The Port of Barcelona takes another step in its energy transition strategy with the awarding of a new infrastructure that points directly to the future of transport. The board of directors has commissioned SympH2ony, the alliance formed by Toyota Tsusho Europe and Messer, to build and operate a hydrogen refueling station that will become one of the central pieces of the green hydrogen ecosystem in the port environment.
The project foresees an investment of more than 20 million euros and is not limited to the installation of an energy infrastructure. The initiative is proposed as a starting point to deploy a broader model, focused on promoting zero-emission mobility in areas especially complex to transform, such as heavy transport or port logistics.
The future hydrogen refueling station will be located on a 7,000 square meter plot in the ZAL Prat, a strategic enclave that will allow it to serve both the port itself and its logistical and industrial environment. From there, trucks, buses and port machinery will be supplied, facilitating the progressive transition of fleets towards less polluting energy solutions.
The project also incorporates a more flexible operational approach. Along with the main plant, the use of mobile supply units is planned to serve equipment that cannot be moved, as well as the possibility of connecting future pipelines intended for large consumers. A logic that seeks to adapt to the real needs of the logistical ecosystem.
An infrastructure that goes beyond the port
At a technical level, the installation will have an electrolysis capacity of 3.1 MW in 2030, with plans to expand to 6.2 MW in 2032. At that point, it could reach an annual production of up to 540 tons of green hydrogen, generated in situ from 100% renewable energy. This model will guarantee an energy supply without associated emissions, one of the main challenges in the decarbonization of the sector.
Beyond its immediate impact on the port area, the infrastructure is also projected as a node with the capacity to extend to its surroundings. The connection with areas such as the Zona Franca or the industrial estates of El Prat de Llobregat opens the door for green hydrogen to stop being a specific solution and become a real alternative on a territorial scale.
The entry of SympH2ony into the Port of Barcelona also responds to a broader strategy. The company, created in 2024, seeks to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen as an energy alternative in Europe, especially in sectors where electrification is not sufficient. Its proposal combines production, supply, and infrastructure, in addition to solutions linked to end-use, such as fuel cell vehicles or fleet management.
Behind the project are two actors with experience in this field. Messer, with more than a century of experience in industrial gases, and Toyota Tsusho, the European arm of the Japanese group, focused on the development of sustainable mobility solutions. In the port, their role will not be limited to supply, but will extend as a technological and operational partner in the energy transformation process.
The new hydrogen station will be integrated into the Port of Barcelona's Energy Transition Plan, reinforcing its position as a strategic hub in the production and distribution of clean energies. In a context where the logistics sector is looking for real alternatives to fossil fuels, initiatives like this place the port in a relevant position within the European hydrogen map. The project concession has been granted for a period of 40 years, with the possibility of extension, and also includes the urbanization of the surroundings and the improvement of access roads, necessary elements to integrate the infrastructure into the daily operation of the port.