Mabanaft, a leading independent and integrated energy company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Fairplay Towage Group, one of Europe’s largest tugboat operators, to supply hydrogen to their new tugs in the Port of Hamburg from 2025.

In the coming years, Fairplay Towage intends to add tugboats to its fleet in the Port of Hamburg capable of running on hydrogen. This underlines the increased focus on new technologies and more sustainable energies in shipping.

To enable the use of hydrogen-powered tugs, not only hydrogen but also the corresponding infrastructure for bunkering must be provided. The Mabanaft Group, a supplier of marine fuels and operator of tank terminals in the Port of Hamburg, intends to supplement its range of marine fuels with hydrogen and to use its tank terminals in Hamburg for this purpose, in order to be able to supply Fairplay Towage with hydrogen. Hydrogen is considered one of the keys to the decarbonisation of the shipping sector, as it offers an emission-free alternative to conventional fossil fuels.

This agreement with Fairplay Towage is an important step on the road to achieving carbon neutral shipping in the port of Hamburg and we are proud to be working together to decarbonise the industry”, says Volker Ebeling, Senior Vice President New Energy, Supply & Infrastructure at Mabanaft.

The MoU between Mabanaft and Fairplay Towage marks the start of a long-term strategic cooperation. Under the agreement, Mabanaft plans to supply Fairplay Towage’s hydrogen needs in the Port of Hamburg, ensuring quality, reliability and the highest level of safety.

In November 2022, Mabanaft announced its intention to build an ammonia import terminal in the Port of Hamburg, the first step in the development of New Energy Gate, a terminal for sustainable hydrogen products that will make it possible for Hamburg to import large quantities of climate-friendly energy.