Spanish ferry operator Baleària has begun operating three of its vessels exclusively on bio-LNG, claiming the ships now achieve zero emissions on their regular routes.

The fast ferry Margarita Salas and ferry Abel Matutes, which connect Barcelona-Alcudia-Ciutadella, and the ferry Rusadir operating between Málaga-Melilla, have been running solely on the renewable fuel since early September, the company said on October 2.

Baleària has purchased 132 gigawatt-hours of bio-LNG, which it says will power the three dual-engine vessels emission-free until December 2025. This volume represents 13% of the LNG consumed by the company's entire gas-powered fleet throughout 2024.

The company adds that the bioLNG use will reduce emissions by 80,300 tonnes of CO2 between September and December — equivalent to removing 153,500 cars from roads or planting 160,650 trees annually.

The biomethane used to produce the bio-LNG is said to come from livestock waste. The process captures methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and converts it into navigation fuel through Enagás regasification plants in Huelva, Barcelona, and Cartagena.

"The use of bio-LNG on our regular routes represents real and verifiable progress in our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions," said Georges Bassoul, CEO of Baleària. "The investments made in recent years in our fleet to equip it with dual-engine engines allow us to use this renewable fuel, which prevents the release of greenhouse gases and accelerates decarbonisation."

Baleària conducted its first bio-LNG supply tests at Spanish port terminals in the first quarter of 2025 and completed what it describes as Europe's first decarbonised ferry voyage between Barcelona and Menorca in 2021.

The company has also become the first ferry operator in Europe to receive ISCC EU (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) accreditation, which guarantees the traceability and sustainability of biofuels through a Proof of Sustainability system.

The ISCC certification adds to Baleària's existing Green Maritime Europe environmental certification as the company pursues its decarbonisation strategy across its Mediterranean operations.