(P&GJ) — Rotterdam marked a milestone in mid-August with the completion of the final weld on a 32-kilometer (20-mile) hydrogen pipeline, the first section of the Netherlands’ planned national hydrogen network.
The pipeline, built through the heart of the port area, will form a key part of the country’s future hydrogen backbone, linking Rotterdam to Germany, Belgium, and other parts of the Netherlands. The project is intended to strengthen the port’s role as a major energy hub for Europe.
Construction, which began in April 2024 after several years of preparation, faced significant logistical challenges. The route had to cross a dense web of roads, railways, waterways, and hundreds of existing pipes and cables. In some sections, crews worked beneath more than 20 active lines to ensure uninterrupted operations during installation.
With welding now finished, the project moves into the next phase: testing, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and preparing the line for operation.