Hamburg’s Authority for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture (BUKEA) has granted MB Energy a permit to build and operate a new ammonia import terminal. Subject to the final investment decision, the terminal is planned to be built on the site of the Blumensand tank terminal in the Port of Hamburg. The planned terminal is expected to be Germany’s first large scale ammonia import hub and is intended to play a central role in supporting future energy supply and the ongoing transformation of the economy.
The planned terminal is intended for the import and redistribution of ammonia, which is not only a storage medium for hydrogen, but can also be used both as an industrial raw material and as an alternative fuel in shipping. Importing these molecules will support the domestic ammonia market and lay the groundwork for scaling up the hydrogen economy. In the long term, this is expected to further support the energy transition in shipping. From a technological point of view, it is also possible to use ammonia in gas-fired power stations. The terminal is designed to handle lower carbon and renewable ammonia as well, subject to technical capabilities, market availability, and applicable regulatory requirements.
The terminal is to be built on the site of the Blumensand tank terminal, the largest tank terminal in the Port of Hamburg, owned by the MB Energy group’s storage unit: enport by MB Energy. It forms a central part of the New Energy Gate Project, which also involves handling methanol at the same site. According to the plans, a new tank for the temporary storage of imported ammonia is to be constructed, and the existing berth for inland barges and seagoing vessels is to be upgraded to facilitate the import of this energy source. Plans are also in place for loading facilities for railcars. Furthermore, there are potential plans for a feed-in facility to a cracker plant, which is yet to be developed separately, where the ammonia can be split into hydrogen and could connect into the future hydrogen grid network. The planned throughput is expected to be estimated 600 000 tpy of ammonia.
“Following a highly constructive permitting process on both sides, we are pleased to have the official document in our hands, marking a key milestone in taking the project forward,” said Volker Ebeling, Senior Vice President New Energy, Supply & Infrastructure at MB Energy. The planned ammonia terminal will significantly advance the energy transition in Hamburg. “It sends a strong signal towards a future-oriented and reliable supply of energy and raw materials,” he emphasises, adding: “On behalf of MB Energy, I would like to thank everyone involved for their excellent and solution-oriented cooperation throughout this complex process.”