25MW electrolysers installed at Belgian port

John Cockerill has installed 25MW of electrolysers at a green hydrogen project in Belgium’s Port of Zeebrugge, with production due to start this year.

The four alkaline electrolysers were installed at the Hyoffwind project – led by Virya Energy, Messer, and Hyoffgreen – which reached final investment decision in 2024 with John Cockerill and Besix appointed as EPC partners.

Once operational, Hyoffwind’s first phase could produce up to 3,700 tonnes of green hydrogen per year for mobility and industrial end users. Specific offtakers have not been revealed.

The project was awarded a €30m ($35m) subsidy by the Flemish government using EU recovery funds.

Remaining work includes system integration, compression packages, connections, and testing, with the 25MW phase expected online in 2026. The project partners have said it could be scaled to 100MW, although a timeline for expansion has not been revealed.

This follows Belgian and Dutch transmission system operators Gasunie and Fluxys to connect the port of Zeebrugge with the region’s broader planned hydrogen pipeline infrastructure.

Production capacity at the port would be linked to industrial clusters across the region.

Gasunie is also targeting a 1,200km network across the Netherlands.

Zeebrugge occupies a strategic location on Belgium’s north coast, approximately 60km from the western Dutch border. The port could support hydrogen imports as well as European distribution through the bloc’s developing core network of pipes.