Oman and the Netherlands have signed a suite of agreements to solidify plans for a liquid hydrogen trade corridor between the two nations.
Under a joint development agreement (JDA), Oman will look to export liquid hydrogen from its Port of Duqm to the Port of Amsterdam for use in the Netherlands and Germany.
State-owned Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom) will oversee the project’s alignment with the Sultanate’s wider hydrogen plans, with OQ Group expected to develop a liquid hydrogen terminal in Duqm.
Hydrogen would be shipped using cryogenic technologies developed by Ecolog.
In Europe, local players will look to establish hydrogen regasification terminals in the Port of Amsterdam to allow the gas to be transported to users via pipelines, rail networks and waterways.
The JDA builds off a 2023 joint study agreement between the two countries to explore the potential of the corridor.
Oman Minister of Energy and Minerals, Salim bin Nasser Al Aufi, said the cooperation was a key step in the Sultanate’s hydrogen plans.
“This will contribute to establishing an integrated national ecosystem and creating sustainable economic and developmental opportunities,” he said.
Two additional agreements were also signed, focused on studying hydrogen and CO2 pipelines and a partnership between OQ and Royal Vopak.
The Omani oil gas major and Dutch fuel handler will look to lead the development of the Port of Duqm as a “premier integrated hub” for fossil fuels, chemicals and low-carbon products.
Oman has been rapidly ramping up its plans to become a lead hydrogen supplier. Hydrom has awarded eight projects in just two years – with a potential 1.2 million tonnes of green hydrogen expected to be produced annually.
The nation intends to establish 1-1.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen production capacity by 2030.
Europe is also looking to renewables-rich markets for much of its hydrogen supply, with ambitions of importing 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
