First section of Rotterdam’s hydrogen network filled with H2

Dutch gas transmission system operator Gasunie has announced that the first major section of the Dutch hydrogen network in Rotterdam has been successfully filled with hydrogen.

The pipeline is being developed by Gasunie subsidiary Hynetwork as part of the country’s nationwide hydrogen network.

The announcement marks a key milestone in the rollout of the Netherlands’ future hydrogen infrastructure.

A total of 32 tonnes of green hydrogen was used to fill the 32km-long pipeline, which will form a critical part of the hydrogen network serving Rotterdam’s port and surrounding industrial clusters.

The Rotterdam pipeline will eventually connect to the wider Dutch hydrogen backbone and the Delta Rhine Corridor (DRC), a strategic infrastructure project designed to link industrial regions across the Netherlands with Germany and the broader north-west European hydrogen system.

Together, these connections are intended to support large-scale industrial decarbonisation while strengthening Europe’s long-term energy security.

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Filling operations were carried out in collaboration with Plug Power and involved a complex logistics operation under tight time constraints.

According to Dutch hydrogen network manager Niels van Pagee, the process required careful coordination.

“It was quite a challenging process. Within a short time span and under a tight deadline, dozens of trailers carrying containers full of green hydrogen had to make their way from northern Germany to the Maasvlakte industrial area near Rotterdam, where we had set up a temporary filling site,” he said.

The project highlights the importance of specialist partners in delivering hydrogen infrastructure safely and efficiently, emphasised Van Pagee.

“By maintaining an open dialogue, trusting each other and leveraging everyone’s expertise, we jointly put together a plan that we followed diligently. And it shows in the result: filling the pipeline went very smoothly and without any hiccups. I’m proud to have been part of this.”