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Besides delays in infrastructure construction, sustainability plans increasingly face challenges in terms of permits, nitrogen levels, rising costs, slow market development and lack of space and staff shortages. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is therefore calling for a clear, green industrial policy from central government and Europe to ensure the transition succeeds.

Together with industry, trade associations, the municipality of Rotterdam, and others, the Port Authority continues to look for opportunities to accelerate the construction of the hydrogen and CO₂ pipeline in light of climate targets, security of new energy supply, and the international competitive position of the Netherlands and Rotterdam. One option is that pipeline and cable construction could be split to each follow their own time frame. The Port of Rotterdam Authority believes it is important that hydrogen and CO₂ pipeline development follow their own timelines. This is to avoid having to wait for the construction of power lines that will not be needed until 2035.

‘Further delays represent a risk to the greening of major industries and the market position of the Netherlands and all of north-western Europe,’ warns Boudewijn Siemons in a broadcast of EenVandaag. ‘The delay leads to uncertainty, which means investment in hydrogen and hydrogen carriers is now stalling.’

It had previously been announced that the Delta Rhine Corridor would be realised by 2028. In late June this year, then Economy Minister Rob Jetten announced that the pipelines would not be completed until 2032. The delay is caused by a complicated process of permits and decision-making pathways. This may result in (international) companies postponing investment decisions in the Netherlands or deciding to invest in other parts of the world. And that leads to a weaker competitive position for Dutch industry and the port of Rotterdam.

‘The construction of the DRC can play a crucial role in reducing CO₂ emissions and thus contribute to Dutch and European goals when it comes to combating climate change.’

Boudewijn Siemons
CEO Port of Rotterdam Authority

Green hydrogen is seen as the key to a climate-neutral future. In the north of Europe, we cannot produce enough renewable energy for industry ourselves, so a lot of green hydrogen will have to be imported from countries with sufficient wind and sun. The port of Rotterdam plays an important role in the production, import and transit of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen. Through the Delta Rhine Corridor, green hydrogen produced in and imported through Rotterdam will find its way to industry in the Netherlands and north-western Europe to reduce CO₂ emissions. The project is an important prerequisite for building a fully-fledged hydrogen economy.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority is working hard with the government and industry partners to build the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, such as pipelines for CO₂ and hydrogen. Porthos is currently constructing a CO₂ pipeline in the port for the transport and storage of CO₂, and in late 2023, Gasunie started building the national hydrogen network in Rotterdam. The hydrogen network, which is open to all suppliers and buyers of hydrogen, will soon be 1,200 kilometres long and provide five Dutch industrial clusters with access to green hydrogen. There will also be a connection to Germany via the Delta Rhine Corridor.

No less than 13% of total energy consumption in Europe enters through the port of Rotterdam. Currently, that is still primarily fossil energy, such as coal, oil and gas. To meet European climate targets, these fossil fuels must be replaced by sustainable forms of energy such as green hydrogen in the coming years. This is vital for the future of European industry, maintaining the port’s competitive position and the security of supply for the Netherlands and Europe.

There has been a lot of buzz in recent months around the announced delay in the construction of the Delta Rhine Corridor. This 270-kilometre corridor, consisting of a bundle of pipelines and direct-current cables, is crucial for transporting hydrogen, CO₂ and hydrogen carriers from the port of Rotterdam via Moerdijk to industries in Limburg and Germany. Conversely, CO₂ can be transported from industrial zones to Rotterdam via this corridor and then stored in empty gas fields under the North Sea. This infrastructure is needed to connect industry in the port of Rotterdam with other industrial clusters in the Netherlands and north-western Europe for CO₂ reduction. This article explains the impact of the delay and what needs to be done to minimise further delays.