As France is opening up to hydrogen imports, French newspaper La Tribune has revealed that the French port of Le Havre has been prospecting in the UAE (United Arab Emirates).

France is developing a hydrogen diplomacy. And locally, some organisations are thinking that this is also a good idea. La tribune reports that Haropa Port – the public body that manages the major ports of Paris, Rouen and Le Havre – has made its calculations. “And according to Haropa Port, the electrolysers due to be built between the Normandy and the Ile de France regions will have difficulty meeting the future demand for clean hydrogen from the refining, chemical and fertiliser industries, all of which are seeking how to reduce their CO2 emissions.

Future needs are estimated at 300,000 tonnes a year. However, Air Liquide’s Normand’Hy project will only be able to deliver one tenth of these volumes.

It was against this backdrop that Kris Danaradjou, Deputy Managing Director of Development at Haropa Port, flew to Dubai just before Christmas, taking advantage of an economic mission led by the President of the Normandy Region. The aim was to lay the groundwork for the possible creation of a “green” hydrogen import corridor between the UAE and the port of Le Havre (located in Northern France).

Haropa Port is involved in hydrogen, as demonstrated by this project with Engie.

Do you want to find out more about France and the UAE regarding hydrogen? Then our latest articles on these two countries should interest you. You can access all of our articles written about France here and about the United Arab Emirates there.

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Article written by Laurent Meillaud and translated by Logan King