The Port of Antwerp, in collaboration with Namibia’s state logistics firm, is spearheading the development of a €250 million hydrogen and ammonia storage and export facility at Namibia’s Port of Walvis Bay.
This initiative, driven by Namibia’s ambition to establish a green hydrogen industry, aims to leverage the nation’s abundant solar and wind energy resources to produce environmentally friendly fuels.
Jacques Vandermeiren, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Antwerp, indicated that the project might receive funding from the European Union.
The facility, a joint venture between the Port of Antwerp and the Namibian Ports Authority, is slated to be constructed within three to five years at a greenfield site adjacent to the existing port, which includes a container terminal.
Discussions are underway with a subsidiary of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company SA to operate the facility.
Designed to store and transport hydrogen and its derivative, ammonia, the facility will receive supplies from companies like Belgium’s Cie Maritime Belge SA.
Its primary purpose is to refuel ships passing through and transport ammonia to heavy industry clusters in Belgium, Germany, and other parts of Europe striving to reduce carbon emissions.
The partnership envisions Namibia as a production hub for green molecules, with the Port of Antwerp serving as a gateway to the European market.
Utilizing renewable energy, the process involves splitting water to produce green hydrogen, which can serve as fuel or be converted into ammonia for easier transportation.
