The Port of Barcelona on Thursday (11 June) said it signed a new strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission (SMTC) and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG).

The agreement officially establishes the “sister ports” relationship between Shanghai and Barcelona and aims to boost cooperation in areas such as the digitalisation and security of port operations; developing green ports and alternative fuels; intermodality and fostering sustainable maritime corridors between the Far East and the Mediterranean. 

The agreement was signed by José Alberto Carbonell, president of the Port of Barcelona; Xiao Hui, general director of the SMTC, and Yang ZhiYong, vice president of SIPG, in the presence of Jaume Duch, Regional Minister for European Union and Foreign Action. 

The relationship between the Port of Barcelona and the Port of Shanghai has intensified in recent years. In late July 2025, a preliminary agreement was signed between both port authorities, which led to a technical visit in September 2025 by a delegation from Shanghai led by Wang Haijian, Vice President and Director of Operations of SIPG, to advance the development of the Green Shipping and Digital Corridor between both ports. 

“This new institutional visit and the signing of the new agreement consolidates the Port of Barcelona’s position as a Euro-Mediterranean logistics hub and strengthens its links with one of the main ports and economic centres in the world,” the port said. 

Photo credit: Port of Barcelona
Published: 12 June, 2026

NYK Line subsidiary Kinkai Yusen on Tuesday (9 June) said it will conduct a demonstration operation using biofuel refuelled at Hakata Port on 16 June on the RoRo vessel Nanotsu, which operates between Hakata Port and Tsuruga Port.

The company said it will be the first instance of a domestic RoRo vessel operating using biofuel at Hakata Port. 

The biofuel (B24) which will be used will comprise 24% biofuel and conventional marine fuel, and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions without requiring major modifications to existing ship equipment. 

“The procurement of biofuel will be carried out in cooperation with Idemitsu Kosan Co Ltd and Itochu Enex Co Ltd,” it said in a statement. 

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Tetsuya
Published: 12 June, 2026

Spanish bunker service provider Mureloil on Saturday (28 February) said it has deployed Bahía Candela, a next-generation hybrid chemical tanker, for operations. 

The vessel is specifically designed for bunkering operations and terminal-to-terminal fuel transport. 

After its delivery, the ship carried out its first commercial operations in the ports of Bilbao and Mugardos. The tanker then stopped in Algeciras before starting its journey to Barcelona, where it will operate over the coming months. 

The Bahía Candela is the first of two sister vessels, with the second named Bahía Beatriz, both of which will be operated by Repsol as part of its maritime decarbonisation strategy to develop low-carbon fuel logistics including methanol and biofuels. 

Building on the success of Bahía Levante, the new vessel features a diesel-electric propulsion system combined with 4.2 MW of lithium-ion batteries, enabling fully electric port operations for up to 72 hours—including cargo handling and manoeuvring—with zero direct GHG emissions.

Related: Mureloil launches hybrid chemical tanker for bunkering and terminal transport

Photo credit: Mureloil
Published: 12 June, 2026