HPC Hamburg Port Consulting  has been awarded the contract to manage project coordination and financial oversight for the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021-2027 funded initiative “H2-Derivatives@BalticSeaPorts” . This ambitious project, led by the Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM), will run from March 2025 to February 2028 and aims to drive the adoption of hydrogen-based derivatives as cargo and maritime fuels across Baltic Sea ports

The transition to low- or zero-carbon fuels such as methanol and ammonia is critical for achieving sustainable shipping and energy supply within the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). However, port authorities, terminal operators, maritime fuel providers, and energy suppliers face significant knowledge and operational gaps. H2Deri@BSP addresses these challenges by developing market forecasts, investment models, bunkering technologies, berth mapping, and safety regulations to facilitate the handling of hydrogen derivatives.

As the selected contractor, HPC will oversee:

• Project Coordination: Including project planning, progress monitoring, administration, and steering group support.
• Financial Management: Ensuring transparent and accountable use of public funding, including financing, accounting, and reporting.

HPC’s involvement is a testament to its dual expertise: having coordinated Interreg projects since 1998 and its deep understanding of the maritime industry’s sustainability challenges.

Stefan Breitenbach, Head of Project Department at Port of Hamburg Marketing, remarked: “This project is fundamental for the maritime industry’s next decade, enabling ports to handle sustainable energy carriers and support alternative fuel bunkering. It also strengthens the Port of Hamburg’s integration within the Baltic region. With HPC as an experienced partner, we are confident that the project will deliver on its promises.”

Hartmut Beyer, Head of Co-Funding Management at HPC, added: “We are proud to support our partners on this journey to advance alternatives to fossil fuels. HPC’s role combines decades of project development and coordination experience with a profound understanding of port operations and sustainability issues.”

A Comprehensive Baltic Sea Partnership

H2Deri@BSP is a collaborative effort led by the experienced lead partner, Port of Hamburg Marketing (HHM). The initiative brings together 15 project partners from seven Baltic Sea Region countries, including public port authorities, energy providers, and liquid bulk terminal operators. Additionally, the project is supported by 23 associated organisations with diverse competencies, all contributing to addressing the challenges of green hydrogen derivatives.

This diverse consortium will collaboratively develop solutions to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen derivatives, showcasing proofs of concept and creating a scalable roadmap for green energy transformation in ports. The results of the project will be disseminated widely to ensure applicability across EU regions, facilitating the transition to sustainable energy systems both landside and seaside.

HPC’s Role

HPC played a pivotal role in developing the project proposal in collaboration with the project partners, securing EU funding, and successfully winning the competitive public tender for project management. By leveraging its extensive consultancy experience and strong network in the port industry, HPC ensures that project deliverables will support a smooth transition to sustainable energy use across the BSR.

The project’s results will be shared to benefit all EU regions, facilitating faster adoption of green technologies and contributing to significant CO2 reductions. H2Deri@BSP exemplifies how collaborative efforts can lay the foundation for a zero-emission future in maritime transport.