Namibian and Belgian companies are collaborating to establish the inaugural green hydrogen production facility in Namibia. Positioned near the port city of Walvis Bay, the plant is nestled amidst the sand dunes of the Namib Desert, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.The project is being undertaken by Cleanergy Solutions Namibia, a joint venture between local company Ohlthaver and List Group and Belgian firm, CMB Tech.The inauguration event was witnessed by Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba and King Philippe of Belgium. The Belgian King visited Namibia recently to strengthen bilateral relations between Namibia and Belgium in green hydrogen, environment, tourism, forestry, arts and culture, trade and investment and port development. Mbumba and Philippe visited the hydrogen refuelling station to witness the filling of two dual-fuel trucks and toured the green hydrogen production area, dual-truck workshop and solar park.The hydrogen production plant is the first phase of a five-year plan, with several projects at different locations, including ammonia bunkering, pipelines and large-scale hydrogen and ammonia production.Cleanergy Solutions Namibia says its agenda is to drive the growth of Namibia's hydrogen economy while contributing to the global shift towards clean energy. O&L Group is already involved in several renewable energy projects in Namibia while CMB TECHs is involved in producing and applying future fuels in Belgium. Mbumba said Namibia was on the verge of a possible energy boom in the traditional hydrocarbon sector, given recent discoveries of oil and gas offshore Namibia. The country was ready to work with Belgium to ensure that the energy transition took place smoothly and without major interruptions to global energy suf f icienc y, Mbumba said. “I encouraged the people of Belgium to work together with Namibia to strengthen and deepen economic relationships and become key trading partners in the green hydrogen and green energy sectors, skills development, mining, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure and innovation,” the Belgian King said. In November 2021, the energy ministers of Namibia and Belgium agreed to cooperate in green hydrogen and green ammonia.In June 2022, the Namibian Ports Authority and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International signed an MOU to collaborate on green energy solutions, infrastructure development, capacity building and the establishment of a green hydrogen supply chain between the two ports.Namibia and Belgium have close trading ties, with Belgium holding the fifth position among Namibia’s top ten export partners, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency.Namibian exports to Belgium include copper, diamonds, precious metals, fruits and nuts, valued at more than N$5 billion between 2022 and 2023. Namibian imports from Belgium include, among others, pharmaceutical products, mineral fuels and oil, and products of the milling industry valued at more than N$3 billion. Executive chairman of the Ohlthaver & List, Sven Thieme, said the event marked a historic juncture, not only for the companies but for the pioneering spirit of Namibia. CEO of CMB TECH, Alexander Saverys, said the decarbonisation and a shift to renewable energy were important trends in the global economy.“We plan to produce these molecules in Walvis Bay to power locally operated trucks, port equipment, locomotives and small ships.” In addition, Cleanergy, together with CMB TECH, Port of Antwerp Bruges and Namport, will launch the first hydrogen-powered ship in Africa. Building on the successful collaboration between CMB.TECH and Port of Antwerp Bruges, as demonstrated by the launch of the Hydrotug and the world's first multimodal hydrogen refuelling station in the port of Antwerp, the focus is now shifting to the development of a Multifunctional Port Utility Vessel (MPHUV) powered by dual-fuel hydrogen engines. Cleanergy says given the ability of ports to act as hubs for hydrogen technology implementation and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the Port of Walvis Bay and Namport are ideal partners to operate Africa's first hydrogen vessel.
