The Mein Schiff Relax, the first InTUItion class vessel of TUI Cruises, has led the first bio-LNG supply to a ship from a barge at the Port of Barcelona. The operation took place on 26 July 2025, when the barge Haugesund Knutsen, from Knutsen Scale Gas and chartered by Shell, supplied 1875 m3 of bio-LNG from the regasification plant operated by Enagás at the port.
Bio-LNG, or liquefied biomethane, is considered a sustainable fuel by the European Commission due to its production process from organic waste. By utilising this waste, it allows for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by between 70 – 100%, depending on the origin of the organic matter, throughout the production and consumption cycle. In practice, this circular economy process decarbonises ship operations, in this case the Mein Schiff Relax cruise ship, in line with the decarbonisation commitments set by the FuelEU Maritime Directive.
Bio-LNG has the same characteristics as fossil LNG, so it can be used by any ship equipped to operate with LNG, such as the most modern cruise ships operating at the Port of Barcelona, which are regularly supplied with LNG – specifically 23% of the calls registered in 2024. Transitioning from a transitional fuel like fossil LNG, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 20% compared to traditional fuel, to a sustainable fuel like bio-LNG represents a significant qualitative leap in the energy transition process and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the freight transport sector, especially in maritime transport.
The operation to the Mein Schiff Relax cruise ship was the second bio-LNG supply operation carried out at the Port of Barcelona. In March 2024, the shipping company Baleària loaded bio-LNG onto one of its vessels, although that time the supply was carried out by tanker truck, unlike the ship-to-ship operation performed for the cruise ship. Supply from a barge significantly speeds up the loading operation, increasing the amount of fuel loaded by more than 15 times, thereby facilitating the adoption of emission-neutral fuels in the maritime sector and enabling the decarbonisation of this activity.
The first ship-to-ship bio-LNG bunkering of the Mein Schiff Relax at the Port of Barcelona also marks a key milestone in delivering TUI Cruises’ Climate Protection Roadmap. As the first LNG-powered ship in the fleet, the Mein Schiff Relax is a flagship of this transition – operating almost exclusively on LNG. All new vessels are equipped with dual-fuel engines and prepared for next-generation fuels, like the Mein Schiff 7, which was added to the fleet last year, will be able to use green methanol. Further efforts include catalytic converters, exhaust gas scrubbers, digital routing tools, and investments in efficiency technologies like advanced hull coatings and cleaning robots.
The supply operation to the Mein Schiff Relax could be described as a kilometre zero operation since it was carried out entirely at the Port of Barcelona, with the Enagás regasification plant at the Energy Wharf being the source of the supplied bio-LNG. The Enagás terminal in Barcelona was recently certified according to the environmental, social, and traceability criteria established by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification of the European Union (ISCC EU) and the European Commission, allowing the fuel supplied to be certified as bio-LNG.
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/06082025/first-bio-lng-supplied-to-cruise-ship-at-port-of-barcelona/
Latest on cruise ship’s water slide scare (Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.)
MIAMI — The Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, a cruise ship that has been in service for just over a year, is returning to PortMiami Saturday after a man was injured in the Category 6 water park.
Witnesses shared videos that captured shouting after a curve of the Frightening Bolt, a drop-style waterslide, cracked — leaving a hole as there were people inside.
“When the other gentleman went down, it sliced him … and then glass fell and the water gushed,” Lillian Destefano said. “No one fell through. Thank God!”
According to Royal Caribbean, the acrylic glass broke off, the guest who was injured received medical treatment, and the waterslide was closed pending the result of an investigation.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
The Frightening Bold water slide malfunctioned on Icon of the Seas.
A passenger was injured and guests horrified as they watched and filmed.
An inquiry has been launched.
Passengers on board Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, faced chaos when an acrylic panel in the “Frightening Bolt” water slide shattered mid-ride, injuring a male guest.
Dramatic footage captured by fellow cruisers shows passengers screaming “Stop the slide!” as water flooded onto Deck 15, according to reports of the incident.
Eyewitnesses described seeing the rider’s leg and back “cut open pretty bad” by a jagged fragment—though the guest did not plunge through the panel breach and was reportedly in stable condition following onboard medical care.
Royal Caribbean quickly closed the slide for the remainder of the voyage and launched an internal investigation.
Slide Safety and the Icon’s Track Record
The “Frightening Bolt” is part of the ship’s much-promoted Category 6 Waterpark, boasting six groundbreaking slides—among them, the tallest at-sea drop, a trapdoor launch, and a full 360° loop.
While such attractions offer unparalleled thrills, water slide accidents on cruise ships remain exceptionally rare. A legal summary notes that when they do occur, causes often include inadequate maintenance, poor inspections, operator negligence, or overcrowding. Operators may face liability for injuries.
Icon of the Seas has an otherwise strong safety record. In June, the ship earned a perfect score of 100 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during a sanitation inspection.
But he vessel has experienced several alarming incidents in recent months—including a crew member who tragically stabbed a colleague before going overboard, and a guest who almost fell from an infinity pool.
Icon of the Seas – water slide accident
What Happens Now
Royal Caribbean has already closed the slide and dispatched its engineering and safety teams to pinpoint the cause of failure—likely focusing on the acrylic panel’s material integrity, installation, and maintenance history.
The Icon of the Seas is U.S.-flagged and operating in U.S. ports, so authorities such as the U.S. Coast Guard may intervene. Significant safety incidents can trigger inspections or surveys, especially if they suggest design or maintenance shortcomings.
Depending on findings, the slide—or the broader waterpark—might remain offline pending repairs or redesign. Royal Caribbean may revise inspection schedules, enhance material specifications, and reinforce staff training on identifying early signs of structural stress. If a design flaw is detected, it could lead to retrofits across the fleet—or even new engineering standards for cruise-ship water attractions.
Though the injured guest’s condition is stable, the cruise line may face liability claims if negligence is determined.
Safety in the Spotlight
Cruise industry innovations—particularly features like onboard waterparks—are key to passenger appeal. But incidents like this highlight the importance of robust safety engineering, frequent inspections, and rapid response protocols.
Traditionally, cruise lines, regulators, and safety engineers collaborate closely to enforce compliance with design standards, inspection intervals, and emergency procedures.
Public confidence will hinge on transparency in how Royal Caribbean addresses the malfunction—and whether corrective action becomes a new safety benchmark aboard the Icon of the Seas and perhaps other ships with similarly ambitious attractions.
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