The 50:50 offshore wind joint venture between Japan’s Jera and BP said the Ostend Hydrogen Refuelling Station will store and dispense green hydrogen produced by Lhyfe in France and Germany.

Beginning its demonstration phase this year, the facility will refuel Windcat’s hydrogen-powered crew transfer vessel, the Hydrocat 48, and has the capacity to serve “several vessels daily.”

Engineering manufacturing firm Haskel led the construction of the facility, with support through the EU-funded Implementation of Ship Hybridisation (ISHY) programme.

“Research and innovation are at the heart of how we approach the full life cycle of offshore wind projects,” explained Kristof Verlinden, Head of Global Operation & Maintenance (O&M) at Jera Nex BP.

“By investing in projects like this, we’re accelerating the shift toward cleaner, smarter offshore operations and proving that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand.”

Windcat’s hydrogen-powered transfer vessels are purpose-built for offshore wind operations and could help Jera Nex bp decarbonise its maintenance activities by cutting fleet emissions.

The joint venture operates a 165MW offshore wind project located approximately 47km off the coast of Ostend. Featuring 50 wind turbines, the farm has been operational since 2017.

The project announcement comes shortly after the European Commission launched its Sustainable Transport Plan (STIP), which is directing billions of euros toward decarbonising maritime operations through low-carbon fuels.