WATCH: Ammonia cracking milestone in Antwerp

Developed by Air Liquide, the pilot installation has been constructed within the Antwerp basin to convert imported ammonia into low-carbon hydrogen, supporting new port infrastructure and port construction pathways for the energy transition.

“This is a world first at this scale. With a conversion capacity of 30 tonnes per day, this unit marks a major milestone,” said Ilona Clabaut, site commissioning supervisor at Air Liquide.

Commercial realisation

The project represents the successful transition of ammonia cracking technology from research and development into an operational industrial plant.

Collaboration between Air Liquide’s R&D, engineering and operations teams across several countries enabled the delivery of the facility, which is now gathering performance data to inform future scale-up.

Located at one of Europe’s most strategic ports, the unit underlines Antwerp’s role as a hub for alternative fuels and next-generation port infrastructure.

By cracking ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen using heat and a catalyst, the process produces no CO₂ emissions at the end of the cycle, aligning with decarbonisation objectives for energy-intensive industries.

Ammonia is increasingly viewed as a key carrier for large-scale hydrogen transport, offering advantages over direct hydrogen shipping.

Around 25 million tonnes of ammonia already move through global logistics networks annually, allowing ports to leverage existing infrastructure rather than build entirely new supply chains.

According to Air Liquide, the Antwerp unit is the cornerstone of a future global hydrogen logistics model, enabling renewable hydrogen to be produced in energy-rich regions and converted at major industrial ports.

Air Liquide is working on similar units across Europe.

Back in September 2025, Air Liquide made the final investment decision (FID) for the construction of ELYgator, a plant for the production of renewable hydrogen at the Port of Rotterdam.