H2 test field opens at Port of Hamburg

The site at the Container Terminal Tollerort includes a hydrogen refuelling station and is being hailed by operator Hamburger Hafen und Logistik (HHLA) as a milestone on the path to decarbonising logistics.

“The test field enables us to test future technologies, gather valuable data and evaluate the results,” said Angela Titzrath, chief executive of HHLA.

“We are sharing our findings with companies facing similar challenges in order to develop climate-friendly transport solutions together.

“Our objective is clear. We want to decarbonise the logistics sector and achieve our target of climate-neutral operations throughout the group by 2040.”

The green hydrogen will be used to power equipment such as straddle carriers, empty container stackers, forklift trucks, reach stackers, tractor units and trucks, and will be open to companies using the port to also use.

Since 2022 HHLA and 40 global companies in the Clean Port & Logistics cluster, have been working together to bring hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicles and terminal equipment to market.

The concepts developed by the working groups are being tested at CTT with the first trials involving equipment from Hyster-Yale, VWG Oldenburg and CMB.TECH’s hydrogen truck.

The cluster and refuelling station received funding of around €3 million from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport as part of a national innovation programme for hydrogen and fuel cell technology.