In Rotterdam, a CO₂ Transportation and Storage Project to decarbonize European industry

Decarbonization without deindustrialization

The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe and the most important energy transportation hub on the continent. Generating € 30.6 billion, 3.2% of the Dutch gross domestic product (GDP), and over 193,000 direct and indirect jobs⁽¹⁾, the port area is responsible for around 15% of CO₂ emissions in the Netherlands⁽²⁾. That’s why the Porthos CO_₂ Transportation and Storage project is at the heart of the new CO_₂ infrastructure of the Rotterdam region. Construction of the project started in early 2024 for completion in 2026. Air Liquide is playing a leading role in the development of carbon capture, enabling the production of hydrogen with a significantly lower carbon footprint.

At the site of Air Liquide’s hydrogen plant in Rozenburg, work is underway to install a new CRYOCAP™ carbon capture facility. Using a low temperature process to condense and separate carbon dioxide during the production of hydrogen, Air Liquide’s CRYOCAP™ technology will reduce the site’s overall emissions by half.

Achieving CO₂ emissions reduction targets with a strong ecosystem

Recognized as a Project of Common Interest by the European Union, the project was made possible with a CEF⁽³⁾ grant from the European Commission. Porthos represents a € 1.3 billion investment, undertaken by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Gasunie and Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN)⁽⁴⁾ through a public-private initiative. The project will deliver the required infrastructure to collect and transport captured CO_₂ from industrial sites in the port area for permanent storage in depleted gas fields under the North Sea.

Four industrial launching customers, including Air Liquide, have committed to the Porthos project. The infrastructure will transport and store 2.5 million tonnes of CO_₂ annually, with operations set to begin in 2026. But this is just the start. The pipeline has been designed for future expansion and can transport up to 10 million tonnes per year.

Air Liquide has been developing expert knowledge of the CO_₂ value chain with proprietary and operational technologies since 2006, but the Porthos project is the first to store CO_₂ in a depleted gas reservoir. As such, it will provide important learnings for the CCS players involved. Air Liquide’s objective is to accelerate the development of carbon capture and storage on a global scale, with projects underway in Europe, North America and Asia.

While accelerating the deployment of renewable energy is essential, CCS is a key solution for decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries, such as cement, steel, and chemicals, to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.