Feasibility study bunker facility liquid hydrogen in port of Den Helder completed
Thanks to the existing gas infrastructure and all the associated knowledge and activity, Den Helder can grow into a sustainable hydrogen hub of national importance. The pursuit of CO2 reduction is of great importance for shipping. Although electric propulsion is a viable option for achieving emission-free mobility on the road, this is hampered for shipping by the limited capacity of batteries for long-term maritime shipping. To travel long distances, a powerful and efficient fuel is essential. According to many experts, hydrogen is one such promising fuel. The port of Den Helder sees the energy transition as an opportunity and is fully committed to the development of a hydrogen ecosystem. The ambition is to gradually evolve into a nationally important hydrogen hub and play a central role in the energy supply of the future.
To realize this ambition, research has been carried out into the feasibility of (liquid) hydrogen as a fuel for shipping in Den Helder. The study was conducted by Royal HaskoningDHV. The purpose of this study was to determine which route the port of Den Helder will take until 2030 and to come up with an implementation roadmap.
To reach this goal, the following research questions have been drawn up:
- How does the demand for liquid hydrogen and alternative fuels develop over time in the Port of Helders and under what conditions?
- How does the technical readinness of both the production, bunkering and consumption of liquid hydrogen and alternative fuels develop?
- What are the spatial preconditions of a bunkering facility, both physically and in terms of safety?
- Which parties can take care of bunkering?
The study has identified a market potential of 50-60% of the type of ships reaching the Den Helder harbor. Green methanol is also a potentially suitable alternative fuel. It is expected that a combination of fuels should be offered. Advice is to bind suitable regional parties to further develop the use cases together, in cooperation with regional authorities and the environmental service. A pilot program can be used to work towards a scalable solution that can grow with demand.
The research is part of the overall North Holland North hydrogen program. New Energy Coalition is responsible for the program management, working together with partners such as the Province of North Holland, Municipality of Den Helder, Port of Den Helder and several chain partners.
