HPC Hamburg Port Consulting has been entrusted with project coordination and financial management for the H2-Derivatives@BalticSeaPorts (H2Deri@BSP) project, funded by the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021-2027. Led by Port of Hamburg Marketing, the initiative is set to launch in March 2025 and will run until February 2028, aiming to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen derivatives as maritime fuels and handling goods in Baltic Sea ports.

Advancing the Transition to Green Maritime Fuels
The shift toward low- and zero-carbon fuels, such as methanol and ammonia, is critical for achieving sustainable shipping and energy supply in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). However, port authorities, terminal operators, fuel suppliers, and energy providers continue to face knowledge gaps. H2Deri@BSP addresses these challenges through transnational cooperation, focusing on:

  • Market forecasting
  • Investment models
  • Refueling technologies
  • Berth mapping
  • Regulatory frameworks

 

By tackling these key areas, the project aims to facilitate the safe and efficient handling of hydrogen derivatives within the region’s ports.

HPC’s Role: Coordination and Financial Management
As the appointed service provider, HPC will oversee key aspects of the project, including:

Project Coordination: Managing planning, progress monitoring, administration, and steering committee support.
Financial Management: Ensuring transparent and accountable use of public funds, covering financing, accounting, and reporting.
HPC’s involvement underscores its dual expertise—having successfully coordinated Interreg projects since 1998, while also maintaining a deep understanding of the maritime industry’s sustainability challenges.

Industry Leaders Endorse the Project’s Importance
Stefan Breitenbach, Head of the Project Department at Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), emphasised the significance of the initiative:

“This project is fundamental for the maritime industry in the coming decade. It enables ports to handle sustainable energy carriers and provide alternative fuels for shipping while strengthening the integration of the Port of Hamburg within the Baltic Sea Region. With HPC as a trusted partner, we are confident that the project will achieve its objectives.”

Hartmut Beyer, Head of Grant Management at HPC, highlighted the company’s expertise:

“We look forward to supporting our partners in developing solutions for handling and distributing hydrogen derivatives. HPC brings decades of experience in project development and coordination, combined with extensive expertise in port operations and a clear focus on sustainability.”

A Comprehensive Baltic Sea Partnership
H2Deri@BSP is a collaborative initiative, led by Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), bringing together 15 project partners from seven Baltic Sea littoral states. These partners include public port authorities, energy suppliers, and liquid bulk operators, supported by an additional 23 associated organisations contributing their expertise.

Together, the consortium will develop scalable solutions to accelerate the adoption of green hydrogen derivatives, establish initial application cases, and create a roadmap for the energy transition in ports. The project outcomes will be shared across the EU, ensuring their broader applicability in supporting sustainable energy transitions in both onshore and offshore environments.

Driving the Green Transition in Ports
Having played a key role in developing the project proposal and securing EU funding, HPC has now been awarded the project management contract following a public tender process. Leveraging its extensive consulting experience and strong industry network, HPC will ensure the smooth execution of the project’s objectives.

With its findings published across the EU, H2Deri@BSP will support the rapid adoption of green technologies, significantly reducing CO2 emissions and setting a benchmark for a zero-emission future in maritime transport.

For more information visit www.hafen-hamburg.de

31st January 2025