Dutch firms Gasunie and Vopak, the owners of the Gate LNG terminal in Rotterdam, have signed a cooperation deal to develop hydrogen import infrastructure in Dutch and German ports.
This move follows a recent deal by the duo and HES International to develop an import terminal for green ammonia as a hydrogen carrier in the Rotterdam port.
Alongside domestic production of hydrogen, large-scale import of green hydrogen would become “essential” for reaching the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 targets, Gasunie and Vopak said in a joint statement on Monday.
The firms expect the first import streams to Germany and the Netherlands by 2025.
However, global supply chains and logistics infrastructure need to be developed and operated to facilitate the import of green hydrogen.
In that regard, the partners signed the cooperation deal which includes import projects for hydrogen through green ammonia, liquid organic hydrogen carriers, and liquid hydrogen technologies.
Vopak and Gasunie said they would focus on developing import infrastructure related to storage that enables further distribution of hydrogen to end users, such as by pipeline, vessels, road and rail.
As independent infrastructure companies, Gasunie and Vopak would focus solely on the development as well as safe and reliable operation of open access infrastructure, the statement said.
“Open access logistics infrastructure that is available to all market parties is most effective, both from a cost and environmental footprint perspective. It can further accelerate the import and use of green energy to a wide range of end markets,” the statement said.
