In an exclusive interview with Global Mass Transit, Ivana Melillo, Energy Efficiency Director at Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), discusses the organisation’s decarbonisation strategy as a leading ferry operator in the Mediterranean, highlighting the transition pathway aligned with fuel and infrastructure availability, alongside efforts in fleet renewal, energy efficiency, and digitalisation.
Melillo also outlines GNV’s focus on LNG dual-fuel and future-ready vessel design, regulatory preparedness, and collaborative partnerships to support a clear roadmap towards 2050 decarbonisation targets. The interview covers key operational and regulatory challenges, technology adoption, and the pathway to achieving sustainable and low-emission ferry operations. Excerpts…
- What are the key pillars of GNV’s decarbonization strategy, and what has driven the approach you’ve taken as a major Mediterranean ferry operator?
GNV’s decarbonization strategy is built on a pragmatic and phased approach, shaped by external factors such as the availability of alternative fuels in the market, rather than operational constraints. This approach is supported by a major fleet renewal plan, with the introduction of 8 new vessels by 2030. The first pillar is fleet renewal, designed to anticipate future developments in energy while reflecting current market conditions. We have invested in new Ro-Pax vessels powered by LNG, equipped with shore power (OPS) capabilities and advanced energy-saving technologies. Today, LNG represents the most practical large-scale solution, providing immediate reductions in CO₂ emissions and local pollutants, while remaining compatible with future fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic LNG. This approach allows us to cut emissions now, while maintaining the flexibility to adopt next-generation solutions over time. The second pillar is energy efficiency and digitalization. Ferry operations are intensive, with short routes and frequent port calls, so efficiency is critical. Alongside newbuilds, we are retrofitting existing vessels with propulsion upgrades, optimized propellers, advanced coatings, and performance monitoring systems. Digital tools now allow us to track energy use in real time and continuously optimize operations, delivering measurable fuel and emissions reductions.
The third pillar is full regulatory alignment and robust data governance. We anticipated the introduction of EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime by investing early in MRV systems, standardized reporting, and ISO-aligned energy management. This data-driven approach supports compliance, but also strategic decision-making and long-term investment planning. Finally, people and partnerships are key. Decarbonization is both a technical and cultural challenge. Through our new investments, we actively foster the skills and professionalism of our crew, contributing to the growth and advancement of the maritime profession. At the same time, we collaborate closely with ports, regulators, and industry partners, recognizing that solutions such as shore power and alternative fuels rely on infrastructure and coordination beyond the ship itself. Overall, our approach is guided by the need to accelerate decarbonization while ensuring operational continuity, economic resilience, and technological readiness—achieving tangible emissions reductions today and actively driving the transition toward net zero by 2050.
- What alternative fuels or propulsion technologies is GNV exploring, and how are these decisions being shaped by the unique demands of Mediterranean routes?
At GNV, our choices on alternative fuels and propulsion are driven by the operational realities of Mediterranean ferry services: short, fixed routes, high service frequency, frequent port calls, and operations close to densely populated areas.
Today, LNG is our main transitional fuel. Our new Ro-Pax vessels powered by LNG deliver immediate reductions in CO₂ emissions and improved air quality in ports. Importantly, LNG is compatible with future fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic LNG, allowing us to anticipate tomorrow’s technologies without locking the fleet into short-term solutions.
At the same time, we are evaluating “drop-in” biofuels such as HVO for existing vessels, which can provide significant emissions reductions without engine modifications.
Our approach combines technical neutrality, operational pragmatism, and economic sustainability. To accelerate the adoption of bio-LNG and synthetic LNG, government interventions are essential to offset and contain costs, while ensuring solutions that are reliable, scalable, and compatible with existing port infrastructure.
- What have been the most significant milestones in GNV’s decarbonization journey so far, and what challenges remain on the horizon?
GNV’s decarbonization journey has already reached several important milestones, reflecting a shift from strategy to concrete implementation.
One of the most significant milestones has been fleet renewal. The introduction of our new generation of Ro-Pax vessels, equipped with dual-fuel LNG engines, shore power capability, and advanced energy-saving technologies, has delivered a step change in carbon intensity and local emissions. This is particularly relevant in the Mediterranean, where ferries operate close to urban areas and ports.
A second key milestone is the systematic integration of energy efficiency and digitalization. Through targeted retrofits and real-time performance monitoring, we have moved toward continuous optimization of operations, achieving measurable reductions in fuel consumption across both new builds and existing vessels.
Equally important has been early regulatory readiness. By investing in robust MRV systems and data governance well ahead of EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime, we have transformed compliance from a constraint into a management and planning tool.
Looking ahead, challenges remain. Fuel availability and scalability are critical, especially for bio-LNG and synthetic fuels. Port infrastructure, particularly shore power and grid capacity, is another key dependency that requires close coordination beyond the ship owner. Finally, technology uncertainty beyond 2030 means long-term solutions are not yet fully mature. For these reasons, GNV continues to follow a pragmatic, flexible, and technically neutral pathway—focused on delivering real emissions reductions today while keeping a clear route toward net zero by 2050.
- How is GNV working with ports, fuel suppliers, and regulators to ensure the infrastructure needed for zero-emission operations is in place?
GNV works closely with ports, fuel suppliers, and regulatory authorities through a structured and collaborative approach. With ports, we are directly involved in OPS projects and in upgrading electrical grid connections at key Mediterranean hubs, coordinating technical requirements, timelines, and power availability. At the same time, we collaborate with fuel suppliers to ensure reliable LNG bunkering today and to progressively enable the availability of bio-LNG and synthetic fuels.
In parallel, we actively engage with regulators and industry associations, both national and international — particularly Assoarmatori and Interferry — to ensure that fuel certification, infrastructure standards, and EU regulations such as EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime are aligned with operational realities, while optimizing ETS funding to support the availability of alternative fuels.
This ecosystem-based collaboration is essential to move from regulatory-compliant vessels to truly zero-emission operations and to accelerate the deployment of alternative fuels across the sector.
- What does the roadmap look like for GNV over the next five to ten years, and what will success in decarbonization look like for the company?
Over the next five to ten years, GNV’s roadmap is focused on fleet renewal, the transition from LNG toward bio-LNG and synthetic fuels such as synthetic LNG and maximizing energy efficiency through digitalization and retrofitting — while ensuring full compliance with EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime. We will also continue working with ports to enable shore power and prepare for deeper electrification where feasible.
A key milestone: by 2029, 60% of our fleet will have been renewed, delivering in itself a 50% reduction in energy consumption per transportable unit. As alternative fuels — bio-LNG and synthetic LNG — become available at scale, our new vessels will already be ready to use them, providing a further decisive acceleration along this trajectory.
Success in decarbonization means measurable reductions in carbon intensity and the ability to deliver reliable services with a progressively lower environmental footprint — maintaining the flexibility to adapt as fuels, infrastructure, and regulation evolve toward climate neutrality by 2050.
