The first hydrogen refuelling station has begun operation at CPL’s hydrogen test field in the HHLA Tollerort container terminal.

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) today opened the first test field for hydrogen-powered port logistics and its hydrogen refuelling station in the Port of Hamburg. The test field at Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT) represents another milestone in decarbonising logistics. Together with its partner companies in the Clean Port & Logistics Cluster (CPL), HHLA is now testing in operation how hydrogen can be reliably used to supply heavy goods vehicles.

In the Clean Port & Logistics Cluster, HHLA has been developing solutions together with over 40 partner companies from across the globe since 2022 to bring hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicles and terminal equipment to market maturity quicker and to prepare measures necessary for their use. Concepts relating to operation, safety, maintenance, refuelling and supply that were developed in the working groups will also now be tested and optimised in practical operation at the test field at CTT. Over the past few weeks, the first tests of the refuelling station were carried out with equipment from Hyster-Yale, VWG Oldenburg as well as a hydrogen truck from CMB.TECH. Cooperating within the CPL helps the companies to decarbonise their processes and make sensible, climate-friendly investments by collecting the information they need, as well as practical experience. More information can be found on the CPL website.

Hydrogen refuelling station creates infrastructure for emission-free port logistics

Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman of the HHLA Executive Board, opened the test field on 2 July 2024 together with Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economics and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Christian Maaß, Head of Heat, Hydrogen & Efficiency at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection, Antje Roß, Manager of Port Networks and Applications, NOW GmbH and Dr. Lucien Robroek, President Technology Solutions Division of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, with a successful refuelling of a hydrogen-powered tractor unit.

With the opening of the test field and the hydrogen refuelling station, the required infrastructure is set to accelerate the transition to emission-free heavy-duty logistics and port operation and to further drive forward the decarbonisation of logistics. Equipment such as straddle carriers, empty container stackers, forklift trucks, reach stackers, tractor units and also trucks can now be efficiently refuelled in Hamburg Port with green hydrogen at 350 bar. The refuelling station will be available to the public and provides other companies with the opportunity to test climate-friendly transport solutions. Logging into the passify app is required to register at the terminal. Further information can be found on the HHLA website.

The cluster and the refuelling station is being funded under the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport in the amount of around three million euros. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).

Angela Titzrath, CEO of HHLA: “We are delighted to open the first test field for hydrogen-power port logistics today. It allows us to test future technologies as well as to collect and evaluate valuable data. In this way, we are shaping the sustainable future of logistics and continuing to invest in innovative technologies. We share our findings with companies who face similar challenges so that we can develop climate-friendly transport solutions together. Our objective is clear: to decarbonise the logistics sector and to reach our climate goal: climate-neutral production by 2040, company-wide.”

Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital and Transport: “Clean Port & Logistics is a lighthouse project for using hydrogen in port logistics. From forklift trucks and tractor units to trucks – the hydrogen infrastructure we support here is paving the way for climate-friendly logistics on site. Thanks to the commitment of the port stakeholders, I hope that the hydrogen test field sends a strong message. This is the only way we can succeed in making logistics in Germany climate-friendly.”

Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economics and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg: “ This opening is an important step for the Port of Hamburg. It will enable the use of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty equipment at the terminals and beyond in future. The potential for the Port of Hamburg and the logistics industry is substantial – for example, trucks that regularly come into the port, can now benefit from this infrastructure in the future, too. The test field helps us to collect important experience in this area. The HHLA and its partners are continuing to advance the transformation and decarbonisation of handling and transport processes.”

Dr. Lucien Robroek, President Technology Solutions Division at Hyster-Yale Materials Handling: “Hyster is a pioneer in the development of electric vehicles for heavy-duty applications, including tractor units operated with Nuvera® fuel cells. We are very pleased to test together with the HHLA, the Hyster® terminal tractor unit with hydrogen fuel cell drive in terminal operations. This continues our collaboration with forward-looking companies that wish to research new solutions for their journey to sustainability and efficiency.”

 

About NOW GmbH

Since 2008, NOW GmbH has been supporting the federal government’s targets in its climate and industrial policy. The tasks of the federally-owned company include developing, monitoring and evaluating funding programmes about climate-neutral mobility and energy supply. NOW GmbH experts supervise projects in the areas of hydrogen, fuel cells, battery and renewable fuels.  They reimagine mobility and fuels for cars, buses, trains, commercial vehicles, ships and airplanes, and support the establishment and further development of charging infrastructure and hydrogen refuelling stations for cars and trucks. More information on NOW can be found here.

 

Photo: HHLA/Thies Rätzke