The transport of cargo with hydrogen-powered inland vessels along the freight corridor between Rotterdam and Genoa has just come a step closer, Port of Rotterdam said in its release. The European Commission has awarded 0.5 million euros in funding for further research to the RH2INE partnership, whose members also include the Port of Rotterdam Authority. The application was jointly submitted by the Province of Zuid-Holland, the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the ports of Rotterdam and Duisburg and RheinCargo. The partners will also be contributing 0.5 million euros to the research budget.
The target is to have at least 10 vessels running on hydrogen along the Rhine-Alpine Corridor – the main freight route between the port of Rotterdam and Cologne – by 2024. This requires three hydrogen refuelling stations along the way. In the years following, the number of stations will be expanded so that hydrogen-powered freight vessels can continue to Genoa. To facilitate the use of hydrogen as a transport fuel, twenty parties – from both the public and private sectors – have joined forces in the RH2INE (Rhine Hydrogen Integration Network of Excellence) alliance.
The European grant will be used to fund research into which hydrogen refuelling stations are best suited for this purpose, hydrogen technology and which legislation will be required in the various countries and locations to allow inland vessels to switch to hydrogen. The network members also intend to learn from each other via RH2INE. They will achieve this by exchanging knowledge regarding the use of hydrogen in inland shipping. Each of these parties plays a role in a future hydrogen economy, from production to distribution to its utilisation in shipping.
As far as the European Commission is concerned, the RH2INE grant application came at an excellent time. It aligns seamlessly with Brussels’ sustainability targets in its search for alternative fuels and opportunities to raise sustainability after the Covid crisis. 'It is a well-written, solid proposal. It shows the interrelationship between the set objectives, activities and budget,' according to the funding body.