Genoa – First LNG refueling carried out in the port of Genoa on a passenger ferry. The operation featured the GNV Virgo ship, the Company’s new unit and the first Italian long-range vessel powered by liquefied natural gas employed on a regular connection.
The LNG refueling activity via bunker vessel, in the port of Genoa was carried out by GNV together with Axpo Italia and with the decisive support of the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority and the Genoa Port Authority, saw the presence of the main authorities: Edoardo Rixi, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport; Marco Bucci, President of the Liguria Region; Emilio Robotti, Councilor for Sustainable Mobility of the Municipality of Genoa; Matteo Paroli, President of the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority; Admiral Antonio Ranieri, Maritime Director of Liguria and Commander of the Port of Genoa, in addition to several representatives of the territorial shipping industry. The initiative represents a concrete example of collaboration between public and private sectors in support of innovation, environmental sustainability and the country’s competitiveness.
“This moment represents a real turning point for GNV in the path to reducing the environmental impact of our fleet. The introduction of LNG into our daily operations not only drastically reduces polluting emissions, but also allows us to gain concrete experience with the technologies that will guide the future of European maritime transport, confirming our commitment to increasingly sustainable and competitive navigation,” stated the CEO of GNV, Matteo Catani.
On the occasion of this first refueling, the fuel used is not simple fossil LNG, but bio-LNG, obtained from organic biogas. The adoption of this fuel marks a significant step in the Company’s environmental strategy: it is no longer just about reducing emissions, but about adopting an energy model that allows us to concretely approach impact levels close to net zero.
The bio-LNG used is managed through a mass balance system recognized by the European Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC).
Thanks to this refueling, the unit will be able to make its first Genoa-Palermo round trip with net greenhouse gas emissions equal to zero, demonstrating that near-zero impact maritime operations are already technically possible today, provided there is availability of alternative fuels like bio-LNG. Although the use of this fuel still depends on its market availability, the initiative fully aligns with the European decarbonization path and anticipates the standards set for 2050.
“We are working so that the use of bio-LNG can become a structural solution for our operations, although aware that today the availability of this fuel remains limited and requires significant investments, as well as the development of a supply chain capable of ensuring stable, large-scale supplies. Costs are still high and the quantity of product on the market is not sufficient to cover a growing demand.
“It is a complex path, which requires the commitment and collaboration of all the actors involved in the supply chain,” added Catani.
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The bunkering, conducted according to current safety regulations and the Guidelines for the regulation of Ship-to-Ship bunkering of LNG and bio-LNG in Italian ports published by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport in May 2025, allowed for a refueling of 500 cubic meters of bio-LNG, sufficient to guarantee the autonomy needed to cover the Genoa-Palermo route.
“We are particularly proud to bring our contribution in terms of innovation and sustainability of maritime transport in collaboration with a shipping company like GNV, which has been able to seize the challenge of what is effectively a new frontier for the sector. Starting from Genoa, the city that saw the birth of Axpo in Italy and supported its growth over the 25 years that characterize its history in the country, makes the satisfaction even greater. A result made possible only thanks to the support and collaboration of the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority and the Genoa Port Authority, to whom our thanks go. Italy represents a crossroads of primary importance from an economic and geographical point of view for Europe, and it is important to know how to seize the evolution opportunities that technology brings to maritime transport. The Axpo Group’s international experience and the ability to systematize expertise and relationships with companies and institutions, developed in other European markets in this segment, make us today an extremely reliable and credible partner to make a difference in this sector as well. This is a first, essential, step for the development of further Small Scale LNG projects for the energy transition that will be implemented in the coming months.” commented Simone Demarchi, CEO of Axpo Italia.
The success of the operation was made possible thanks to the close collaboration between institutions, port operators, and energy partners, confirming the Port of Genoa’s ability to support complex technological innovations with high environmental value. This bunkering constitutes the first step in a series of operations that will accompany the vessel’s entry into service, while GNV continues to develop sustainable and long-term solutions for the entire fleet.
Matteo Paroli, President of the Western Ligurian Sea Port System Authority commented: “It is with great satisfaction that I welcome the arrival in Italy of the GNV Virgo and together, today, we celebrate here in Genoa a historic passage for the entire national maritime system. The first ship-to-ship bunkering of bio-LNG, obtained from organic biogas, carried out in Italy on a ferry represents not only a technical and operational milestone of absolute importance, but also a concrete signal of the direction we have chosen: that of innovation, sustainability, and responsibility towards the future. A result of this magnitude is only possible thanks to solid and forward-looking collaboration between institutions and private entities. I therefore wish to highlight the extraordinary synergy between GNV, Axpo, the Port System Authority, and the Port Authority.
The Maritime Authority, in particular, played a decisive role in defining and applying the regulatory framework that today allows this operation to be carried out in complete safety and in line with international standards. It is the concrete demonstration of how fundamental coherent, competent, and timely institutional work is for a modern port system. Thanks to this collaboration, GNV Virgo, a state-of-the-art, efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly ship, can now mark a step forward for Genoa and for all of Italian maritime. Our port confirms itself as a benchmark for the development of alternative fuels, for the adoption of new technologies, and for the application of best operational practices. On behalf of everyone, I therefore extend my most sincere wish of fair winds to GNV Virgo and to those who, every day, work professionally to make our sea an increasingly safe, efficient, and sustainable place. The path taken together shows that the future is not awaited: it is built, with vision and responsibility.”
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Admiral Antonio Ranieri, Maritime Director of Liguria and Commander of the Port Authority of Genoa, commented: “The bunkering operation that took place today for the first time in the port of Genoa, concerning the supply of bioLNG on board a ferry, using ship-to-ship methods, is the result of a very complex process lasting several months, which saw close collaboration with the Port System Authority, ASL, Fire Brigade, the Port Chemical Officer and with the companies involved GNV and Axpo Italia. During this period, all technical issues related to safety were addressed, leading to the successful outcome of the inspections and tests carried out on board the GNV Virgo and the bunkering unit and thus to the green light for the operation. The experience gained will allow for the development of a regulation governing this type of bunkering for all LNG and bioLNG vessels calling at the main Ligurian port and one of the largest in the Mediterranean. In perspective, a major turning point, which sees Genoa at the forefront in the field of environmental sustainability of maritime navigation, and which could have a favorable impact on the relationship between port and city.”
GNV Virgo, designed to operate on LNG, will serve the Genoa-Palermo route, reducing environmental impact in port areas and coastal cities. The company will also continue its investment path in LNG with five other new units whose entry into the fleet is expected by 2030.
The use of LNG will allow GNV Virgo to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 50% per transportable unit compared to previous generation ships. The new ship is also equipped with other state-of-the-art environmental technologies, including provisions for cold ironing[1], Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems, and heat recycling technologies to meet IMO Tier III and EEDI Phase II requirements.
With a gross tonnage of approximately 52,300 tons, a length of 218 meters, a width of 29.60 meters, and a maximum speed of 25 knots, GNV Virgo has over 420 cabins, can accommodate 1,785 passengers, and offers a loading capacity of 2,770 linear meters.
