Axpo conducts its first LNG bunkering in Port of Valencia

13.10.26 - Axpo has successfully completed its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation in the Port of Valencia, Spain. The ship-to-ship transfer refuelled a container vessel for a leading global transport and logistics company with LNG, more than half of which was bio-LNG.

In brief:

• Valencia is the fourth port in Spain where Axpo has conducted LNG bunkering, following earlier operations in Málaga, Algeciras and Barcelona.
• Axpo’s 12,500 m³ bunkering vessel Alisios conducted the ship-to-ship transfer on 13 October 2026. More than half of the LNG supplied is bio-LNG produced from organic materials such as biomass, waste and agricultural residues.
• Axpo's steady roll-out of LNG refuelling to Spain's major ports boosts development of infrastructure and services for alternative maritime fuels.

The Axpo bunkering vessel Alisios completed the ship-to-ship refuelling on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, with bio-LNG constituting more than half of the LNG supplied. The successful operation marks another milestone in the development of alternative marine fuels infrastructure and services in Spain.

Axpo's Head of Small-Scale LNG Daniele Corti said: “As Spain’s largest port for container traffic and the fifth-busiest container port in Europe, Valencia is a strategically important location. This operation further strengthens our presence in the LNG market, serving customers in a growing number of key European ports.”

Alisios, a 12,500 m³ bunkering vessel operated by Axpo, was launched in March 2026 at the port of Huelva in south-west Spain. The vessel operates along the south coast of the Iberian Peninsula, promoting the use of LNG and bio-LNG as transitional fuels for maritime transport.

Expanding operations across the Mediterranean

Axpo's presence in Spanish ports has grown substantially over the past year and a half. In April 2025, the company completed its first LNG delivery in Málaga, followed by successful operations in the ports of Algeciras, Sines (Portugal) and Barcelona. These achievements were facilitated by Axpo's growing fleet of LNG bunker vessels, improving the reliability, flexibility and efficiency of bunkering operations across the Mediterranean.

In Italy, Axpo carried out the country’s first ship-to-ship bio-LNG refuelling in Genoa in December 2025. Further operations followed in Naples in May 2026 and Civitavecchia in August 2026.

Committed to supporting the maritime industry's transition to lower-emission fuels, the extension of bunkering to Valencia demonstrates Axpo's growing ability to serve leading shipping operators across major ports in Spain. 

Notes to editors

• Ship-to-ship operation refers to the transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a specialised LNG vessel to a larger cargo or container ship. The process is conducted at sea or in designated port areas.
• Bunkering is the process of refuelling ships or other vehicles, particularly in maritime contexts. This can include various types of fuel, such as oil, diesel and LNG.
• LNG is an important transitional solution to the reduction of emissions in the maritime sector. When compared to traditional marine fuels, LNG eliminates 100 per cent of sulphur oxide (SOX) emissions, between 80 to 90 per cent of nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions and 25 per cent of CO2 emissions.
• Bio-LNG is short for biological liquefied natural gas, a renewable fuel produced from organic materials such as biomass, waste and agricultural residues.
• More about Axpo’s gas and LNG business can be found on our website.