US industrial gases company Air Products and Germany-based energy trader Mabanaft have agreed to develop a large-scale ammonia import terminal at the Port of Hamburg. The terminal, to be sited at an existing Mabanaft facility, is expected to open in 2026.

Green ammonia sourced from Air Products’ global production network will be converted back to hydrogen via the US company’s existing facilities in Hamburg for distribution to buyers locally and across northern Germany. Neither company commented on the size of the investment or the potential capacity of the terminal.

 “Now, more than ever, we need to advance the hydrogen economy. To do this, we are setting up our own hydrogen production in Germany, but of course we also need hydrogen from imports,” said Germany’s federal minister for economic affairs and climate, Robert Habeck, at a ceremony to announce the project.

“An accelerated energy transition with more speed in expanding renewable energies and ramping up green hydrogen are the right answers to the Russian aggression and the right answers to strengthen energy security, resilience and competitiveness.”

Germany is expected to import at least 50pc of its hydrogen needs as its demand increases over the coming decades. It has accelerated efforts to diversify its import supply away from Russian gas since the invasion of Ukraine.

The government has selected a consortium comprising German utility Eon, France’s Engie and Belgium-based Tree Energy Solutions (TES) to develop and manage the country’s fifth floating storage and regasification (FSRU) terminal at Wilhelmshaven. TES is already building a green energy hub at Wilhelmshaven to import hydrogen in the form of green methane.

Separately, German energy company Uniper has completed construction of Germany’s first LNG terminal at Wilhelmshaven, with the potential to import hydrogen.

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Author: Stuart Penson