Several Rotterdam terminals to be ready for hydrogen imports by 2025

In the port of Rotterdam, the first companies are busily preparing for the storage, processing and transit of hydrogen: a promising energy carrier that will allow companies to make the transition to climate neutrality.

This is one of the findings of a study conducted by the Port Authority into the development of hydrogen import terminals in Rotterdam. The Port Authority held consultations with a large number of Rotterdam-based companies and asked several research agencies to carry out sub-studies into the necessary preconditions in the fields of navigation, safety, the environment and space.

Good Starting Position

The port of Rotterdam is in an excellent position to embark on the import, transit and transhipment of this new energy carrier:

By 2050, demand for this relatively clean energy carrier is expected to increase to 20 Mtonnes, around 18 Mtonnes of which will be imported.

Rotterdam is already familiar with hydrogen in industry and the transhipment of hydrogen carriers such as ammonia. In addition, the port has experience in the transhipment of cold energy carriers such as LNG and chemicals such as methanol. This experience can be applied to the new forms of hydrogen that are anticipated: liquid hydrogen, ammonia and LOHCs. Rotterdam’s extensive, existing tank storage and infrastructure for hydrogen and hydrogen carriers add to the port’s appeal as an import location. Companies will be able to develop existing fossil energy assets for hydrogen and hydrogen carriers.

All port areas - from Pernis to Maasvlakte 2 - have the potential to import hydrogen. Depending on the volumes, the import of hydrogen is possible in all of these port areas, both in terms of space and safety, and from an environmental and navigational point of view. Four companies working in refining, energy and tank storage are actively preparing to import hydrogen. It looks like they will have both the physical space and the licences to import, process and export hydrogen in various forms by 2025. In addition, several companies are preparing to free up physical and/or environmental space by restructuring their existing product portfolio.

The unique navigational access means there are no restrictions to the safe shipment of hydrogen in Rotterdam.