Green hydrogen hubs: Antwerp-Bruges leads the way in European decarbonisation

Palma

18/02/2026

Energía
Industrial
Medio Ambiente

The port of Antwerp-Bruges has consolidated its position as Western Europe's leading "Hydrogen Hub" by setting up an unprecedented industrial-scale electrolysis infrastructure. The project, part of the Hydrogen HyPort strategy, uses 100 megawatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers to produce up to 12,500 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, powered entirely by offshore wind energy from the North Sea. This facility is not limited to isolated production. Instead, it connects to an “open access” pipeline network that runs throughout the port area, allowing both ammonia-powered ships and heavy chemical industries inland to be supplied directly, eliminating the energy losses associated with road transport.

The relevance of this international model lies in its capacity to create a circular economy ecosystem where the port authority acts as the main manager of energy and carbon flows. Antwerp-Bruges is leading the implementation of the Antwerp@C infrastructure, designed to capture, liquefy and store industrial CO2 in former gas fields under the seabed, reducing the port's emissions by 50% by the end of the decade. In addition, the port functions as a living laboratory for the chemical recycling of complex plastics which, through pyrolysis processes, are transformed into precursors for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and marine biofuels. This holistic vision allows the port authority to radically diversify its business model from being a land lessor to an energy neutral production and certification node.

According to the APB, monitoring these projects is essential for designing the roadmap for energy transition in island environments, where energy self-sufficiency and protection of the marine environment are two sides of the same coin.