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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a world first at this scale. With a conversion capacity of 30 tonnes per day, this unit marks a major milestone,\u201d said Ilona Clabaut, site commissioning supervisor at Air Liquide.<\/p>\n
Commercial realisation<\/strong><\/p>\n The project represents the successful transition of ammonia cracking technology from research and development into an operational industrial plant.<\/p>\n Collaboration between Air Liquide\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Located at one of Europe\u2019s most strategic ports, the unit underlines Antwerp\u2019s role as a hub for alternative fuels and next-generation port infrastructure.<\/p>\n By cracking ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen using heat and a catalyst, the process produces no CO\u2082 emissions at the end of the cycle, aligning with decarbonisation objectives for energy-intensive industries.<\/p>\n Ammonia is increasingly viewed as a key carrier for large-scale hydrogen transport, offering advantages over direct hydrogen shipping.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Air Liquide is working on similar units across Europe.<\/p>\n