Axpo and Vitol have completed the first LNG bunkering operation at the Port of Civitavecchia, Italy’s largest cruise port and Europe’s second-largest, using a ship-to-ship transfer carried out by the 7,500-cbm bunkering vessel Green Pearl.

The operation, conducted at berth 18 on Sunday morning, involved refuelling a vessel belonging to an international cruise line. Civitavecchia, which serves as the primary seaport for Rome, now joins Genoa and Naples in offering LNG ship-to-ship refuelling services in Italy, following Axpo’s introduction of the service at Genoa in late 2025 and at Naples in May 2026.

Green Pearl, an Italian-flagged bunkering vessel operated by Axpo, was brought into service in 2026 and is dedicated to ship-to-ship and ship-to-truck bunkering operations in Italian ports. The vessel also recently performed Axpo's first ship-to-ship bio-LNG bunkering operation in Barcelona, Spain.

Axpo Italia CEO Simone Demarchi commented: “This latest operation shows the ability of our supply chain to grow rapidly and meet the needs of leading international cruise lines. Over the coming years, the shipping and cruise sectors will be called upon to accelerate their decarbonisation journey. Today, LNG is one of the most substantial and readily available solutions to help support this transition.”

Vitol’s head of small-scale LNG and LNG bunkering, Stefan Dubbeldam, stated: “LNG and bio-LNG have a key role to play in reducing emissions from bunkering. Vitol is globally invested throughout the value chain, from upstream bio-LNG and LNG production and offtake, through to solutions for customers through our LNG bunker vessel fleet.”

In addition to Green Pearl, Axpo has chartered Alisios LNG, a 12,500-cbm bunkering vessel that became operational in Spain in March 2026. Axpo said it is committed to building a dedicated low-emission fuels supply chain for the maritime sector.