Europe is planning a large number of new ammonia terminals to facilitate seaborne imports of green hydrogen, but FIDs will be needed quickly for the continent to meet its ambitious 2030 goals.

The EU’s RepowerEU targets of 10mn t/yr of hydrogen imports by 2030 includes 4mn t/yr of ‘hydrogen as ammonia’—equivalent to 22.5mn t/yr of actual ammonia imports, or 30mn t/yr if reconversion losses are accounted for, according to Gas for Climate, an association of European gas grid operators.

Such a target would require a big increase in import capacity. The EU imported just 4mn t/yr of ammonia in 2020, accounting for one-fifth of global trade.

30mn t/yr – Ammonia imports required to hit RepowerEU targets

The IEA believes Europe's existing 18 ammonia terminals could probably double imports to 8mn t/yr with minimal investment by increasing the number of deliveries. For example, Dutch fertiliser producer OCI has taken FID to triple capacity at its Rotterdam terminal to 1.2mn t/yr for an investment of just €20mn ($21mn).

Many new terminals have been proposed, and at least nine have announced start dates of 2026–28, but so far no FIDs have been made.

Germany

German energy company Uniper is targeting a start date of 2028 for its 2.6mn t/yr ammonia terminal at Wilhelmshaven, but the cracker would not begin operations until 2030, it tells Hydrogen Economist. Cracking all the delivered ammonia would entail hydrogen production of 13TWh/yr, Uniper says.

US industrial gases supplier Air Products and Germany-based energy trader Mabanaft announced in November a joint development agreement on an import terminal in the port of Hamburg by 2026. They have not shared the annual import capacity, but the tank will be able to hold 55,000t of ammonia, according to Mabanaft.

And German energy company RWE is targeting a green ammonia terminal in Brunsbuettel by 2026, with an initial capacity of 300,000t/yr, rising to 2mn t/yr at a later stage.

Netherlands

Another three terminals are targeting a 2026 start date at Rotterdam.

Dutch state-owned gas company Gasunie, international bulk handler HES and Dutch oil and gas storage company Vopak are planning the ACE terminal, which Gas for Climate estimates will have a capacity of 1.2mn t/yr. 

Norwegian clean energy developer Horisont Energi and Dutch logistics firm Koole Terminals are planning a facility to import both ammonia and CO₂. Gas for Climate estimates it could have an ammonia capacity of 1mn t/yr and come online by 2026.

Air Products and trader Gunvor are also planning a green ammonia terminal at Rotterdam for 2026 but have not specified an import capacity.

Elsewhere in the Netherlands, Uniper and Dutch logistics firm Vesta are exploring the possibility of building an import terminal at Vlissingen with a start date of 2026. Vesta already has a 60,000m³ ammonia storage tank, which the companies plan to refurbish and expand to enable initial throughput of 0.96mn t/yr, rising to 1.92mn t/yr in a second phase.

Belgium and France

Belgian gas grid operator Fluxys and Dutch logistics firm Advario are studying the feasibility of an ammonia terminal in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, which could come online by 2027. Gas for Climate estimates the capacity will be 1.2mn t/yr, although Fluxys says it is too early to comment on exact figures.  

In France, the Haropa port group, which includes the port of Le Havre, tells Hydrogen Economist it “has started discussions with several actors and plans to install by 2026 unloading and storage infrastructures allowing the import of 0.5–1mn t/yr of green ammonia.”

FIDs needed quickly

Projects will need to make FIDs quickly to meet their target start dates. Large ammonia tankers take around 30 months to build, the IEA says. New terminals “would also have to find available space in often congested ports, not least because ammonia handling requires strict technical safeguards, including distance considerations for safety,” the agency adds.  

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Author: Killian Staines