Höegh Evi, port of Port-La Nouvelle to develop floating terminal for H2 imports

November 6, 2024, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Norwegian clean energy infrastructure solutions provider Höegh Evi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the French port of Port-La Nouvelle to develop a floating terminal for hydrogen imports.

As informed, the hydrogen will be imported from producers located in the Middle East, North Africa and the Americas.

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.

“… Höegh Evi is leveraging our extensive expertise to enable Europe to import significant volumes of clean molecules within this decade. With its strategic location and well-established marine infrastructure, Port-La Nouvelle is ideally positioned to become a key entry point for hydrogen and low-carbon fuels. Together we are driving the energy transition forward by establishing a crucial hub for clean energy in Europe,” Erik Nyheim, President & CEO of Höegh Evi, commented.

In collaboration with European projects such as the HySoW Hydrogen and the gas pipeline operator Teréga, the floating import terminal will connect the port to major hydrogen transport infrastructures, thereby strengthening the industrial and energy attractiveness of the Occitanie region and promoting job growth.

“In recent years, the port of Port-La Nouvelle has made significant investments to expand and prepare the port for the future. Our focus is to become an enabler in the green energy transition. The port of Port-La Nouvelle is eager to accommodate new types of traffic, particularly those associated with renewable energies and especially those linked to hydrogen molecules. We look forward to working with Höegh Evi towards our common goal of turning Port-La Nouvelle into the European gateway hub in the Mediterranean for hydrogen,” Hans Kerstens, CEO of SEMOP Port-La Nouvelle, said.

The terminal will facilitate the import of up to 210,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year as early as 2030, according to the project timeline and dependent on the readiness of France’s hydrogen pipeline.

The partners are now collaborating on a feasibility assessment and design of the infrastructure solution within the port.

In related news, a consortium of partners including the Occitanie Region, DEME Concessions NV, Euroports and Teréga recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish an essential hub for low-carbon hydrogen and CO2 management in the Mediterranean within Port-La Nouvelle.

Specifically, the partnership aims to develop port and logistics infrastructures in Port-La Nouvelle dedicated to the future flows of clean molecules such as hydrogen as well as to those relating to CO2, and other alternative fuels or low-carbon by-products.