With the first bio-LNG supply of Mein Schiff Relax in the port of Barcelona, TUI Cruises marks another important step on the road to climate-neutral cruising.
At the end of July, Mein Schiff Relax, the newest member of the fleet and the first ship in the new InTUItion class, was supplied with 1,875 m³ of bio-LNG for the first time – as part of a so-called ship-to-ship bunkering operation via a barge.
“With the bio-LNG bunkering of Mein Schiff Relax, we are demonstrating that we are already reducing CO2 emissions thanks to modern propulsion systems,” said Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises. “We are consistently pursuing decarbonisation and see alternative fuels as a key lever for achieving our climate reduction targets.”
The bunkering was carried out by the Haugesund Knutsen barge from Knutsen Scale Gas, chartered by Shell. The biofuel comes from Enagás’ regasification plant in the port of Barcelona, where it was produced and certified in full compliance with ISCC EU certification criteria – a genuine zero-kilometre process that focuses on local, sustainable value creation.
Bio-LNG (liquefied biomethane) is a 100% renewable fuel produced from organic waste. Compared to fossil fuels, the use of Bio-LNG can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% to 100%, depending on the origin of the organic materials. Since bio-LNG is chemically identical to fossil LNG, it can be used in the existing dual-fuel engines of the Mein Schiff Relax without any technical modifications.
All newbuilds in the Mein Schiff fleet are equipped with dual-fuel engines and are technically designed to run on lower-emission fuels such as bio-LNG. Mein Schiff 7, which entered service last year, is also already prepared for the future use of green methanol. “This technological flexibility is crucial for us because, our goal is to be able to switch to the lowest-emission option at any time – as soon as it is scalable and available,” explains Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises.
The first bio-LNG ship-to-ship bunkering of the Mein Schiff Relax in the port of Barcelona is also an important milestone in the implementation of TUI Cruises’ climate protection roadmap. With the clear goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050, the company is pursuing a detailed plan based on four main levers:
- Alternative fuels such as bio-LNG and, in the future, green methanol
- Green shore power, which is already used in numerous ports today
- Maximised energy efficiency through technical measures such as route optimisation, digital performance tools, hull coatings and cleaning systems
- Optimised travel planning to reduce energy consumption
TUI Cruises operates one of the youngest cruise fleets in the world and aims to be climate neutral by 2050 at the latest. To reduce its ecological footprint, the company is also implementing a wide range of other sustainability measures, such as eliminating around 5 million plastic cocktail sticks per year. If lined up end to end, this would be equivalent to a distance of around 400 kilometres – roughly the circumference of the island of Majorca. The annual reduction of 10 million drinking straws also adds up to around 2,918 kilometres – the distance between Bremerhaven and Reykjavik. Such concrete measures contribute directly to TUI Cruises’ climate roadmap and support the goal of offering guests a travel experience that is as resource-efficient as possible.
