October 24, 2025 [Fuel Cells Works]- Belgian maritime hydrogen specialist CMB.TECH will take full control of Cleanergy Solutions Namibia after acquiring the 51% stake held by local co-founder Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group. The deal, which is pending approval from Namibia’s Competition Commission, puts CMB’s H2Infra NV in charge of the country’s most visible green hydrogen pilot, as Namibia positions itself as a future global supplier.
CMB.TECH’s acquisition follows the recent opening of Cleanergy’s solar-powered hydrogen production and refuelling station in Walvis Bay, which includes an electrolyser, training academy, and mobile 500-bar hydrogen dispenser. “While our shareholder chapter comes to an end, our partnership story does not,” said O&L executive chairman Sven Thieme. “We will continue to play a supportive role and look forward to collaborating with CMB.TECH on future pioneering projects.” He noted that O&L’s exit allows it to refocus on core operations under its Vision 2029 strategy.
The facility already supports hydrogen-powered road trucks, tractors, and off-grid generators. Next, CMB.TECH plans to scale into rail and maritime: a hydrogen-powered locomotive will operate on Walvis Bay’s rail network, and a dual-fuel hydrogen harbour vessel being built in the Netherlands is set for deployment next year. The EU, which has pledged €1.3bn (N$25bn) in grants and loans for Namibia’s hydrogen sector, said the Cleanergy project proves its Global Gateway strategy is delivering tangible results, with job creation, SME support, and long-term training underway.
