European Hydrogen Ports and Maritime Policy Confrence : Conclusions

European Policy Solutions held the European Hydrogen Ports and Maritime Policy Conference last month.  We would like to thank our sponsors Aura, the University of Hull and Nedstack for their support.  The Conclusions of the Conference have now been sent to speakers and the participants and they are  available here.

Over 60 participants attended the Conference with a wide range of speakers discussing International Maritime Organisation (IMO) emission targets and the policy and technological challenges  associated with the widespread introduction of hydrogen and fuel cells into the ports and maritime sector.   The Opening Address was given by Maja Dittel from DG Climate Change  who have lead responsibility in the European Commission for policy discussions  with the IMO.  There were also contributions from  Sotiris Raptis (ESPO), Antonis Michail  (World Ports Sustainability Program) and Carlo Raucci from UMAS.

The European Commission was prominent in the policy debate with contributions from Tudor Constantinescu (DG Energy), Torsten Klimke (DG Move) and Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Joint Undertaking.  These were key contributions in view of discussions about the EU Budget post 2021 and the proposed changes in Horizon Europe and other EU funding programmes.  Faig Abbasov was the final speaker in the session looking at the sustainability and regulatory challenges posed by zero emission shipping.

Roel van de Pas from Nedstack began the Technological Challenges by looking at moves towards Zero Emission shipping and was followed by Mark Kammerer (Hydrogenics) who looked at the introduction of fuel cells into larger vessels and Daniela Laursen (Ballard) who examined challenges in the port environment with the introduction and development  of hydrogen and fuel cell applications.

The photograph above is of Cory Schumaker from the California Hydrogen Business Council who outlined the experiences of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in the Case Study section.   Robert van Tuinen from Groningen Ports explained the strategic approach in Groningen;  Gesa Reiss from the University of Hull spoke of the work being done in Hull and the Humber Ports and Jan Egbertsen from the Port of Amsterdam looked at how the Port could become a Hydrogen Valley.   Roy Campe from CMB Technologies  outlined progress in the Hydroville project which is a hydrogen passenger catamaran operating in Antwerp.

The Conference ended with a Panel Session where the Panel (pictured above) outlined their views about the progress of hydrogen and fuel cell applications in the port and maritime sector from demonstration projects to commercialisation.