The green fuel revolution is a transition that shipping must face if we are to see it contribute to a sustainable emissions level worldwide. Prime contenders for an industry that is showing no signs of decline are hydrogen derivatives, green ammonia, and methanol. The sheer amount of fuel that will be required is significant for not just the shipping industry but for other sectors too.
Morocco, with quite a lot going for it, namely a wonderful geographic position, abundant renewable energy resources and a cost-effective means of turning hydrogen into fuel for the transport industry, has a great commercial opportunity here to take advantage of at this juncture.
Its ports are already geared up to deal with the various components of a non-fossil-fuelled industry. They will be a pivotal hub for the production, storage, bunkering and export of green hydrogen. There will be openings here with the creation of new shipping jobs, generating more income throughout the chain. Other advantages, such as access to clean drinking water, will prevail, while the surplus energy generated from hydrogen production will help local communities.
Morocco looks to be taking a strong position in the evolution of the modern shipping industry. It has put in place a strategic framework for developing the green sector, which includes the development of port infrastructure. Furthermore, the World Bank has scripted a study called “Gateway to Green Energy: Moroccan Ports as Hubs for Hydrogen Fuel Development and Trade”. This has earmarked four major Moroccan ports as being crucial to Morocco’s plans to become an expansive contributor to the maritime industry. Namely, they are Tanger Med, Mohammedia, Jorf Lasfar and a port in the Tan-Tan vicinity.
In this study, the World Bank predicts that by 2030, ships calling at Moroccan ports will demand approximately 0.2 million tons of hydrogen-equivalent in fuel, with this figure rising to 2.83 million tons by 2050. This raw material will be converted to green bunker fuel in the form of ammonia or methanol.
As the Strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest maritime corridors, Tanger Med, one of the largest container ports in the world, situated on the Strait, will no doubt serve as a vital green bunkering hub.
Jorf Lasfar meanwhile supports the steel industry and the OCP Group. The latter has a vision to create sustainable growth in the phosphate industry. The port already manages two million tons of ammonia every year. It will be possible to integrate green hydrogen derivatives as feedstock into current industrial processes. Efforts here will enable the decarbonization of the Moroccan fertilizer industry by virtue of using green ammonia to produce fertilizer.
Mohammedia, with its vast storage potential, can accommodate large-scale hydrogen storage. This facility is likely to reduce the overall Levelized Cost of Hydrogen, bringing efficiencies for the Moroccan economy. Tan-Tan will be in a superior position, once developed, to provide solar and wind energy opportunities. Additionally, Morocco has a vision to use it to develop hydrogen derivatives, which they hope can be transported to other ports.
Overall, Morocco is well-positioned to manufacture low-cost green hydrogen. Europe, it is forecast, will seek to import over 10 million tons of green hydrogen by 2030, making Morocco a very advantageous source.
With these pluses, it seems natural for Morocco to become one of the leading providers of green hydrogen, and already putting in place evolved infrastructure in their ports, they are well positioned to take advantage of busy shipping routes. This undertaking looks like being a profitable and environmentally friendly one.
