Daimler Truck, HHLA and Kawasaki Heavy Industries spearhead liquid hydrogen supply chain for Europe

Daimler Truck AG, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have joined forces to create reliable and cost-effective logistics for the supply of green liquid hydrogen from the Port of Hamburg to the rest of Europe.

This collaboration is designed to enable the import of liquid hydrogen from hydrogen-producing countries to Germany, reinforcing Hamburg’s role as a hub for sustainable energy logistics.

Over the coming months, the partners will assess the logistical requirements for transshipment and onward transport by road and rail. The initiative also seeks to attract additional companies and institutions to form a consortium that spans the entire hydrogen value chain.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the International trade fair, Hydrogen Technology World Expo, in Hamburg.

Image courtesy of ©Daimler Truck

Dr Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management Daimler Truck, and Head of Truck Technology, said: “Europe will continue to rely on green energy imports in the future and hydrogen will play a key role here. The partnership is an important step in this direction, and we will need more initiatives like this to strengthen Europe's position as a leader in liquid hydrogen.

“ What makes it special is that our Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck can not only be powered by liquid green hydrogen, the truck can also transport it via road. And the best thing about it is that hydrogen allows us to increase the speed of decarbonisation and reduce the scope and cost of the already slow expansion of the power grid.”

Annette Walter, Chief Financial Officer, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, said: “Hydrogen is one of the keys to a climate-neutral future and we at HHLA are committed to actively shaping this transformation. Liquid hydrogen plays a central role in this, as it can be transported independently of pipelines, a decisive advantage for mobility, logistics, aviation, and especially for small and medium-sized companies.

“Our goal is to reliably supply the industry with hydrogen via our European logistics network. The partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Daimler Truck is an important step toward making liquid hydrogen more widely available and jointly advancing decarbonisation.”

Kei Nomura, Executive central Manager, Hydrogen Strategy Division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd, said: “Liquid hydrogen is a vital key to realising a sustainable energy society, and we have long been committed to building the technological foundation to support it. We are very pleased to be working with HHLA and Daimler Truck to explore the feasibility of establishing an international supply chain for liquid hydrogen in Europe, starting with Hamburg. Kawasaki Heavy Industries possesses proven technologies and experience in the production, storage, transportation, and reception of liquid hydrogen. We will leverage this expertise to contribute to the development of a hydrogen supply network in Europe. Going forward, we remain committed to expanding the use of liquid hydrogen through global partnerships and accelerating the transition to a decarbonised society.”

The partners each bring complementary expertise to the table. Kawasaki Heavy Industries as an experienced technology provider in the field of hydrogen infrastructure, HHLA as a European network logistics provider, and Daimler Truck as a global commercial vehicle manufacturer with a focus on CO2-neutral battery-electric and hydrogen-based drive systems.

To help decarbonise transport, Daimler Truck is pursuing a dual-track strategy with both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Since 2021, the company has been developing and testing its Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck prototypes equipped with fuel cells, demonstrating their reliability and performance for flexible, long-haul transport.

The company aims to achieve large-scale industrialisation of fuel cell technology and commence series production of hydrogen-powered trucks, initially targeting the European market, in the early 2030s.

For more information, visit www.daimlertruck.com.