Norway’s Höegh Evi, formerly known as Höegh LNG, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the port of Port-La Nouvelle to develop a floating hydrogen import terminal targeting up to 210,000 tonnes of volumes annually from producers in the Middle East, North Africa and the Americas by 2030.
In collaboration with European projects such as the HySoW Hydrogen and the gas pipeline operator Teréga, the terminal will link the port located in the Occitanie region to major hydrogen transport infrastructures, Erik Nyheim-led Höegh Evi said.
The new deep-water port, which aims to transform itself into a major energy transition hub, is currently under construction and will be open for business from early 2026 onwards. It is the first French port to be managed privately, via a 51% shareholding consortium that includes DEME Concessions, Euroports, PMV, Qair and the CCI de l’Aude, alongside 49% held by the public sector.
“In recent years, the port of Port-La Nouvelle has made significant investments to expand and prepare the port for the future. The port of Port-La Nouvelle is eager to accommodate new types of traffic, particularly those associated with renewable energies and especially those linked to hydrogen molecules,” said Hans Kerstens, CEO of SEMOP Port-La Nouvelle.
“With its strategic location and well-established marine infrastructure, Port-La Nouvelle is ideally positioned to become a key entry point for hydrogen and low-carbon fuels,” added Nyheim, president and CEO of Höegh Evi.
Earlier this year, Höegh Evi inked a deal with German terminal operator Deutsche ReGas to develop a hydrogen import terminal in the industrial port of Lubmin on the German Baltic Sea coast. Planned to be in operation from early 2026, it will be the world’s first floating import terminal for the industrial-scale conversion of green ammonia to green hydrogen, producing around 30,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year.
