SEFE and Höegh Evi ally to establish international hydrogen supply chains

Germany’s Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE) and Norwegian energy infrastructure solutions provider Höegh Evi have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop international supply chains for clean hydrogen to be delivered to Germany and other locations in Europe.

As disclosed, SEFE and Höegh Evi will analyze the technical and commercial feasibility of various corridors for the supply of clean hydrogen based on ammonia. The agreement will focus on sourcing of ammonia, transportation by ship and delivery to floating import terminals where the ammonia will be cracked into hydrogen for delivery to SEFE’s customers through the German hydrogen core grid. The cooperation will also, reportedly, identify possible locations for floating ammonia-to-hydrogen terminals along Germany’s Baltic Sea and North Sea coasts, as well as other potential locations in Europe.

According to the partners, SEFE will manage both the upstream supply portfolio and the downstream part of the supply chain, including global sourcing of clean molecules, the aggregation of hydrogen demand in Germany and Europe as well as investment in the German hydrogen core grid through its subsidiary GASCADE.

As for Höegh Evi, the company is expected to provide the midstream infrastructure to connect Germany with international hydrogen markets including the transportation of ammonia by ship and the floating import terminal infrastructure. The partners said that the terminals will provide a supply of dispatchable and baseload-ready clean hydrogen for industrial customers using Höegh Evi’s ammonia-to-hydrogen cracker, the floating solution designed to convert ammonia to hydrogen at an industrial scale.

Hamead Ahrary, CSO of SEFE, commented: “In our relentless quest to provide our customers with competitive clean hydrogen, we are pleased to be partnering with Höegh Evi to explore the technical and economic viability of different supply chain opportunities. With Höegh Evi’s pioneering technology in the field of floating import terminals including the cracking of ammonia to hydrogen within the terminal and the deep customer understanding we have gained over the last decades, we have the best conditions to develop international clean hydrogen supply chains to make the energy transition a reality.”

Erik Nyheim, CEO of Höegh Evi, stated: “Establishing global supply chains for hydrogen is a major step towards advancing the energy transition in Germany and Europe. SEFE is leading the way by investing in the German hydrogen core grid and developing global and local partnerships for the production, sourcing and supply of cost-competitive clean hydrogen for Germany and Europe. Höegh Evi is proud to contribute to this endeavour with its world-leading expertise in floating infrastructure and unique hydrogen terminal solutions. In Germany and across Europe, we are developing infrastructure that creates new pathways to decarbonisation via global market corridors for clean hydrogen.”

To remind, in 2024, SEFE also inked a deal with Brazil’s Eletrobras and Kuwaiti EnerTech to supply Germany with 200,000 tons of green hydrogen per year produced from Brazilian hydropower, starting by 2030. As informed, the parties will jointly develop a green hydrogen production project in Brazil. After shipment to Germany, SEFE will transport the green hydrogen through dedicated infrastructure and sell it exclusively to its base of European customers.

As for Höegh Evi, the company rebranded in 2024. Formerly known as Höegh LNG, the company changed its name to reflect the expansion of its focus beyond liquified natural gas (LNG) import terminals. Höegh Evi aims to accelerate the energy transition with floating infrastructure for ammonia and hydrogen, as well as carbon transport and storage (CCS).

One of its latest clean energy endeavours is the collaboration with the French port of Port-La Nouvelle. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a floating terminal for hydrogen imports. The partners believe that the new terminal will accelerate the shift to clean energy in Europe by becoming “a vital hub” for importing large volumes of hydrogen.