Ports & Infrastructure

Hydrogen Highway

London

Client: Port of London

Project: Three-year study into clean hydrogen for the UK maritime sector.

Cost: £1.2M

A groundbreaking programme led by the Port of London Authority, exploring clean hydrogen as a viable, scalable alternative to fossil fuels for the UK’s maritime sector. The initiative explored the full hydrogen supply chain, from offshore production powered by floating wind farms, through containerised hydrogen transport via autonomous vessels, to safe port-side handling and land-based distribution.

The opportunity

Backed by a £1.2 million Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) grant and supported by the Department for Transport, the Maritime Hydrogen Highway focused on enabling clean maritime technology in support of the UK Government’s 2050 carbon neutrality target and the PLA’s own Thames Vision commitment to Net Zero by 2040.

Seven interconnected Work Packages were developed to assess technical feasibility, safety, and commercial viability of green hydrogen within port and shipping environments:

1a. Maritime Demand Distribution – The Model Case Study
Mapped hydrogen demand across the Thames, assessing infrastructure and logistics required to supply hydrogen to central London by water.

1b. Land-Port-Sea Integration – Roadmap Framework
Created a scalable roadmap and implementation framework integrating hydrogen transport into existing port systems.

2. Demonstration of Alternative Power and Fuel – Fuel Cell Trial
Evaluating the challenges and mapping out the process for the construction of a hydrogen fuel cell operation on the Thames, used to power port-side operations and vessels. This included site evaluation, offtaker participation, detailed design, consents required and infrastructure requirements.

3. Offshore Hydrogen Generation – Modular Platform Design
Studied retrofit solutions for offshore wind-to-hydrogen production, evaluating containerised hydrogen conversion and safe transport methods.

4. Business Case and Economic Model – Investment Appraisal
Developed robust economic models to compare green hydrogen supply costs (~£6–7/kg) to market rates (£14/kg), building a strong commercial rationale.

5. Autonomous Ship & Mooring Systems – Delivery Mechanism
Designed autonomous vessels for containerised hydrogen shipping, evaluating navigation, safety and unloading systems.

6. Safe Marine Carriage – Health & Safety Appraisal
Led by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), this workstream assessed regulatory needs and developed a safety toolkit for hydrogen handling in ports.

7. Project Management
This work package included overall project management duties, across all areas of the programme and the strategic reporting to MarRI-UK.

The challenge

Key challenges included aligning a consortium of partners, including academic institutions, marine technology firms, and regulatory bodies, to collaborate across diverse technical domains. The programme also faced challenges in applying the proposals to existing infrastructure, particularly in the absence of clear regulations for hydrogen use in maritime settings. Ensuring cross-sector integration, while maintaining focus on safety, cost, and commercial readiness, required careful coordination and a shared long-term vision.

The outcome

The study confirms that green hydrogen can be safely and affordably produced and transported at scale using existing UK maritime infrastructure. It offers significant greenhouse gas reductions, avoids the need for extensive pipeline investment, and delivers hydrogen at nearly half the current market cost.

The findings highlight the UK’s potential to lead in clean maritime innovation, but also identify critical gaps, particularly around regulation and early-stage infrastructure funding.

The PLA and partners are now calling for:
– A clear UK regulatory framework for hydrogen-based maritime operations
– Targeted investment in hydrogen-ready port infrastructure
– Continued cross-sector collaboration to drive commercial hydrogen adoption

The programme’s recommendations now serve as guidance for future legislative and investment decisions to support Net Zero goals. Further details and findings can be found here: https://pla.co.uk/maritime-hydrogen-highway

"Hydrogen presents a huge opportunity for the UK’s port cities. This work shows how we can use our existing infrastructure and natural resources to deliver low-carbon energy exactly where it’s needed. For the Port of London, it also supports our path to sustainable growth, supporting jobs, trade and innovation while cutting emissions on the river and beyond.”
Robin MortimerCEO of Port of London

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