Hydrogen system taking shape in Rotterdam

Despite challenges posed by increased costs and economic uncertainties, the hydrogen system in Rotterdam is steadily taking shape. Port of Rotterdam provides an overview of key hydrogen projects (in random order):

• Holland Hydrogen 1: Shell is constructing Europe’s first major renewable hydrogen plant, with a capacity of 200 MW. A hydrogen pipeline, which will also be part of the national hydrogen network, connects the hydrogen plant to the port of Rotterdam.

   

• Porthos is the first large-scale CO₂ transport and storage project in the EU, comprising a 30 km land pipeline, a compressor station on the Maasvlakte, and an injection platform located 20 km offshore in the North Sea. Meanwhile, 80% of the land pipeline has been completed.
   
• Earlier this year, the French company Air Liquide announced its plans to develop, construct and operate a 200 MW electrolyser at the first conversion park on the Maasvlakte, expected to be operational by the end of 2027.
   
• At the end of 2024, Power2X and Advario announced the joint development of a large-scale production and storage facility for sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) with a capacity exceeding 250,000 tonnes of e-SAF per year.
   

• In April 2025, Trammo, OCI, and James Fisher Fendercare successfully conducted an ammonia bunkering pilot between two vessels in the port of Rotterdam. This represents an important step in preparing the port for the bunkering of green ammonia.

   

• The Zeevonk II project involves the development of a 2 GW offshore wind farm, a 50 MWp floating offshore solar farm, and an electrolyser with a capacity of up to 1 GW at the second conversion park on the Maasvlakte. It will make it possible to convert wind farm energy into green hydrogen.

• The ports of Pecém (in Ceará, Brazil), Rotterdam, and duisport (Germany) are collaborating to facilitate the transport of alternative fuels. In the short term, transport from Rotterdam is possible via inland shipping and will be facilitated by pipelines from 2032.
   
• Fertiglobe has been awarded the tender for the first H2Global pilot auction for green ammonia. The product will be imported via the port of Rotterdam and sold by Hintco in standardised volumes through annual auctions.
   
• The CO₂next project for the temporary storage and handling of liquid CO₂ at the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam is entering the FEED phase. The terminal will be supplied with liquid CO₂ by vessels and will be connected to empty North Sea gas fields via the Aramis pipeline.
   
• VTTI aims to develop an ammonia terminal and cracker in both Rotterdam and Antwerp. The European Commission has designated the project as a Project of Common Interest and is providing an €11.6 million EU contribution for Rotterdam.
   
• The construction of the national hydrogen network commenced in 2023 in the port of Rotterdam. Hynetwork is rolling out the network in phases, with the first section in Rotterdam expected to become operational in 2026. By 2030, the infrastructure will be available in industrial clusters along the Dutch coast.
   
• The government has decided to prioritise the development of hydrogen and CO₂ infrastructure within the Delta Rhine Corridor (DRC). The hydrogen pipeline needs to be constructed quickly to get the hydrogen market going. This is significant news for companies contemplating investments in the production, storage or purchase of hydrogen.

This is an abbreviated version of an article by Port of Rotterdam. Read the entire article here.
 
Header photo: (c) Martens Multimedia