The German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, represented by Florian Seitz, Deputy Head of the German Embassy, has contributed to the project. Both the European Commission and the European Parliament were present at the ceremony with a joint delegation.
“This innovative European–Namibian project proves that our partnership delivers: it creates new jobs, provides training opportunities for young Namibians, and supports local SMEs. We support the development of Namibia’s green hydrogen industry with our Global Gateway strategy. The EU has already mobilised €1.3 billion (NAD 25 billion) in loans and grants, spurring over €20 billion (NAD 400 billion) in potential private investments. Together we are building Namibia’s green industrialisation.”
Said Jozef Síkela, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships.
The new facility, echoing the sentiments of Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.TECH, marks a proud milestone for all parties involved and is the result of a true international collaboration. The Namibian ambition and the European innovation (he continues) merged to create a model for sustainable energy and a true symbol of the strong African-European ties.
In 2026, the hydrogen activities (now related to road transport, off-road applications, and off-grid power generation) should be expanded into rail and maritime applications. A diesel locomotive is already being retrofitted to run on hydrogen, strengthening Namibia’s railway capacity and supporting operations linked to Walvis Bay. At the same time, a dual-fuel hydrogen-powered harbour vessel is under construction in the Netherlands and will be deployed at Walvis Bay port next year. Both will be fuelled by locally produced green hydrogen, delivered via a 500-bar mobile refueller to ensure flexible use across the country.
During the inauguration event, Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare also refuelled Namibia’s first hydrogen-powered bus. The bus serves as a mobile educational platform, demonstrating the full green hydrogen value chain and supporting local awareness.
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