AD Ports, Masdar map out green hydrogen hub in KEZAD

AD Ports Group (AD Ports) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, a UAE renewable energy company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the margins of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.

According to the terms of the MoU, AD Ports Group and Masdar will collaborate to build a green hydrogen production centre within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD).

This is said to service both domestic and international markets, and is part of the UAE’s National Hydrogen Strategy, which seeks to increase local hydrogen production to 1.4 million tonnes per year by 2031, and 15 million tonnes per year by 2050.

Masdar is aiming for an annual worldwide green hydrogen production capacity of up to 1 million tonnes by 2030, and has reportedly negotiated and implemented multiple global partnership agreements to achieve this objective.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said: “The signing of this MoU with Masdar is a monumental step for AD Ports Group. It aligns perfectly with our green H2 valley strategy, amplifying our efforts to create a robust UAE H2 platform for developing green and blue hydrogen projects both domestically and globally.

“Furthermore, the MoU not only exemplifies our shared ambition with Masdar to establish Abu Dhabi as a vital international hub for the production and export of hydrogen and its derivatives but also echoes our wise leadership’s vision to diversify the UAE’s economy and bolster our global competitiveness, especially within markets that increasingly prioritise environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.”

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi CEO of Masdar, said: “As a global clean energy pioneer with nearly two decades of experience in renewables, Masdar adopts a smart ‘first-mover’ approach, entering markets at an early stage and building scalable platforms. This exciting collaboration with AD Ports Group exemplifies all of those principles. Green hydrogen has enormous potential to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors and accelerate the journey to net zero.

“Given more than 80 per cent of global trade is transported by sea, partnerships like this are vital to ensure integrated green hydrogen value chains. Working with AD Ports Group, we’ll explore measures to further decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors by encouraging the use of green hydrogen in port operations and as vessel fuels, while facilitating the import and export of hydrogen.”

Last month, AD Ports in collaboration with KazMorTransFlot (KMTF), Kazakhstan’s national shipping company, announced the launch of two vessels designed to transport oil across the Caspian Sea.