Industrial gases company White Martins signed a preliminary agreement with Pecem port in Ceara state to develop a green hydrogen hub.
Ceara state announced its intention to create the hydrogen hub at the port in February. A month later, Australia's Energix Energy said it would invest $5.4bn in a green hydrogen project at the port. White Martins has followed suit, citing the port's robust renewable electricity grid, which is compatible with the electricity-intensive needs of the electrolysis process, as well as a gas distribution network that could transport the hydrogen.
White Martins, which is part of German engineering firm Linde, did not indicate how much it would invest in the project, which could be geared toward the EU market as well as domestic needs.
The company already has an industrial gases plant at the port and also has expertise in green hydrogen production and distribution, including ammonia production, hydrogen liquefaction, the use of hydrogen in transport as well as the distribution of hydrogen in gas networks in other markets.
The port, which is controlled by the Ceara government with 70pc and the Port of Rotterdam with 30pc, has a cadre of heavy industry already operating on site that could also participate in the project - including steel, fertilizers, cement and mining. The new hydrogen project would develop new sustainable products in green steel, cement and fertilizer.
Rotterdam is positioning itself as a hub for EU distribution of green hydrogen and would serve as an entry point for the fuel coming from Brazil.
Brazil's national energy policy council (CNPE) plans to issue hydrogen regulations by late June as part of a national hydrogen plan.
