Baleària to Equip 'Cap de Barbaria' Electric Ferry with Autonomous Methanol-Based Power Generation Unit

Baleària will integrate the first autonomous methanol-based power generation container in Europe into the electric ferry 'Cap de Barbaria', manufactured by the Catalan company Methanol Reformer, which specializes in sustainable energy solutions. The eNomad system will be available in the coming weeks, turning the Cap de Barbaria into an experimental hydrogen laboratory, as it becomes the first ferry in Europe to use methanol as an energy vector to produce hydrogen. This system marks a new milestone in decarbonization solutions applicable to short-distance maritime transport.

The 'Cap de Barbaria', operating between Ibiza and Formentera since 2023, was designed to integrate a hydrogen system capable of supplying part of the energy required by the vessel. Methanol Reformer's eNomad system combines electricity generation from hydrogen produced via methanol reforming with a modular, compact, and autonomous design, capable of operating efficiently in port and maritime environments. The use of this system on the electric ferry will allow the company to validate its performance under real 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 decreasing fuel consumption and emissions. Additionally, Baleària will use this compact hydrogen production equipment to test various combinations between batteries and fuel cells in the vessel's electric motor.

Through this pilot experience, Baleària will be able to assess the potential of methanol as a flexible energy vector for maritime transport, combining the advantages of an easily storable liquid fuel with the ability to generate hydrogen on-site, without the need for complex large-scale supply infrastructures. The company will also evaluate hydrogen's contribution to overall consumption, emission reduction, and the scalability of the solution to other vessels and routes.

"This compact equipment allows us to have a small-scale green hydrogen experimental laboratory in a real operational environment and on a route as sensitive and emblematic as the one connecting Ibiza and Formentera," explains Javier Cervera, Corporate Director of Institutional Relations and Energy Transition. "We are once again pioneers, testing today the technologies that will enable zero-emission navigation tomorrow."

"We are proud to collaborate with Baleària on this project, which demonstrates how technological innovation can transform maritime mobility and contribute to a more sustainable energy future," comments Javier Torres, General Director of Methanol Reformer, reinforcing its role as a provider of innovative energy solutions driving decarbonization and efficiency in maritime transport.

In 2023, the 'Cap de Barbaria' began operating as Spain's first zero-emission electric passenger and cargo ferry during port approaches and stays, reducing CO2 emissions by 33% compared to the previously operating vessel.

With this latest milestone of the BUCEMTO project, funded by Next Generation Funds, the company reaffirms its commitment to exploring all technologies that accelerate maritime transport decarbonization, combining natural gas, biofuels, electricity, hydrogen, and now methanol as a key component in the sector's energy transition.

Baleària operates 11 vessels powered by dual-fuel natural gas engines, three of which are using bioLNG. Additionally, Baleària is advancing in the full electrification of certain routes with projects for 100% zero-emission electric fast ferries, such as the future green corridor between Tarifa and Tangier. Notably, in 2024, the company reduced its carbon footprint per passenger by nearly 10%.