Associated British Ports (ABP) on Wednesday (January 4) said it was the ‘first’ UK port operator to trial such a vehicle, which it hopes will mark an important step in the decarbonisation of UK ports.

The hydrogen-powered terminal tractor provided by Netherlands-based Terberg, also saw trials at the United Waalhaven Terminals in the Port of Rotterdam in October 2020.

Read more: Terberg hydrogen tractor begins trials at the Port of Rotterdam

Having received funding from the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, through Innovate UK’s Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII), Air Products provided a mobile hydrogen refuelling station for the trial.

“This demonstration of using hydrogen in port equipment in Immingham has been able to highlight the challenges and benefits of using this zero-emission energy in our port,” said Simon Bird, Regional Director (Humber) at ABP. “It shows our customers how forward thinking we are in meeting the need to decarbonise in the port and it’s great we’ve been able to collaborate with all the various partners in its delivery.”

Suzanne Lowe, Vice-President and General Manager UK at Air Products, commented, “We are proud to be enabling ABP in this project through the provision of hydrogen and refuelling infrastructure.”

Lowe added, “Our collaboration marks a further extension of the strong partnership we have established with ABP as we work towards building the largest green hydrogen facility in the UK.”

Air Products and ABP in August 2022 announced intentions to partner on bringing the ‘first’ large-scale green hydrogen production facility in the UK to the Port of Immingham.

Read more: Air Products and Associated British Ports partner on UK green hydrogen facility

The pilot project is hoped to act as a catalyst to accelerate the decarbonisation of UK port operations, explained Lauren Hadnum, Clean Maritime Manager at ORE Catapult.

Hadnum said, “This project excitingly highlights the increasing technology readiness of vehicles utilising hydrogen fuel in UK port operations, creating a clear demand signal for many HII project partners. Major learnings from this project will have decarbonisation impacts for port vehicles, vessels and the wider hydrogen supply chain.”

The North East Lincolnshire port has been at the centre of hydrogen efforts in recent years. In 2021, Uniper, Siemens Energy, Toyota Tsusho, an ABP said they wanted to establish low-carbon hydrogen supply to the port. Later that year, the UK Government backed the plans with funding, which in October 2021, saw feasibility studies kick off.

Read more: Project to implement hydrogen at the Port of Immingham begins

Backing the hydrogen developments in Immingham, Baroness Vere, Under Secretary of State for Aviation, Maritime, and Security, said, “Decarbonising the maritime sector goes beyond cutting emissions at sea, and this trial demonstrates that hydrogen will play a significant part in UK’s port operations and shed their dependence on fossil fuels.”