In a significant development for Namibia’s energy sector, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges has announced plans to develop a €250-million ($267 million) hydrogen and ammonia storage and export facility at the Port of Walvis Bay.
This project marks another milestone in the growing cooperation between Namibia’s ports authority, Namport, and the Belgian port complex.
In June 2022, Namport signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with its European partners to explore potential collaborations and discuss long-term cooperation possibilities.
The new facility is expected to significantly boost Namibia’s green energy sector and enhance its logistical hub development plans.
According to Bloomberg, the facility will be equally owned by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the Namibian Ports Authority.
It will be constructed over three to five years on a greenfield site near the existing port, which includes a container terminal.
Mediterranean Shipping Company’s South African unit is reportedly in talks to operate the facility, which will store and ship hydrogen and ammonia produced by companies such as Belgium’s Cie Maritime Belge SA.
The facility aims to refuel passing ships and transport ammonia to heavy industry clusters in Belgium, Germany, and other parts of Europe that are working to reduce carbon emissions but are not suitable for conversion to renewable electricity.
Namport and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges issued a joint statement highlighting Namibia’s potential as a production hub for green molecules, with Antwerp-Bruges serving as a gateway to the European market.
Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, emphasized the necessity of alternatives to electrification for certain industrial processes, stating, “European industry needs alternatives to electrons – you can’t electrify all processes.”
In addition to the storage facility, the companies announced the launch of Africa’s first hydrogen-powered ship, a tugboat, at the Port of Walvis Bay.
Namport CEO Andrew Kanime described this development as a significant step towards “greening” Namibia’s ports.
