PROVIDE

Study: Potential of containerised hydrogen transports for supplying consumers to achieve climate targets in Bremerhaven

Against the backdrop of the energy transition and the gradual move away from fossil fuels, the need to rely on renewable energy sources is becoming apparent. Blue and green hydrogen offer a solution to promote this independence. Areas such as industrial production, the supply of residential and commercial neighbourhoods with combined heat and power plants (CHP), the operation of emergency power generators, the construction of hydrogen refuelling stations as well as logistics applications and research projects all benefit from this development.

The transition to climate neutrality in Germany requires imports of green hydrogen, which can be realised by pipeline or ship. It will take 3-5 years to convert existing natural gas pipelines and up to 10 years to build new ones. Ship transport is therefore an important alternative. However, for the transport of hydrogen in its pure form as a bulk commodity, there are currently neither ships nor transshipment or storage facilities of sufficient scale. Another hydrogen import option that has not yet been investigated in detail in the maritime sector is the transport of compressed gaseous hydrogen in special pressurised gas containers. In this approach, there is great flexibility, as the hydrogen containers can be transported as "additional cargo" using the existing infrastructure and means of transport for standard containers.

The concept of containerised hydrogen also offers small producers the opportunity to produce hydrogen and use the existing container network with flexible supply chains to participate in the hydrogen market from anywhere in the world. With its container terminals and established transport chains, Bremerhaven offers an existing structure for the import of containerised hydrogen and can contribute to the security of supply of hydrogen to German consumers.

Project objective:

• Evaluation of the framework conditions for hydrogen transport in pressurised gas containers (technology, safety, regulations).
• Development of logistics concepts and exemplary logistics chains. 
• Economic evaluation of hydrogen import for hydrogen producers at different locations.
• Recommendations for the implementation of containerised hydrogen imports.
• Potentials and limits of containerised hydrogen transports to supply consumers in the Bremerhaven region.

The study analyses various scenarios and their potential for importing hydrogen by container and assesses their economic viability.