By Staff Reporter
LUDERITZ, April 17 — Namibia’s Ports Authority, Namport, is set to complete its port masterplan study later this year. The study is a revision of the existing master plan study for the Port of Luderitz. The study will evaluate how best to position Namibia’s ports to become green hydrogen export hubs and facilitate the forecasted growth and flow of the green hydrogen supply chain from Namibia to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
In November 2021, Namport signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Port of Rotterdam to devise a plan. As part of readiness planning, Namport has set aside 350 hectares of land at the Port of Walvis Bay North Port for allocation to green hydrogen related industries. However, a new deep-water port of Luderitz at Angra Point will also be developed to complement the North Port in cementing the country’s drive to become a hub for the production and export of green hydrogen to Europe.
Recognising the need for dedicated bulk facilities to cater for the mining and related industries, Namport had commissioned a feasibility study as part of its master plan for enhancing responsiveness to its customers. The Dutch have provided grant funding for the port master plan revision and hence, the Netherlands will get preferred status to help develop the port to enable it to ship hydrogen and related molecules.
The Port of Rotterdam anticipates a demand of twenty million tonnes of hydrogen per annum to pass through its port’s industrial complex by the year 2050. Namport aims to develop both the Port of Walvis Bay North Port and the new deep-water port of Luderitz to complement each other in cementing Namibia’s drive to become a hub for the production and export of green hydrogen to Europe. The Port of Lüderitz, located 254 nautical miles south of the Port of Walvis Bay along Namibia’s coastline, caters to the southern part of the country, providing access to markets in the Northern Cape of South Africa.
Namibia’s drive to become a hub for the production and export of green hydrogen to Europe would make it an attractive investment destination for the green energy sector. The development of these ports would help the country to realise its potential in the green energy space, enabling it to boost economic growth and create job opportunities.
– Namibia Daily News
