Alexander Saverys said the JV will help position Namibia as a prime mover in the hydrogen segment (source: CMB Tech)
Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, a joint venture between Belgian firm CMB.Tech and the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, hosted the Cleanergy Green Hydrogen progress showcase at the plant’s site in Walvis Bay, Namibia
A ceremonial first filling of a dual-fuel truck was conducted at the hydrogen refuelling station. showing the progress of the Cleanergy Green Hydrogen site in Nambia, which aims to position itself as a frontrunner in the green hydrogen segment.
The site includes a hydrogen refuelling station and a production plant. The facility uses solar energy for the onsite production of green hydrogen and will be used for hydrogen-powered small ships and port equipment, trucks and railway applications.
CMB.Tech chief executive Alexander Saverys said the venture will help position the Port of Walvis Bay as a low-carbon logistics supply chain to its customers. “This will pave the way for attracting additional logistics flows and investors” he said.
First hydrogen-powered vessel in Africa
In addition, Cleanergy, together with CMB.Tech, Port of Antwerp Bruges and Namport, will launch the first hydrogen-powered ship in Africa.
Building on the successful collaboration between CMB.Tech and Port of Antwerp Bruges, as demonstrated by the launch of Hydrotug and the world’s first multimodal hydrogen refuelling station in the port of Antwerp, the focus now shifts to developing a multifunctional port utility vessel (MPHUV) powered by dual-fuel hydrogen engines. The MPHUV will enable the integration of different equipment needed for a range of port operations, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions during operations.
To facilitate the exchange of knowledge, a ‘Hydrogen Academy’ will be established onsite.
The Cleanergy Solutions team, suppliers, customers, as well as Namibian and European universities and institutes, will jointly upskill workers on hydrogen technology in the coming years.
The refuelling station is expected to be operational Q4 2024 and O&L Group said the hydrogen production plant is the first phase of a five-year plan with several projects spread across different locations, including ammonia bunkering, pipelines and large-scale hydrogen and ammonia production.
Riviera Maritime Media’s Marine Propulsion Webinar Week, held 7-10 May 2024, will assess the viability of ammonia, hydrogen, LNG, methanol, nuclear and biofuels as options to power the world fleet through to 2030 and beyond. Use this link for more information and to register for these webinars
