Oman is advancing a major green hydrogen maritime corridor linking the port of Duqm to Amsterdam, supporting the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Net Zero greenhouse gas targets by 2050. The initiative aims to produce green hydrogen using solar and wind energy from Duqm’s hinterland, with processing conducted within the port area.
The project envisions the development of a pioneering transmission corridor to transport hydrogen fuel to Europe, addressing a range of regulatory and technical challenges associated with hydrogen bunkering. Success is expected to pave the way for wider adoption of hydrogen supply chains as a key component of critical maritime infrastructure.
The corridor was formalized during Sultan Haitham’s state visit to the Netherlands in May. A similar agreement was made with Belgium last year, incorporating offload points at the Port of Antwerp and onward shipment via the Port of Duisburg on the Rhine. Parallel initiatives are also underway, including a green hydrogen maritime corridor linking Algeciras, Spain, with Rotterdam.
For the project to become fully operational, harmonized safety regulations for hydrogen bunkering are required, alongside technical standards for ship operations and terminal handling. These issues, along with the current absence of international norms, are being reviewed by the Maritime Technologies Forum. In addition, a structured project management framework is needed to facilitate port infrastructure development, which remains a critical challenge from both financial and engineering perspectives.
In a significant development, BP increased its stake in the Hyport Duqm green hydrogen consortium to 49 percent in August, while Belgium’s DEME and Oman’s sovereign wealth fund OQ retained stakes of 25.5 percent each. The Hydrom Duqm project is currently in the pre-engineering design phase, with commercial operations through the green hydrogen corridor to Europe expected to commence in 2030.
BP’s investment underscores growing confidence in Oman’s green hydrogen strategy and highlights the potential for the Sultanate to become a global hub for sustainable maritime fuel.