Energy company Mabanaft has reached the next milestone in the progress of its planned ammonia import terminal in Hamburg. The company successfully completed the scoping meeting as part of the approval process. In addition to Mabanaft, authority representatives, directly affected neighbours, environmental associations and other experts were invited to the meeting, which lasted several hours. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the scope of the environmental impact assessment (UVP, German: Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung) and the documents to be submitted to the BUKEA. Mabanaft is carrying out the UVP on a voluntary basis.

Import terminal to bring significant quantities of climate-friendlier energy to Hamburg
Philipp Kroepels, Director New Energy at Mabanaft, emphasises: “Our planned ammonia import terminal on our land in the Port of Hamburg has the potential to bring significant quantities of energy products to Hamburg that can support the energy transition.” He continues: “A voluntary environmental impact assessment along the way is very important to us. We are now getting ready to officially initiate the permit process.”

The next step is to submit the permit application
In July 2023, Mabanaft went through a voluntary hearing for the construction of the ammonia import terminal in the Port of Hamburg, in which the company outlined the necessary construction measures. These include the construction of a tank for the storage of liquid ammonia at its Blumensand Tank Terminal in the Port of Hamburg, which is operated by Mabanaft’s subsidiary Oiltanking Deutschland. The next step is to submit the permit application to BUKEA and thus initiate the approval procedure in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act (German: Bundesimmissionsschutzgesetz).

About the planned Ammonia Import Terminal in Hamburg
In November 2022, Mabanaft and its anchor customer Air Products announced the construction of a large-scale terminal for renewable energy in the presence of Federal Minister Dr. Robert Habeck and Hamburg’s First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher.  While Mabanaft plans to build, own and operate the facilities required for the handling of ammonia, Air Products plans to build, own and operate the facilities required for the production and handling of hydrogen for which renewable ammonia will be the feedstock.