22 August 2025

Hydrogen Network Rotterdam – final weld marks milestone

News
Business
Construction
Rotterdam

Hydrogen may well be the most important link in the energy transition. Hynetwork is building the hydrogen superhighway in the Netherlands, connecting supply and demand. The first 32 kilometres of this network have been laid in the Rotterdam port area, and the final pipes were welded together in mid-August! With this first section of the national hydrogen network, we are laying the foundation for a future in which the Port of Rotterdam will become a major energy gateway for Europe and will be connected to Germany, Belgium, and the rest of the Netherlands.

A complex operation

After several years of preparation, construction began in April 2024. In the Rotterdam port area, the route had to navigate a dense landscape of roads, railways, waterways, and hundreds of existing pipes and cables.

When it intersected with roads or railways, the route sometimes had to travel beneath 20 or more pipes and cables, all of which had to remain in operation during the construction work. This was a complex operation that required careful coordination with the owners of all the pipes and cables involved, the acquisition of all required permits and approvals, and meticulous preparation for the work.

The construction of the Porthos CO₂ network was another important factor. Along approximately 14 kilometres of the route, the two pipelines are only 40 centimetres apart. The work schedules constantly influenced each other, which demanded considerable flexibility from all those involved. Ultimately, this job was completed collaboratively.

So, building this section of the hydrogen network was no easy task; it was a real feat of engineering by the construction staff from Hynetwork and the contractor, Hanab Pipelines & Industry.

Next phase

Now the next phase is starting in Rotterdam: testing, pre-commissioning, commissioning and preparing for operation. This final step is scheduled for April 2026.

An area (conversion park) on Maasvlakte 2 has been designated for the production of green hydrogen using sustainable energy from the North Sea. The first hydrogen plant to start production there will be Shell’s Holland Hydrogen I. They will use this hydrogen primarily for the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rotterdam in Pernis. The 32-kilometre hydrogen pipeline connects Maasvlakte 2 with Pernis. Although Shell will be the first company to connect to it, they definitely will not be the only one. There will be a valve system with four connections at each end of this pipeline, serving both hydrogen suppliers and consumers. The pipeline will also have six branches at strategic points, which other parties can connect to later.