Trasmed steps up sustainability: one year of cold ironing at Grimaldi Terminal Barcelona

One year after the launch of the Onshore Power Supply (OPS, also known as ‘cold ironing’) system at Grimaldi Terminal Barcelona, Trasmed has confirmed its leading role in the energy transition of maritime transport in the Mediterranean. The Grimaldi Group company is among the first to make regular use of this technology, which allows ships to connect to the onshore power grid while in port, switching off their engines and eliminating local emissions.

Since March 2025, the ferry Ciudad de Palma, operating on the Barcelona–Palma de Mallorca route, has been connecting daily to the OPS system at the Sant Bertran quay. In its first year of operation, the vessel has consumed more than 722 MWh of renewable energy, preventing the emission of hundreds of tonnes of CO₂ and significantly contributing to the reduction of noise pollution in a port area that is in close proximity to the city of Barcelona. 

“As a Grimaldi Group company, Trasmed has a strong commitment to sustainability and efficiency,” says Miguel Pardo, the Group’s Institutional Relations Director in Spain. “For this reason, it started connecting to the OPS system at the Port of Barcelona, using renewable electricity instead of fossil fuels.”

The company is adapting its entire fleet to connect to onshore power. “The goal is to extend this solution to all ports served by the fleet by 2028, two years ahead of the deadlines set by the EU Fit for 55 climate package,” Pardo explains. “This is not only about reducing the company’s carbon footprint, but also about improving air quality in the cities that host our daily calls.”

More broadly, Trasmed has implemented several technological solutions to enhance the energy efficiency of its vessels, introduced exhaust gas cleaning systems, and optimized routes and service planning.

The results are tangible: in 2024, the company achieved a year-on-year decrease in CO₂ emissions of 16,600 tonnes, and in 2025 further improved this performance, recording an additional reduction of 6,200 tonnes – an impact equivalent to removing around 5,000 cars from the roads each year.

In addition, improved operations and the rescheduling of certain services have enabled Trasmed to cut fuel consumption by 11%. This is complemented by route optimization and enhanced operational planning, which have reduced miles sailed by 12% while maintaining the same cargo volumes. These measures have been supported by technical interventions on vessels, such as propeller polishing and the use of silicone-based coatings that reduce drag.

However, Trasmed’s sustainability journey is far from over. “We’re continuing to explore solutions which, through technical and operational improvements, will allow us to further increase efficiency and reduce our environmental impact,” Pardo adds, reaffirming the company’s commitment to increasingly green maritime transport.