The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) have signed a letter of intent to develop supply chains for alternative fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrogen.
As part of the agreement, the companies said they would be looking into setting up new chains for supplying, producing and purchasing alternative fuels and would share knowledge in this area.
By combining their knowledge and expertise, the companies said they aimed to set an example on how to build a coherent supply chain in partnership with multiple partners and manage the required port, airport and refuelling infrastructure over the next few years.
“The collaboration … makes it possible to construct these chains on a small scale, to learn from them and then roll them out on a larger scale. The collaboration can … serve as a blueprint for supply chains of sustainable fuels such as SAF and hydrogen, for other regions and larger airports, such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol,” the companies said on 14 May.
The port and airport said they would work together on topics like safety, certification, demand and supply and would also be setting up pilot projects to test the use of alternative fuels, with the first pilot tests scheduled at RTHA as part of the DutcH₂ Aviation Hub hydrogen programme.
A study into volume expectations up to 2050 had also been launched and the companies said they were looking for partners to further develop associated supply chains.
Located on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands in the Rhine-Meuse Delta, the Port of Rotterdam is the largest seaport in Europe, as well as one of the busiest and most significant on a global scale.
RTHA is a regional airport in the Netherlands and part of the Royal Schiphol Group.
