"Ports and their industrial sites in Hamburg and worldwide play a crucial role in expanding the use of hydrogen in the energy transition," said Kurt Lefevere, Vice President Northern Continent of Air Products. Together with HPA, the company wants to accelerate the hydrogen value chain - from production to supply chain to consumption - in Hamburg and northern Germany. The decarbonization of port logistics and industry is crucial to that goal. Michael Westhagemann, Senator for Economics, said: "The interest shown by Air Products underlines the potential of the Port of Hamburg in terms of developing hydrogen infrastructure." Developing a sustainable supply chain for hydrogen is an "important part of Hamburg's package of measures on the way to becoming a climate-neutral port", he added.
The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and Air Products, one of the world's leading industrial gas companies, signed a Memorandum of Understanding Friday (February 4, 2022) to drive the establishment of a hydrogen value chain in the Port of Hamburg.
Becoming a climate-neutral port with hydrogen
Hamburg heading towards green hydrogen sector
Northern Germany and Hamburg are particularly suitable for a green hydrogen sector, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), mainly due to its regional advantages and a large off-take potential of resident industrial companies. Hamburg is now aiming to become a European centre of environment-friendly hydrogen. To this end, Vattenfall, Shell, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Hamburg Wärme signed a declaration of intent to build one of the world's largest power plants for green hydrogen in early 2021. The mega-electrolyzer in Moorburg is to have a capacity of 100 megawatts to meet the needs of local industry. It will be built in the Port of Hamburg by 2025.
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Sources and further information
Air Products Inc.
Air Products, the world's largest hydrogen producer, has more than 60 years of experience with hydrogen in over 50 countries worldwide. Air Products' technology is used in more than 1.5 million refuelling operations per annum. The company has supplied H2 to the Port of Hamburg and numerous hydrogen refuelling stations in Germany for more than 40 years. Air Products is a also a member of H2Global. As part of the National Hydrogen Strategy, the German government's initiative aims to support the global market ramp-up of hydrogen and its derivatives. Air Products Inc. reported sales of USD 10.3 billion in the fiscal year 2021 with operations in approximately 50 countries. More than 20,000 employees work for the U.S. group worldwide.