H2PORTS project holds final event and showcases pioneering hydrogen prototypes in Valencia for port decarbonisation

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Last updated on 12 January, 2026

The European project H2PORTS (Implementing Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technologies in PORTS) held its final conference last month, bringing together 30 speakers and more than 150 attendees for a full-day event where the prototypes developed to boost the use of hydrogen in real port operations were presented first-hand.

During the event, participants discovered three key demonstration solutions within the project:

  • The Hydrogen Refuelling Station, designed by CNH2 and operated by Carburos Metálicos. As the two pilot vehicles were located in different port terminals, a flexible solution was needed: a mobile hydrogen refuelling station;
  • The Hydrogen ReachStacker, designed and manufactured by Hyster and tested in real operation at MSC Terminal Valencia S.A.U.;
  • The Hydrogen Yard Tractor 4×4, retrofitting by the Italian research centre ATENA.

In the opening session, Valerie Bouillon-Delporte, Executive Director of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, highlighted the project’s value as a flagship success story and a benchmark for hydrogen uptake in ports, turning climate goals into tangible results through real-world demonstrations.

The special session “H2 in Ports”, moderated by Mirela Atanasiu (Head of Unit, Clean Hydrogen Partnership), addressed the latest European strategies and progress towards deploying hydrogen in port environments. Ports such as Hirtshals, Antwerp-Bruges and Venice shared projects and scale-up plans, underlining the role of innovation and collaboration in accelerating the transition. Lionel Boillot (Project Officer, Clean Hydrogen Partnership) also stressed the importance of port ecosystems in the development of hydrogen valleys.

CNH2 was represented by Emilio Nieto, Miguel Ángel Fernández, Carlos Merino, Beatriz Nieto, Diego Rodríguez and Cristina Ballester, who showcased the work carried out by the Centre’s team to achieve the project objectives, focused on strengthening the role of hydrogen as a key vector for cleaner port mobility and logistics.

CNH2 presented the composition of the refuelling station through two subsystems: a fixed unit, integrating the compressor and storage system, and a mobile unit, equipped with high-pressure cascade tanks and a dispenser. This solution enables both hydrogen vehicles to be refuelled within a single working day, providing flexibility, operational autonomy and high safety standards. In addition, the station supplies hydrogen at 300 and 450 bar, with a capacity of up to 55 kg per day and a maximum dispensing rate of up to 3.6 kg/min, ensuring fast and efficient refuelling, one of hydrogen’s key competitive advantages in port environments.

The conference highlighted that H2PORTS’ impact goes beyond Valencia, demonstrating how European cooperation can accelerate the decarbonisation of critical infrastructure.

 

The H2PORTS project is part of the 2018 Call H2020-JTI-FCH-2018, under the specific topic FCH-03-1-2018, funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, under grant agreement number AS: 826339.

H2PORTS represents a total investment of €4 million and involves Fundación Valenciaport as coordinator, the Port Authority of Valencia, the Spanish National Hydrogen Centre (CNH2), and private companies MSC Terminal Valencia, Grimaldi Group, Hyster-Yale, ATENA Distretto Alta Tecnologia Energia Ambiente, Ballard Power Systems Europe, Carburos Metálicos (Air Products group) and Enagás.

 

News: https://www.fundacion.valenciaport.com/noticias-eventos/2025/12/el-puerto-de-valencia-presenta-los-resultados-de-h2ports-el-mayor-piloto-europeo-de-maquinaria-portuaria-propulsada-por-hidrogeno/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmo1JXai7bg

[Photo: Fundación Valenciaport]