Port of Antwerp-Bruges — 2023-07-07
Members Corner
Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy, and Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, met today in the Antwerp Port House. During the meeting, the focus was on the hydrogen ambitions of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, in which hydrogen forms an essential link in a sustainable and robust energy system. After the meeting, the Commissioner entered the port by ship, stopping at INEOS Inovyn in Lillo, where she saw an electrolysis process at work, one of the most widely used technologies for hydrogen production. Earlier today, in the context of the same theme, she visited one of the Fluxys construction sites, which is building a new hydrogen-ready pipeline.
The further development of infrastructure to receive, store, transform where necessary and further transport renewable energy is high on the agenda of Port of Antwerp-Bruges. After all, ports play an important role in the import, transit, use and export of green energy flows. This applies both to the growing volumes of North Sea wind energy – and the grids needed to bring it ashore – and to the green hydrogen flows that connect Port of Antwerp-Bruges to the other continents. The port platform has been preparing for some time to receive the first major import flows of hydrogen carriers such as ammonia and methanol by 2026 – for immediate consumption or conversion back to hydrogen. This is done on the one hand on the basis of concrete projects on the port platform itself, such as the development of a crucial pipeline network and the further development of suitable receiving terminals. On the other hand, Port of Antwerp-Bruges is committed to international partnerships with important export countries such as Oman and Namibia.
In addition to developing critical infrastructure and entering into international partnerships, a sound European policy framework is essential to make the hydrogen market a reality. Energy transition and energy independence are an absolute priority for the European Commission. This is evident from, among other things, the REPowerEU plan. This plan emphasizes the need to provide import opportunities in addition to local production of renewable energy. One of the instruments that Europe is also developing is the “European Hydrogen Bank”: a mechanism that provides financial support to stimulate investments in sustainable hydrogen production and European hydrogen purchase.
These initiatives were extensively discussed during the talks between CEO Jacques Vandermeiren and European Commissioner Kadri Simson. Both agree that the start-up of the international hydrogen market needs a clear signal from the European Commission. The international pillar of the European Hydrogen Bank will be crucial in this.