Axpo completes first LBM bunkering in Italy

Energy firm Axpo has delivered around 500 cbm (224 mt) of liquefied biomethane (LBM) to Italian operator Grandi Navi Veloci’s dual-fuel ro-pax vessel at the Port of Genoa.

IMAGE: Green Zeebrugge delivering LBM to GNV Virgo in a ship-to-ship bunkering operation. Axpo

The stem was delivered to the vessel, GNV Virgo, in a ship-to-ship bunkering operation using an LNG bunker tanker, Green Zeebrugge.

“When powered by bio-LNG – determined by the green fuel’s availability – the dual-fuel GNV Virgo will operate in line with European decarbonisation targets, anticipating the EU’s long-term aim to be carbon-neutral by 2050,” it said.

GNV’s chief executive Matteo Catani added that the company is actively working to incorporate LBM into its fuel mix but noted that LBM availability remains limited and requires major investment in a supply chain that can support large-scale use.

“Costs are still high, and the quantity available on the market is not sufficient to meet growing demand. It is a complex journey that requires the commitment and collaboration of all stakeholders in the sector,” Catani said.

Axpo currently offers LBM bunkering across the wider Iberian peninsula, including the ports of Málaga, Algeciras and Sines.

By Konica Bhatt

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