Repsol to supply renewable bunker fuels including methanol for NCLH vessels

Repsol on Monday (20 October) said it has signed a landmark eight-year agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) to supply renewable marine fuels at the Port of Barcelona.

Beginning in the 2026 European cruise season, Repsol will offer a portfolio of renewable fuels – starting with biofuels and, from 2029, renewable methanol – directly to NCLH’s vessels across its cruise brands—Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises—when calling at the Port of Barcelona.

“This milestone agreement highlights that renewable fuels are ready to play a key role in reducing the carbon footprint of the maritime sector. By partnering with NCLH, one of the world’s leading cruise companies, we show that renewable fuels are already deployable at scale to immediately start reducing emissions at sea,” said Juan Abascal, Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Industrial Transformation and Circular Economy.

“This partnership is an excellent example of how cross-industry collaboration can unlock meaningful progress,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. 

“Securing long-term access to renewable marine fuels at a key European port aligns directly with our Sail & Sustain program and demonstrates our commitment to advancing towards a more sustainable future.”

The agreement between Repsol and NCLH was established based on the changing international regulatory environment and both companies’ pursuit of Net Zero by 2050. All fuels provided under the agreement are certified under the ISCC EU framework and meet the standards necessary to support NCLH’s environmental compliance and decarbonization roadmap.

The renewable methanol will be produced at Repsol’s Ecoplanta facility in Tarragona (Spain), a pioneering project in Europe to transform urban waste into renewable fuels and circular products, adding a solution for reducing CO2 emissions in the transport sector, while at the same time promoting the circular economy. 

The new plant—set to begin operations in 2029— will have the capacity to process up to 400,000 tons of municipal solid waste per year and turn them into 240,000 tons of renewable fuels and circular products. NCLH is the first company to sign an offtake agreement for renewable methanol from the Ecoplanta facility.

Photo credit: Repsol
Published: 21 October, 2025