The Port of Rotterdam and Norwegian clean energy company Horisont Energi have agreed to create a corridor to transport blue ammonia between Norway and Rotterdam.
The two parties have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) according to which they will both explore the possibilities to collaborate on shipping blue ammonia produced from natural gas in the northern part of Norway to the Port of Rotterdam.
The production relies on carbon capture and storage technology and is set to meet the expected demand in North-western European countries.
Relevant: Rotterdam Port Carbon Capture Plant Granted $2.4 billion By The Dutch Government
This venture is of special significance due to the applications of ammonia in the fertiliser and chemical industries, but also due to ammonia’s hydrogen-carrying properties. Hence, the clean, net-zero carbon ammonia has the potential of becoming one of the key drivers in decarbonizing the shipping industry.
The Barents Blue project is expected to become operational by 2025, when the first shipment of blue ammonia to Rotterdam is also set to take place. And by then, the project’s production capacity is estimated to be 3,000 tonnes of ammonia daily, which amounts to 1M tonnes per annum.
Currently, around 13% of Europe’s total energy demand enters the region through Rotterdam, making the port a key energy hub for all of Western Europe. And the Port of Rotterdam is determined to maintain that role while also achieving its goal of becoming emission-free by 2050.
And by that time, the port expects demand for ammonia to reach 100M tonnes per year.
Read more: Baker Hughes Enters A Carbon Capture Project With Horisont Energi
