MB Energy to build ammonia import terminal in Hamburg

MB Energy says that it has received approval from the Hamburg Authority for the Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture (BUKEA) for the construction and operation of a new ammonia import terminal. Subject to final investment approval, the facility is planned for the Blumensand tank farm site in the Port of Hamburg. The planned terminal is intended to become Germany’s first large-scale ammonia import hub, and is intended to play a central role in securing future energy supplies and supporting the ongoing transformation of the economy. The company says that the low carbon ammonia which will be imported and distributed can serve not only as a storage medium for hydrogen but also be used as an industrial raw material and as an alternative fuel in shipping. In the longer term, this is expected to further advance the energy transition in the shipping industry.

The terminal is planned for the site of the Blumensand tank farm, the largest tank farm in the Port of Hamburg, owned by the MB Energy Group. It is a key component of the New Energy Gate project, which also includes methanol handling at the same location. Plans call for the construction of a new tank for the temporary storage of imported ammonia and the upgrade of the existing berth for inland and seagoing vessels to accommodate the import of this energy carrier. Loading facilities for rail tank cars are also planned. Furthermore, there are potential plans for a feed-in system to a cracker plant, which still needs to be developed separately, where the ammonia could be split into hydrogen and fed into the future hydrogen network. The planned throughput is approximately 600,000 tonnes of ammonia per year.

“We are delighted that, following a very constructive approval process on both sides, we now hold the official document in our hands and have reached a key milestone in further implementing the project,” says Volker Ebeling, Senior Vice President New Energy, Supply & Infrastructure at MB Energy. The planned ammonia terminal will significantly advance the energy transition in Hamburg. “A strong signal towards a sustainable and reliable energy and raw material supply,” emphasizes Ebeling, adding: “On behalf of MB Energy, I would like to thank everyone involved for their excellent and solution-oriented cooperation in this demanding process.”