Air Products advances hydrogen transport logistics in Rotterdam

“Customers want practical ways to cut logistics emissions without compromising safety or reliability. By combining RFNBO certified hydrogen supply, a hydrogen refuelling station in Botlek, and hydrogen-powered trucks in our delivery operations, we’re helping customers reduce emissions from day to day industrial gas deliveries,” commented Caroline Stancell, Vice President, Marketing and Growth, Europe and Africa, Air Products.

Supporting customers’ net-zero commitments

By enabling zero emission gas deliveries, Air Products helps industrial customers reduce transport-related Scope 3 emissions and make measurable progress toward their sustainability and decarbonization objectives. This capability is already being applied in customer contracts.

“Gasunie launched a tender for the supply of liquid nitrogen across several sites in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on increasing the use of zero-emission vehicles in its logistics operations. We are pleased that Air Products’ solution supports this ambition and we are pleased to be receiving deliveries by hydrogen-powered trucks as part of this contract,” said Joris Bongenaar, Manager Gastransport, Gasunie.

Infrastructure supporting the transition to clean mobility in Europe’s largest port As the refuelling station supports the broader deployment of zero-emission transport across the region’s ecosystem, the investment further reinforces Rotterdam’s position as one of Europe’s leading hydrogen and energy hubs, underpinned by industrial demand, logistics capabilities and well-established infrastructure.

Against this backdrop, the introduction of the Vrachtwagenheffing, a distance-based truck toll for heavy goods vehicles in the Netherlands effective since 1 July 2026, is emerging as an important driver of the transition, effectively increasing the cost of diesel-based transport and accelerating the shift toward zero-emission alternatives such as hydrogen in daily operations. In this context, hydrogen-powered transport solutions are being deployed in real-world logistics operations.

Hydrogen-powered deliveries in daily operations

The hydrogen-powered trucks are operated by Schenk Tanktransport delivering industrial gases to Air Products’ customers across multiple locations.

“This initiative represents a concrete step towards more sustainable transport and contributes to the broader transition towards a diversified energy mix. The introduction of hydrogen-powered trucks aligns with Schenk’s long-term strategy and our focus on sustainability and innovation in daily operations,” said Frank van Oorschot, Business Unit Director Contract Logistics Schenk Tanktransport.

Building the foundation for large-scale hydrogen solutions As integrated hydrogen solutions move into daily operations, Air Products is expanding the infrastructure needed to scale. In March 2026, Air Products announced a construction milestone at its new liquid hydrogen facility in the Port of Rotterdam. The new liquefier will significantly expand liquid hydrogen availability for customers in the region. When it comes on stream in 2027, it is expected to be the largest liquid hydrogen production facility in Europe. Funding Co-funding for the hydrogen refuelling station has been provided by the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme, while both the station and the deployment of hydrogen-powered trucks are supported by the Dutch DKTI Transport scheme of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW).

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/10092026/air-products-advances-hydrogen-logistics-in-rotterdam/