a major operational milestone in alternative marine fuel logistics. In a highly coordinated ship-to-ship operation, Swiss energy leader Axpo and cruise giant Carnival Corporation successfully completed the first-ever liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering of a cruise ship at the Port of Naples.
The operation, which took place on Sunday, May 24, 2026, saw the 175,500-ton, 4,300-guest Sun Princess, operated by Carnival’s Princess Cruises brand, refueled by the Axpo-chartered bunkering vessel Green Zeebrugge. Crucially, the stem was delivered via Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPs), allowing the dual-fuel cruise ship to receive its cleaner-burning fuel payload while passenger and port logistics continued uninterrupted, saving vital turnaround time.
A Critical Intersection of Compliance and Infrastructure
This milestone arrives at a time of severe regulatory and market pressure for the Mediterranean maritime sector. With the European Union’s FuelEU Maritime regulation mandating a progressive reduction in the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of energy used onboard ships, targeting an 80% drop by 2050 compared to 2020 levels, the race to establish robust supply chains for transition fuels has shifted into high gear.
While the Green Zeebrugge (a 5,200 m3 capacity bunker tanker) was temporarily redeployed from the Port of Genoa to execute this historic delivery, the move underscores a broader structural transformation within Italy’s energy landscape.
According to the European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) Analysis of the European LNG Market Developments, 2026 Monitoring Report, the EU imported 146 billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG in 2025. Italy has been a primary locomotive for this volume surge, absorbing 20.6 bcm in 2025, a massive 6 bcm increase from 2024 levels. This data establishes Italy as Europe’s second-fastest-growing LNG importer, just behind Belgium, fundamentally driven by industrial demand and a rapidly decarbonizing maritime sector.
Italy’s Annual LNG Imports (bcm)
| Year | Volume (bcm) | Change |
| 2024 | 14.6 bcm | — |
| 2025 | 20.6 bcm | +6.0 bcm |
Industry Collaboration
The execution of the Naples bunkering required deep alignment between private operators and multiple state bodies, including the Port System Authority of the Central Tyrrhenian Sea, Terminal Napoli, and the Port Authority of Naples.
Daniele Corti, Head of Small-Scale LNG at Axpo, emphasized that the infrastructure is no longer just theoretical:
“This operation is further demonstration that an alternative fuel infrastructure is truly up and running. When industry partners collaborate towards a common goal, Europe’s shipping industry makes real progress towards lowering emissions.”
For Carnival Corporation, which continues to aggressively expand its LNG-fueled fleet (including a recent multibillion-euro order with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for three next-generation LNG dual-fuel ships), local availability in primary cruise hubs is paramount.
John Haeflinger, Senior Vice President of Maritime Policy and Analysis at Carnival Corporation, added:
“Advancing access to alternative fuels in key ports is essential to supporting our efforts to reduce emissions, and this milestone reflects the power of collaboration across our industry.”
Axpo’s Broader Mediterranean Small-Scale Blueprint
The Naples operation is not an isolated event; it represents the latest piece in Axpo’s strategic buildout of a Western Mediterranean small-scale LNG and bio-LNG network spanning Italy and Spain.
The company’s commercial portfolio has scaled up rapidly over the last several months through targeted infrastructure investments:
- December 2025: Axpo completed Italy’s first-ever ship-to-ship bio-LNG bunkering, supplying the ferry GNV Virgo in the Port of Genoa.
- January 2026: The company launched the Green Pearl, a specialized 7,500 m3 vessel designed flexibly for both ship-to-ship and ship-to-truck operations within Italian waters.
- March 2026: Axpo expanded its Iberian presence with the commercial deployment of the 12,500 m3 Alisios LNG bunkering vessel in southern Spain.
- May 2026: Alongside Shell, Axpo secured a six-year commercial concession from the Port Authority of Valencia to provide LNG bunkering services across the ports of Valencia, Sagunto, and Gandia.
| Vessel Name | Capacity (m3) | Launch Date | Primary Operational Zone |
| Green Zeebrugge | 5,200 | Active | Northern/Central Italy |
| Green Pearl | 7,500 | January 2026 | Italian Ports (STS & STT) |
| Alisios LNG | 12,500 | March 2026 | Southern Iberian Peninsula |
The Environmental Baseline
While the maritime sector looks toward e-methane and synthetic drop-in fuels for absolute zero-emission targets later this century, LNG remains the primary, commercially scalable tool for immediate emission mitigation.
Compared to legacy heavy fuel oil (HFO) and very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), LNG alters the environmental equation profile significantly:
- Sulphur Oxides (SOx): 100% elimination
- Nitrogen Oxides (NOx): 80% to 90% reduction
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2): 25% reduction
As the Port of Naples opens its gates to regular alternative fuel streams, the focus now shifts to whether the local supply chain can transition from bespoke, high-coordination operations to systemic, high-frequency bunkering to match the relentless schedule of the Mediterranean cruise season.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation is the world’s largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel entities, operating a portfolio of leading global cruise brands including AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CCL and included in the S&P 500, the corporation is heavily invested in maritime decarbonization and expanding the use of LNG across its fleet.
About Axpo
Axpo is Switzerland’s largest energy producer and an international leader in energy trading, specialized asset management, and the marketing of solar and wind power. Driven by a purpose to enable a sustainable future through innovative energy solutions, the company operates across more than 30 countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. With a workforce of approximately 7,500 employees, Axpo is actively expanding its footprint in the maritime sector through targeted investments in small-scale LNG, bio-LNG, and alternative fuel supply chains.
Source: Axpo