Royal visit from the Netherlands to Norway
Ocean Hyway Cluster recently had the honour of participating in the official visit of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands to Norway, an event focused on strengthening collaboration around hydrogen and future energy solutions.
This high-level visit, which included sessions at Oslo City Hall and a maritime event in the Oslofjord, showcased the vital partnership between Norway and the Netherlands in addressing the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.
During the event, our own Martin Hennum led a discussion with the King and the Dutch Minister Sophie Hermans of Climate Policy and Green Growth on the topic “Creating Maritime Supply Chains for Hydrogen and Derivatives.” This provided an excellent platform to share our vision for sustainable value chains and the importance of cross-border collaboration at every level—local, national, and international.
A shared commitment to decarbonisation
Both Norway and the Netherlands face significant challenges as their maritime sectors contribute substantially to national CO₂ emissions, representing approximately 10% and 8% of total emissions, respectively. By rethinking traditional value chains and business models, we are asking critical questions about the future of maritime logistics and how we can optimize processes to ensure sustainable growth.
The discussions also highlighted the potential for innovation through partnerships. Our members AZANE Fuel Solutions and Fuella presented their cutting-edge solutions to the Dutch delegation, underlining how Norwegian companies are at the forefront of hydrogen-related innovations.
Major agreement signed at the event
A key highlight of the event was the signing of a groundbreaking collaboration agreement between Gen2 Energy, Tata Steel Nederland, ECOLOG, and the Port of Amsterdam. This agreement sets the stage for Gen2 Energy to produce hydrogen for export, with ECOLOG managing transportation to Amsterdam, where a large storage terminal will be established. Tata Steel Nederland will use the hydrogen to reduce emissions in its steel production, while CO₂ generated in the process will be transported back to Norway for safe storage in the North Sea.
This initiative exemplifies how Norway and the Netherlands are joining forces to build a circular and sustainable value chain, tackling both emissions reduction and energy transition goals.
Strengthening the Norway-Netherlands partnership
We are proud to have contributed to this meaningful visit and to have engaged directly with His Majesty and Dutch Minister Sophie Hermans of Climate Policy and Green Growth. By fostering close collaboration between our two countries, we are laying the groundwork for a cleaner, greener maritime future.
Karoline J Vågsholm
Communications Manager
+47 920 55 369
karoline.vagsholm@oceanhywaycluster.no
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