Spanish ferry company Baleària has decided to incorporate “Europe’s first” autonomous e-methanol power generation container into the electric ferry Cap de Barbaria.
Manufactured by Catalan company specializing in sustainable energy solutions, Methanol Reformer, eNomad system will be available in the coming weeks and will turn the Cap de Barbaria into an experimental hydrogen laboratory , as it is the first ferry in Europe to use methanol as an energy vector to produce hydrogen.
The use of this system marks a new milestone in decarbonization solutions applicable to short-distance maritime transport. The Cap de Barbaria, which has been operating between Ibiza and Formentera since 2023, was designed to integrate a hydrogen system capable of supplying a portion of the energy required by the vessel.
The eNomad system from Methanol Reformer combines electricity generation from hydrogen, produced by reforming e-methanol, with a modular, compact and autonomous design, capable of operating efficiently in port and maritime environments. Using the system on the electric ferry will enable its performance to be validated in real-life operating conditions.
The hydrogen generated by this system will be used to power a fuel cell and produce auxiliary electricity. This electricity will support battery recharging and reduce the use of conventional generators, thereby lowering fuel consumption and emissions.
In addition, Baleària will use this compact hydrogen production equipment to test different combinations of batteries and fuel cells in the ship’s electric motor. Through this pilot project, Baleària will be able to assess the potential of methanol as a flexible energy vector for maritime transport, combining the advantages of an easy-to-store liquid fuel with the possibility of generating hydrogen in situ, without the need for complex large-scale supply infrastructure.
What is more, the shipping company will evaluate the hydrogen’s contribution to overall consumption, reducing emissions, and the scalability of the solution to other ships and routes operated by the company.
“This compact equipment enables us to run a small-scale green hydrogen experimental laboratory in a real operating environment and on a route as sensitive and iconic as the one linking Ibiza and Formentera, ” Javier Cervera , Corporate Director of Institutional Relations and the Energy Transition, commented.
“We are proud to be collaborating with Baleària on this project, which demonstrates how technological innovation can transform maritime mobility and contribute to a more sustainable energy future,” Javier Torres , CEO of Methanol Reformer, highlighted.
In 2023, the Cap de Barbaria began operating as Spain’s first electric passenger and cargo ferry with zero emissions during port approaches and stays, reducing CO2 emissions by 33% compared to the vessel that had been operating previously.
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Through this latest milestone in the BUCEMTO project, financed by Next Generation Funds, the shipping company is reaffirming its commitment to exploring all technologies that can accelerate the decarbonization of maritime transport, combining natural gas, biofuels, electricity, hydrogen and now also methanol as a key element in the sector’s energy transition.
Baleària has 11 dual natural gas-powered vessels, three of which currently use bioLNG . The company is also making progress towards the total electrification of certain routes with 100% electric, zero-emissions fast ferry projects, such as the future green corridor between Tarifa and Tangier. In 2024, Baleària reduced its carbon footprint per passenger by almost 10%.
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