Repsol Supplies First Bioethanol to Antonia Maersk in Barcelona Port

Repsol has successfully completed a landmark commercial bunkering of 2,800 tons of bioethanol to the 16,000 TEU container vessel Antonia Maersk at the Port of Barcelona. Delivered with zero local emissions by the hybrid barge Bahía Candela, this milestone operation proves the operational readiness of Mediterranean infrastructure to scale alternative, alcohol-based marine fuels.

Barcelona, Spain | July 17, 2026 – In a major milestone for the Mediterranean maritime sector, global multi-energy provider Repsol has successfully delivered 2,800 tons of bioethanol to the Antonia Maersk, a 16,000 TEU container vessel operated by A.P. Moller – Maersk. The operation, completed under fully commercial conditions at the Port of Barcelona, marks the first bioethanol bunkering of its kind at the Spanish hub and stands as one of the earliest large-scale alcohol-based fuel transfers in the region.

Beyond its immediate operational success, the bunkering serves as a critical proof of concept. It demonstrates that the infrastructure, logistics, and operational capabilities required to handle alcohol-based marine fuels are already mature enough to support commercial-scale deployment. Crucially, the operation also validates the readiness of the wider value chain to handle other alcohol-based alternatives, such as biomethanol and e-methanol.

Technical Execution: Zero-Emission Delivery via Bahía Candela

The logistics of the transfer highlighted cutting-edge efficiency and a focus on minimizing localized environmental impacts. The delivery was executed by the Bahía Candela, Repsol’s newest bunker barge. Operated by Mureloil, the vessel is specifically engineered to handle a dual portfolio of conventional marine fuels and next-generation, low-carbon energy products.

• Bunker Vessel: The delivery was executed by Repsol’s newest bunker barge, the Bahía Candela (operated by Mureloil).
• Eco-Friendly Operation: The barge utilized its onboard battery system during the transfer, completing the operation with zero local emissions.
• The Transfer: A total of 2,800 tons of bioethanol was successfully supplied.
• Receiving Vessel: The fuel was delivered to Maersk’s 16,000 TEU dual-fuel container ship, the Antonia Maersk.

During the bunkering process, the Bahía Candela shut down its conventional auxiliary engines and operated entirely on its onboard battery system. By utilizing hybrid-electric power during the transfer, the vessel achieved zero local emissions, further lowering the carbon footprint of an already low-emission supply chain.

Maersk’s Multi-Fuel Strategy: Scaling Up From Laura to Antonia

For Maersk, this operation represents a significant scaling up of its ongoing alcohol-fuel trials. The Danish shipping giant has been at the forefront of the methanol transition, currently operating a fleet of 23 dual-fuel container vessels designed for alcohol-based propulsion.

While methanol remains a primary pillar, Maersk is actively treating ethanol as a viable, complementary pathway to diversify its liquid marine fuel portfolio.

• The Blueprint: Prior to the Barcelona operation, Maersk rigorously tested ethanol on the Laura Maersk, its 1,800 TEU feeder vessel which made history in 2023 as the world’s first dual-fuel methanol container ship. The Laura Maersk has successfully completed voyages running on both 100% ethanol and various ethanol-methanol blends.
• The Scale-Up: The bunkering of the Antonia Maersk shifts these trials from small feeder networks to the ultra-large container segment. At 16,000 TEU, the vessel provides Maersk with the critical operational data needed to understand how ethanol performs under the intense demands of global mainlane trade.

“Following the successful ethanol trials conducted on Laura Maersk, this latest bunkering of Antonia Maersk marks another important step in our efforts to explore scalable low-emission fuel solutions,” said Emma Mazhari, Vice President of Energy Markets at Maersk. “As the first ethanol trial on one of our large dual-fuel vessels, it allows us to deepen our understanding of ethanol’s operational potential at scale. Ethanol is one of several pathways we are pursuing to diversify our future fuel portfolio.“

Stakeholder Perspectives: Driving the Value Chain

The success of the operation was heavily attributed to a tight collaborative framework between the energy supplier, the shipowner, the vessel operator, and the port authority.

Repsol: A Multi-Energy Transition

For Repsol, the operation cements its strategy to move away from pure petroleum refining toward a diversified, multi-energy product offering.

“With this supply, we reaffirm our commitment to the decarbonization of maritime transport through solutions that are available today and ready to scale in the future,” stated Juan Abascal, Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Industrial Transformation and Circular Economy. “At Repsol, we provide shipping companies with a reliable supply chain and a multi-energy strategy that combines different renewable fuels to support the sector in a safe, competitive, and sustainable transition.“

Port of Barcelona: Mediterranean Energy Hub

The Port of Barcelona viewed the operation as a direct validation of its formal Energy Transition Plan, positioning itself as a first-mover hub for alternative marine fuels in Southern Europe.

“This operation demonstrates that the Port of Barcelona is ready to support the deployment of new low-carbon fuels at scale,” said José Alberto Carbonell, President of the Port of Barcelona. “As the Mediterranean’s leading logistics and energy hub, we are committed to providing the infrastructure, operational capabilities and collaborative environment needed to accelerate the maritime sector’s decarbonisation.“

Repsol’s Decarbonization Roadmap

The bioethanol supply in Barcelona aligns with Repsol’s legally binding target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Headquartered in Madrid, the multi-energy giant employs 25,000 people across more than 27 countries, serving a global customer base of 24 million.

To achieve its climate targets, Repsol is aggressively transforming its traditional refining assets across the Iberian Peninsula into advanced, circular multi-energy hubs. This shift relies heavily on capital-intensive investments in biofuels, circular economy feedstocks, and green hydrogen production.

Strategic Outlook for the Bunker Industry

The collaboration between Repsol, Maersk, Mureloil, and the Port of Barcelona has effectively established a operational blueprint for the wider Mediterranean. By proving that a 2,800-ton stem of bioethanol can be managed seamlessly under standard commercial terms, the project signals to the broader maritime industry that the regulatory, safety, and logistical hurdles of alcohol bunkering are rapidly dissolving. As shipping companies face tightening FuelEU Maritime and IMO mandates, the availability of scalable, drop-in alcohol pathways provides a tangible route forward for fleet-wide decarbonization.

About Repsol

Repsol is a Madrid-headquartered global multi-energy provider operating in over 27 countries with 25,000 employees and 24 million customers. The company is transforming its industrial operations in the Iberian Peninsula into advanced multi-energy hubs to produce low-carbon solutions such as 100% renewable fuels, advancing toward a decarbonized energy future. As part of its binding target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 toward biofuels, circular economy feedstocks, and green hydrogen.

This industrial transformation is anchored by massive capital investments at facilities like the Petronor refinery in Bilbao, where Repsol is eliminating fuel oil production entirely and building a 100-MW renewable hydrogen electrolyzer complex (slated for 2029) alongside existing synthetic fuel demonstration facilities.

Source: Repsol