The Xità wharf supply station received its first hydrogen (H2) charge from Valencia.
The first European port with a hydrogen installation in real-world conditions. It is the only facility that can provide terminals with mobile hydrogen and a stationary tank. A turning point for European ports to test a future fuel.
This hydrogen supply station (HRS) features a permanent portion for receiving, storing, and compressing hydrogen up to delivery pressure, which was tested, and a movable part for storing compressed hydrogen and refilling port gear.
The hydrogen producing facilities received the first tubetrailer of green hydrogen cylinders from the Port of Valencia storage tank. Approximately one hour of tests have prepared the operation to fill the permanent tank on the Xità wharf with H2.
The Valencia Port Authority (APV), Valenciaport Foundation, National Hydrogen Center, and Carburos Metálicos—a hydrogen supplier—were present at the test. Next week, the mobile station that moves to the MSC and Grimaldi terminals will give hydrogen to the two port machinery prototypes that will arrive soon to test this clean fuel.
It will be tested on a “Reachstacker” container stacker and a 4×4 tractor unit. Valenciaport stevedores and specialists will test the Hyster Europa Reachstacker in the Netherlands in the next weeks. Atena Distretto adapts ro-ro tractors. Both will use H2-powered fuel cells and electric motors with zero emissions.
EU-supported project
H2Ports—Implementing Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technologies in Ports—supports this effort. The Clean Hydrogen JU program of the European Union funds this Valencia Port Foundation-APV effort. Its major goal is to test and validate hydrogen technologies on port machinery to find actual solutions without impacting port operations’ performance or safety or releasing local pollutants.
The Valenciaport Foundation, PAV, research centers Centro Nacional del Hidrogen and Atena Distretto Alta Tecnologia Energia Ambiente, and private companies MSC Terminal Valencia, Grimaldi Group, Hyster-Yale, Ballard Power Systems Europe, Metallic Carbides, and Enagás will invest over 4 million euros in the H2Ports project.
Valenciaport is working to become an emissions-neutral site by 2030. The Valencia site is a standard in Spain’s “Hydrogen Roadmap” for its hydrogen research. The PAV is involved in worldwide projects including H2Ports, which involves hydrogen, and Green Cranes, which examines crane adaption to sustainable fuels.
