At the Port of Genoa, a significant milestone in Italy’s maritime energy transition was reached with the first ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering of bio-LNG for a passenger ferry, undertaken on December 4th, 2025. The operation supplied the dual-fuel ro-pax vessel GNV Virgo with 500 cubic metres of certified bio-liquefied natural gas, sufficient to power the ship’s return leg on the long-distance Genoa–Palermo route. This marked the inaugural use of bio-LNG transferred between vessels in Italian waters, aligning with national and European Union decarbonisation objectives for the maritime sector.
The supply of renewable gas — derived from organic waste feedstocks — was carried out by Swiss energy firm Axpo in cooperation with Italian ferry operator GNV, supported by the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority and the Port of Genoa Harbour Master’s Office. The operation was conducted in full compliance with the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport’s ship-to-ship bunkering guidelines for LNG and bio-LNG, which were published earlier in 2025 to standardise safety and procedural requirements across Italian ports.
GNV Virgo, a newbuild LNG-capable ro-pax ferry, is the first Italian long-distance ferry to enter scheduled service with dual-fuel capability. The successful bunkering at Genoa serves as a practical demonstration of integrating renewable marine fuels into regular passenger operations, reducing greenhouse-gas emissions on established ferry routes and contributing to the port’s stated goals of supporting low-carbon shipping infrastructure.
The STS operation underscores the ongoing collaboration between public authorities and private energy and shipping partners in advancing alternative fuel adoption within the Mediterranean maritime cluster, reinforcing Genoa’s position as a hub for cleaner marine energy solutions.