The hydrogen filling station is being built as part of HHLA's Clean Port & Logistics Cluster to refuel hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicles and terminal equipment and test them in operation. HHLA will operate the filling station as part of its cluster activities in the Port of Hamburg. Linde Engineering and HHLA are thus creating a reliable refueling infrastructure for heavy-duty equipment in the Port of Hamburg. The filling station is scheduled to go into operation in 2023.

The heart of the filling station is an ionic compressor that compresses the hydrogen to 450 bar in an energy-efficient manner. Equipment such as straddle carriers, empty container stackers, forklift trucks, reach stackers, terminal tractors and trucks can then be efficiently refueled with hydrogen. The filling station also includes various expansion options.

"The commissioning of Linde Engineering to build the hydrogen filling station is the next milestone for our hydrogen activities in the Clean Port & Logistics Cluster. With the construction of the filling station, the necessary infrastructure is now in place to accelerate the transition to emission-free heavy goods logistics and port operations and to further advance the decarbonization of logistics," explains Dr. Georg Böttner, Head of HHLA Hydrogen Network.

"We are delighted to support this pioneering project with our technology. The efficient and, above all, safe refuelling of different hydrogen vehicles is essential for sustainable and smooth port operations," emphasizes Dr. Alexander Unterschütz, Executive Vice President Components, Linde Engineering.

With Clean Port & Logistics (CPL), HHLA has established an innovation cluster to test hydrogen-powered equipment in port logistics. The aim of the project is to investigate how hydrogen can be reliably used to supply port technology and logistics. Together with partner companies from all over the world, HHLA is developing solutions to bring hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicles and terminal equipment to market maturity in a short space of time and to prepare the measures necessary for their use.

The concepts developed for operation, safety, repair, maintenance, refuelling and supply are tested and optimized in practical operation. The core of the CPL innovation cluster is a test center at the HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort in Hamburg, where hydrogen-powered equipment for port handling and heavy goods traffic can be tested in operation.

The cluster is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by Project Management Jülich (PtJ).