Ports
Malaga Port launches ship-to-ship liquefied gas refuelling with luxury cruise ship
The 'Corinthian', a hybrid sailing vessel operated by the Orient Express shipping company, has received 300 cubic metres of liquefied natural gas transferred by the 'Alisios' vessel
Málaga
The Port of Malaga is consolidating as a key port of call for sustainable shipping companies on the Mediterranean maritime map. Its waters have just ... witnessed a high-precision technical refuelling manoeuvre: the first supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to a cruise ship using the 'ship-to-ship' system. This avoids the need for the usual deployment of tanker lorries on the docks.
The star of this operation was the 'Corinthian', one of the state-of-the-art vessels luxury cruise line Orient Express operates. Measuring 220 metres in length, this vessel represents the cutting edge of maritime engineering thanks to its hybrid propulsion system: it combines fuel-efficient engines, powered by LNG, with three large rigid sails, capable of harnessing the power of the wind when sailing conditions are favourable.
To carry out the refuelling operation, the 'Alisios LNG' (a specialised vessel operated by Axpo) was positioned alongside the ship and successfully completed the direct injection of 300 cubic metres of this more environmentally friendly fuel, according to data the Port Authority provided.
A milestone in LNG supply
The operation builds on the port's experience in managing and supplying clean energy to ships. The first foray into serving cruise ships dates back to November 2023, when the 'Silver Nova' refuelled with liquefied gas at the dock via lorries.
Experience in ship-to-ship transfers began within the freight sector: in March 2025, a ship-to-ship transfer refuelled an MSC container ship. In September that same year, bio-LNG (a fuel derived from renewable sources) was supplied to the 'MSC Gabon'.
In addition to these services, there is regular traffic to Melilla, where Baleà ria has been operating since 2020 with the 'Rusadir' ferry, which is also usually powered by LNG.
This new operation forms part of the 'Puerto Verde' initiative: the strategic plan through which the Port Authority aims to boost energy efficiency and meet the demands of an international fleet subject to increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Malaga is, therefore, demonstrating that its docks already have the logistical capacity to serve the world's most modern vessels.
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