First Hydrogen Bunkering Begins In The Netherlands

The first hydrogen bunkering license in the Netherlands has been granted within the port of Ijmuiden, allowing Windcat Workboats to bunker the Hydrocat 48 with hydrogen in that port. Hydrogen Industry Leaders explores how this will contribute to increasing the sustainability of ports.

Windcat Workboats has worked in collaboration with the IJmond Environmental Service, Port of Ijmuiden, NV, and Port of Amsterdam to research the necessary elements to make bunkering hydrogen possible.

A licence for the activity was granted by the IJmond Environmental Service on behalf of Velsen Municipality.

Willem van der Wel, Managing Director of Windcat Workboats said: ”This license represents a major step in the possibility to use hydrogen as a fuel for vessels and increasing the sustainability of the sector.

”As bunkering hydrogen for shipping is a new development, the licensing process was quite complex. With the first license now approved we expect the use of hydrogen as a green fuel to accelerate.”

It was said that the pilot for bunkering hydrogen in the port of IJmondhaven went smoothly. Now the vessel’s normal operational activities – the maintenance of 44 Vestas turbines for Belgian wind farm Norther will be based out of the port of Oostende. Windcat Workboats aims to take more hydrogen-powered vessels into use in the future.