Estonia's Port of Tallinn is looking to develop a renewables infrastructure hub for the Baltic Sea, particularly focusing on the supply of hydrogen.
The port wants to build a 25,000m³ hydrogen storage facility at the nearby Paldiski South Harbour for the import and export of hydrogen in the Baltic Sea region. No hydrogen terminal exists in the Gulf of Finland, the port said.
The area is suitable for the development of offshore wind farms, the port said, which would provide electricity to be used for green hydrogen production. This could be used as a marine fuel, particularly for ferries and cruise ships, it said.
MSC Cruises last month said it would explore the feasibility of a hydrogen-powered cruise ship.
As well as building the storage facility, the port will construct the necessary infrastructure to export and import the green hydrogen. This could be through Muuga, Estonia's largest cargo port, which is nearby.
Green hydrogen is one of the leading candidates for a zero-carbon marine fuel either for burning or for production of green ammonia. Green hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis of water powered by renewable electricity, and green ammonia is made by adding nitrogen to green hydrogen.
The World Bank has lent its support to hydrogen as a marine fuel, and the number of large-scale hydrogen projects has surged this year.
