Cepsa supplies drop-in biofuels to Algeciras-Ceuta ferries

Cepsa will supply 100 mt of biofuel to power 84 ferry voyages across the Strait of Gibraltar this month, a small amount but one that will make the ferry compliant with the European Union's upcoming FuelEU Maritime legislation, the company says.

PHOTO: Spain's first passenger ships powered by 2G biofuels. CEPSA

FuelEU Maritime is set to become effective from 2025 and will require a 2% reduction in the greenhouse gas intensity of energy used onboard ships from that year, 6% from 2030 and 80% from 2050 - all compared to 2020 levels. It will regulate emissions from fuels used onboard vessels above 5,000 GT.

Cepsa is converting a refining unit at its San Roque Energy Park to produce second-generation biofuel from agricultural waste. The company is supplying blends of this biofuel and conventional oil to ferries operated by Naviera Armas Trasmediterránea this month. Trasmediterránea has its ferry Ciudad De Ceuta deployed to bring passengers from Algeciras to Ceuta – a route it has earmarked for the biofuel trials.

Cepsa claims that up to 15% renewable diesel can be blended with the oil-based marine fuels Trasmediterránea's ferries run on. It says its second-generation biofuel can achieve a 90% lifecycle emission reduction compared with conventional fuels.

However, an ENGINE analysis of EU MRV data and the Algeciras-Ceuta ferry schedule shows that less than half of Ciudad De Ceuta’s voyages will be powered by biofuel blends this month, for a total estimated CO2 emissions reduction of around 3%.

Ciudad De Ceuta’s schedule shows 5-7 daily voyages, indicating that it would complete around 186 voyages this month. The vessel emitted an average of 1,950 mt/month of CO2 last year. Cepsa said the 84 bio-fuelled voyages this month will cut emissions by a total of 63 mt, which would be just over 3% of last year's monthly average.

Trasmediterránea says it will expand its fleet’s biofuel consumption in the future, but did not specify a timeline.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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