The port of Klaipeda in Lithuania is pushing ahead with its plans to build an electrolyser that will serve both maritime and road transport users as well as supporting port operations.

The project is the first of its kind in the Baltics and could serve as a model for the decarbonisation of other ports in the future.

The 2.25MW facility targets production of 127t/yr at capacity, with construction set to start in June and first hydrogen expected to be delivered in 2026. The €12m ($13.9m) project was awarded €5.7m in EU funding under the NextGeneration EU scheme and will be installed in a standard 40-foot sea container.

Lithuania has a target of 1.3GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030. The European Green Deal requires ports to achieve a 90% reduction in transport emissions by 2050.

“Electrolysers can provide huge benefits to the marine sector, and help to meet the stringent targets set out by the EU as part of the European Green Deal” Natalini, IMI VIVO

The project will rely on proton-exchange-membrane electrolyser technology delivered by Italy-based engineering company IMI VIVO. Renewable electricity will be drawn from the grid, Mauro Natalini, sales manager at electrolyser manufacturer IMI VIVO told Hydrogen Economist.

The company has a number of electrolyser projects underway, including for the upcoming Hydrogen Valley in central Italy.

However, the Klaipeda development is unique in that it involves installing a hydrogen plant within a port, he said.

“We have been working closely with both MT Group and the Seaport Authority throughout this process, with some of their technicians recently visiting our manufacturing site in Sardinia to see the electrolyser production process in person,” he said in a statement.

“Electrolysers can provide huge benefits to the marine sector and help to meet the stringent targets set out by the EU as part of the European Green Deal.”

Last year, Klaipeda State Seaport Authority signed a memorandum with the Klaipeda Port stevedoring company Bega to explore the use of green hydrogen in equipment operating within the terminal.

It also signed a cooperation agreement with Lithuanian rail firm LTG Group, committing to explore the use of green hydrogen in railway transport, participate in EU-funded projects, and pool resources and expertise to develop a green hydrogen supply chain.

Hydrogen is not used for long-haul shipping, with companies looking at other alternative fuels amid tightening emissions regulations.

IMO framework

 The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has approved a new framework to achieve net-zero by 2050 in the shipping sector. The framework includes new mandatory emission limits and GHG pricing.

The new rules are set to be formally adopted in October 2025 and come into effect in 2027. They will be mandatory for large oceangoing ships over 5,000 gross tonnage, which emit 85% of the total CO₂  emissions from international shipping. 

Shipping giant Maersk “has a net zero target in 2040 and we use green methanol and biodiesel as green fuels already today,” a spokesperson told Hydrogen Economist.

“For the future, we plan with a mix of these two and more other alternative fuels and technologies for emission reduced vessel propulsion” such as “green ammonia.”

“We see green hydrogen as a component in other alternative fuels rather than a vessel fuel in itself” as “hydrogen is not feasible as a fuel for long haul container vessels,” he said.

Another shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd—which does not operate in the Baltic—is also exploring  a range of alternative fuels, although a ‘chicken and egg’ situation remains for what concerns availability of low-carbon fuels and related uptake by the industry, a spokesperson for the company told Hydrogen Economist.

Hydrogen is set to make up 19% of final energy consumption in shipping by 2050, against 44% for ammonia and 19% for biofuels, according to the IEA.

While the Klaipeda hydrogen project’s capacity is clearly too small for e-methanol or green ammonia production, now favoured by global shipping giants for long-haul decarbonisation, pure hydrogen has a more immediate and practical role for small and mid-size vessels operating in and around ports, especially those using conventional combustion engines and generators, which can be retrofitted with hydrogen internal combustion engines or fuel-cell systems, according to Regnars Grinbaums, CTO at hydrogen producer Baltic Hydrogen Group.

1.3 GW – 2030 capacity

“This makes hydrogen a compelling near-term solution for decarbonising auxiliary marine systems and short-sea operations,” he told Hydrogen Economist.

“Beyond shipping, port ecosystems include a range of heavy-duty and transport equipment—such as terminal tractors, yard cranes and logistics vehicles—that often operate nearly 24/7,” BHG’s COO, Kaspars Avots, told Hydrogen Economist.

“For these use cases, battery-electric solutions are not feasible due to charging downtime and power density limitations. Hydrogen fuel-cell systems used in such applications will offer a viable, emissions-free alternative where continuous operation is essential,” he added.

The Klaipeda project therefore sets a precedent: start small, focus on tangible local applications and build scalable infrastructure for the long term, he said.

“Combined with EU funding, strong port-industry alignment and cross-border collaboration, it will represent a pragmatic pathway for the Baltic region to become an aligned player in Europe’s emerging green hydrogen economy.”

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Author: Beatrice Bedeschi