Leading European companies launch liquid hydrogen partnership with shipping firm

The agreement is meant to explore the potential for transporting the fuel from Portugal to Rotterdam.

European companies including ENGIE, Shell New Energies and Vopak are working on the liquid hydrogen fuel chain with shipping company Anthony Veder.

The goal is to work on developing the necessary for the transportation of alternative fuels.

The companies are all working together on this feasibility study to transport liquid hydrogen from Portugal to the Netherlands. They will use the information they collect to develop the supply chain for renewable and alternative fuels for heavy industry.

This feasibility study will include the production of the green H2 as well as its liquifying and transportation from Portugal to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It will be stored in Rotterdam so that it can be distributed for sale. The goal of the collaborators is to be able to have the strategy in place to begin their first H2 shipments in 2027.

The consortium is working together to solidify an essential step in the use of liquid hydrogen.

“The consortium envisions hydrogen being produced by electrolysis from renewable power in the industrial zone of the Sines port,” said the companies’ announcement of the new feasibility project. “Then the hydrogen is liquified and shipped via a liquid hydrogen carrier to the port of Rotterdam for distribution and sale.”

ENGIE and Shell are working together throughout the entire length of the value chain. Vopak and Anthony Veder will focus their resources on the H2 shipping, storage and distribution. Their first step will be to conduct an assessment of the potential for production, transportation and storage of about 100 tons of H2 per day. From there, they will move to scale up the capacity over time.

This is among the latest in a number of efforts currently being made to build the liquid hydrogen supply and to boost the supply chain scale so that it will be capable of meeting the demand for the carbon emission-free fuel for industrial uses and as an alternative fuel source. The Port of Rotterdam and the Netherlands as a whole have been working with partners to examine the various stages required for improving the H2 supply.