HyNetwork has completed the detailed design phase of its hydrogen network in the North Sea Canal area, marking a key milestone in the project’s development. The project involves the construction of a new hydrogen pipeline and the conversion of an existing gas pipeline to transport hydrogen. Thanks to the detailed documentation, the pipeline locations and installation methods in one of the busiest infrastructure areas of the Port of Amsterdam have now been determined with millimeter precision.
As Thomas Steenbergen, Advisor for Spatial and Environmental Affairs at the Port of Amsterdam, noted, integrating the hydrogen infrastructure into an area already dense with underground utilities required complex approvals. In addition to the physical placement of the pipeline, safety requirements had to be considered – ideally, the protection zone should be approximately 10 meters, but space constraints in the port significantly limit this. In some sections, the pipeline had to be laid at greater depths, and the final route was the result of extensive consultations between port authorities, HyNetwork, network operators, businesses, and other land users.
Based on the completed design, the contractor will be able to prepare the final tender, and HyNetwork will continue to obtain permits and develop an environmental impact assessment. The Port of Amsterdam is responsible for the permitting process, coordinating work in the public space of the port area. Construction is scheduled to begin around 2028, after which the North Sea Canal area will be gradually connected to the national hydrogen network. The project will enhance the region’s energy security and cement the Port of Amsterdam’s role as a key hub for the import, storage, and transit of hydrogen, including with links to markets in Germany and other European countries.