Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has executed one of the inaugural commercial biofuel bunkering operations for cruise ships in Greece.
The Norwegian Viva received a waste-based marine fuel blend at Piraeus, facilitated by World Fuel Services, a subsidiary of World Kinect, in partnership with Greek supplier EKO. This initiative underscores international collaboration in reducing emissions within the cruise industry.
Expanding biofuel initiatives in Europe
This bunkering operation extends Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' commitment to biofuel usage in Southern Europe as part of its Sail & Sustain strategy. It also showcases World Fuel's capacity to connect ship operators with certified sustainable fuels globally.
Previously, the cruise line successfully utilised biofuels in Gibraltar, Copenhagen, and the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region, alongside another delivery in Piraeus on 20th July.
Commitment to sustainable fuel solutions
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is dedicated to integrating sustainable fuel practices across its fleet
Through these efforts, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is dedicated to integrating sustainable fuel practices across its fleet. World Fuel plays a crucial role in enabling these environmentally friendly projects.
Kimberly Westmoreland, Senior Director of Cruise and Energy Transition at World Fuel, stated, "This collaboration demonstrates how the cruise industry can access certified alternative fuels right now – not someday. By uniting our global supply network with strong local execution, we're able to support forward-looking operators like Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings turn low carbon fuels access into meaningful progress on decarbonisation."
Extending sustainability efforts
Lory Urdaneta, Senior Director of Energy Strategy at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, commented, "This biofuel operation in Piraeus reflects the kind of pragmatic progress we’re making under our Sail & Sustain program. It’s one more way we’re scaling lower-carbon solutions across our fleet while maintaining the guest experience we’re known for."
"Collaborating with partners like World Fuel and EKO enables us to accelerate our decarbonisation efforts and extend our sustainability impact across new geographies."
Promoting energy transition in the Mediterranean
Chrisanthopoulos Konstantinos, Manager of Marine Fuels & Services Division at EKO, noted, "EKO is proud to contribute to this important milestone in Greece. By supplying waste-based biofuels locally, we are demonstrating the readiness of the market and the potential for wider adoption across the Mediterranean."
This operation represents a step towards the commercialisation of the energy transition. Through such collaborations, the cruise sector shows measurable progress towards sustainability. By coordinating supply, supporting certification, and ensuring operational reliability, World Fuel continues to help ship operators worldwide access the right fuel at the right time.
