With the signing of a joint development agreement, Tata Steel Nederland, Port of Amsterdam and ten other parties are taking a new step in the development of the world's first import corridor for liquid H₂. This corridor will connect the Port of Duqm in Oman, the Port of Amsterdam and logistics hubs in Germany, including the Port of Duisburg.

The agreement enables large-scale import of liquid H₂ to Europe. The contract was signed during the state visit of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman to the Netherlands and in the presence of Reinette Klever, Minister of Foreign Trade.

European international cooperation. The agreement was signed by a total of eleven parties, including organizations such as Hydrom (forerunner in the field of green H₂ in Oman), OQ (energy company of Oman), Tata Steel Nederland, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG and Hynetwork Services (subsidiary of Gasunie). By signing the agreement, these parties bring together the various links in the supply chain. This chain uses proven technologies for liquefying the H₂, transport, storage and distribution.

An important link in the chain is the shipping by ECOLOG. A ship developed by them enables maritime transport of the H₂ without loss through evaporation. This means that there is no loss of cargo during transport by sea. With this innovative technology, the costs for transporting the H₂ are significantly reduced.

Development of the corridor. The joint development agreement contains several components. One of these is the development of a H₂ liquefaction and export facility in the port of Duqm in Oman. Discussions are also being held on the price and supply of liquid H₂ to customers in the Amsterdam region, the rest of the country and Germany. Finally, work is being done on the development of infrastructure along the entire corridor, including export and import facilities in the ports of Duqm, Amsterdam and Duisburg, and various forms of distribution for both gaseous and liquid H₂ - such as pipelines, rail connections and inland waterway distribution - via the Netherlands and the hinterland.

Energy security. With the development of this green H₂ corridor, the parties contribute to making sectors such as the steel industry and transport more sustainable, and to strengthening Europe's energy security. Hans van den Berg - CEO Tata Steel Nederland. "From our role as a major potential buyer, we can contribute to the development of a sustainable economy based on green H₂ in our region. In this way, we not only make our own production process more sustainable, but we also build a new ecosystem together with other companies."

Minister Sophie Hermans said, “This agreement is a milestone for our ambitions in the field of clean energy. By connecting Omani green H₂ to the European energy needs, we are jointly taking steps towards our climate goals and the creation of a sustainable energy supply.”

For Oman, the agreement is an important step in its ambition to become the world leader in the export of green H₂. Omani Minister of Energy and Minerals, HE Eng. Salim Nasser Al Aufi said, “This partnership demonstrates Oman’s commitment to play a leading role in the global green H₂ economy, while strengthening our ties with Europe in support of the sustainable energy transition.”

The agreement builds on the existing partnership between Hydrom, the Omani Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Port of Amsterdam, ECOLOG and EnBW for the development of this H₂ corridor. This step brings the large-scale supply of green H₂ from Oman to Europe from 2029 a lot closer.