The port logistics provider Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is participating in a pioneering partnership to build the world’s first import corridor for liquid hydrogen.
The aim is to transport green hydrogen from Oman to Europe and thus secure the supply of climate-friendly energy.
A joint development agreement was signed on April 15, 2025 as part of the state visit of His Majesty the Sultan of Oman to the Netherlands.
The planned corridor connects the port of Duqm in Oman with Amsterdam as well as logistics locations in Duisburg and other central regions of Germany. HHLA is contributing its expertise and infrastructure to the project – in particular via the Europe-wide intermodal network of its rail subsidiary Metrans, in order to distribute the hydrogen efficiently.
Eleven partners involved in the supply chain
The agreement involves a total of eleven partners along the entire supply chain, including Hydrom, the energy group OQ, Tata Steel Nederland, Hynetwork and HHLA. The plan is to develop a central facility for the liquefaction, storage and shipping of hydrogen in the port of Duqm. From there, the hydrogen will be transported to Amsterdam on specially developed liquid hydrogen ships. In addition to the port of Duisburg, other logistics hubs in Germany are to be integrated and a distribution infrastructure created via pipeline, rail and inland waterway.
With this project, HHLA is making a contribution to Europe’s climate-friendly energy supply. “For HHLA, hydrogen is an important building block on the road to climate neutrality by 2040,” said Annette Walter, Chief Financial Officer of HHLA. “Liquid hydrogen plays a key role in this because it can be transported independently of pipelines – ideal for mobility and logistics, aviation and small and medium-sized industrial and chemical companies.”
With its European logistics network, de HHLA wants to transport hydrogen efficiently from the import ports to end users in Germany and Europe. “Today’s partnership is a further step towards a scalable and reliable supply of liquid hydrogen,” says Walter.
Oman relies on green hydrogen
The initiative also supports the EU’s climate targets and promotes the decarbonization of particularly emission-intensive sectors such as the steel industry and transport.
“This agreement is a milestone in our commitment to clean energy,” said Sophie Hermans, Dutch Minister for Climate and Green Growth. “By linking Oman’s green hydrogen to Europe’s energy needs, we are advancing our common climate goals and creating a sustainable energy pathway.”
Omani Minister of Energy and Minerals, Salim Nasser Al Aufi, added: “This partnership reflects Oman’s commitment to play a leading role in the global green hydrogen economy while strengthening ties with Europe to support the transition to sustainable clean energy.”
The agreement builds on the existing partnership between Hydrom, the Omani Ministry of Energy and Minerals, the Port of Amsterdam, ECOLOG and EnBW for the development of a liquid hydrogen corridor. This agreement brings the partners closer to the goal of supplying large quantities of green hydrogen from Oman to Europe by 2029.
