Norwegian Cruise Line and Repsol ink long-term renewable marine fuels deal

Cruise company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) and Spanish multi-energy player Repsol have established “an unprecedent long-term relationship within the cruise industry” with a landmark 8-year agreement covering supply of renewable marine fuels at the Port of Barcelona.

Under the agreement, Repsol will offer a portfolio of renewable fuels, starting with biofuels from the 2026 European cruise season, and renewable methanol from 2029.

Renewable fuels will be supplied to 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.

As revealed, the agreement 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, where the company intends 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.

The alliance with Repsol is said to underscore NCLH’s commitment to advancing low-carbon fuel solutions and supporting the circular economy, while maintaining operational flexibility and cost efficiency across its fleet.

The partnership directly supports the company’s global program, Sail & Sustain, a company-wide initiative focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity, investing in innovative fuel solutions, and fostering collaboration across the value chain. As part of its 2026 “Charting the Course” targets, the cruise company is working to achieve a 10% reduction in GHG intensity by 2026 and 25% by 2030.

“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,” added Harry Sommer, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “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.”