Port of Newcastle has contracted Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC) to develop the definitive business plan for its Clean Energy Precinct (CEP), in line with growing energy cooperation between Australia and Europe. Based on its extensive international experience in port operations and hydrogen logistics, the German company will assess the market and business potential for the production, storage, and export of green ammonia at the site.
The CEP is Australia’s most advanced clean energy value chain project, spanning 220 hectares of rehabilitated industrial land in Newcastle. Backed by USD 65 million in federal funds with government funding, the project is expected to cut around 660,000 tons of domestic waste and one million tons of carbon emissions from exports each year, with green ammonia shipped to international markets.
For a port traditionally characterized by energy exports, this marks a generational shift towards a diversified, low-carbon future.
HPC’s mission is to translate the vision into a commercially viable plan, identifying market opportunities, partnerships, and investment models aligned with global hydrogen demand. This work will position Port of Newcastle as a key gateway in the international hydrogen supply chain, supporting Australia’s export ambitions and Europe’s decarbonization goals.
“Developing a definitive business plan that reflects stronger energy links between Australia and Europe is essential to realizing our clean energy vision,” said Craig Carmody, CEO of Port of Newcastle.
“It builds on our partnerships, including with Port of Hamburg for a green shipping corridor, and will provide us with the necessary information to attract investment and guide infrastructure funding through schemes like H2Global. This is about applying commercial discipline to achieve our Net Zero goals,” added Carmody.
“Port of Newcastle is writing the next chapter of its history and we are excited to contribute. Our role is to help structure the business plan in a way that balances ambition with commercial logic, analyzing how green ammonia could be integrated into future transport flows, where market demand could arise, and what is needed to move from potential to practical next steps,” stated Christina Prieser, Partner at HPC.
HPC has provided support to numerous public and private sector clients in assessing the technical and economic feasibility of port-related investments. Its work encompasses the development of business plans, infrastructure assessment, and market analysis for both conventional and emerging energy systems.
In recent years, HPC has been increasingly involved in projects focused on integrating hydrogen and its derivatives into transport chains, advising on storage, handling, and distribution concepts across terminals, industrial clusters, and logistics networks.
This combined expertise, in both energy logistics and strategic planning, will contribute to the development of a robust final business plan for the CEP, aligning Port of Newcastle’s ambitions with market realities and long-term investment logic.
Through this collaboration, HPC will help Port of Newcastle finalize a robust business plan that supports targeted investment, risk reduction, and infrastructure and planning.
