Spain-based Petronor, jointly owned by Repsol and Kutxabank, expects the e-fuels plant it is building at the Port of Bilbao to begin operations in early 2027, potentially adding a new synthetic marine fuel supply for shipping.

The EUR 146 million facility will produce e-fuels using captured CO2 and renewable hydrogen generated on site by a 10 MW electrolyser, Bilbao Port said in an email statement on Thursday.

The facility will be capable of producing 2,000 mt/year of e-fuels and could be used by sectors including shipping, road transport and aviation.

“These products have similar characteristics to conventional fuels and can be used in any current vehicle, such as cars, lorries, ships or aeroplanes,” Bilbao Port said.

While volumes will be small relative to overall bunker demand, the project highlights how e-fuel producers increasingly view shipping as a potential end-use sector as emissions rules tighten.

The Port of Bilbao is located on Spain’s northern coast in the Basque Country.