(Hamburg, Germany) – Daimler Truck, MB Energy, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. plan to import liquefied hydrogen (LH2) to Europe via the Port of Hamburg. Under the agreement, the three companies will first conduct studies to begin commercial operations in the early 2030s. This is based on an existing letter of intent to develop a German-Japanese hydrogen supply chain.
Daimler Truck, MB Energy, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries sign an agreement to establish a supply chain for liquefied hydrogen to Europe (front row, from left): Volker Ebeling (MB Energy), Kei Nomura (KHI), Manfred Schuckert (Daimler Truck) with Hamburg's Senator for Economic Affairs, Melanie Leonhard. © Daimler Truck AG
“Hydrogen can become a key driver of the European energy transition, and Hamburg is ideally positioned as Germany’s most important gateway,” said Volker Ebeling, Senior Vice President New Energy, Storage & Infrastructure at MB Energy. They are combining infrastructure and refueling network with Daimler Truck in the area of hydrogen-powered trucks, as well as Kawasaki’s technologies for hydrogen storage and transport. “Together, we are working on building a scalable international import corridor for Europe” as an integrated end-to-end solution. This also includes converting sites at key logistics hubs for long-distance transport to liquid hydrogen.
Series production of LH2 trucks at Daimler
Daimler Truck AG plans to conduct field tests of 100 liquid hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks starting at the end of 2026. Series production is scheduled for the early 2030s. The company expects that by then the necessary infrastructure and the availability of liquid hydrogen at competitive market prices will be in place.
Daimler Truck tested the next generation of its GenH2 truck in the Swiss Alps last year. In 2026, the company will send 100 LH2 trucks into customer testing operations. © Daimler Truck AG
“The scaling of hydrogen-powered trucks in Europe in the coming decade will only be possible if a reliable supply of liquid hydrogen is ensured,” says Manfred Schuckert, Head of Regulatory Strategy at Daimler Truck. The agreement now reached has a “clear focus on the feasibility, scalability, and long-term impact” of the supply chain. For heavy-duty transport, liquid hydrogen offers the necessary energy density and operational flexibility for long-haul applications. However, its potential can only be “realized through a coordinated approach along the entire value chain.”
Expertise in liquefaction and transport
Kawasaki Heavy Industries commissioned Japan Suiso Energy, Ltd. earlier this year to construct a 40.000 cubic meter liquid hydrogen tanker. © Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.
Kawasaki will contribute its expertise in the development and manufacturing of key infrastructure components – including hydrogen liquefaction plants, storage facilities, and LH2 transport vessels. Given the growing importance of hydrogen as an energy carrier, the company aims to establish efficient transport routes from potential producing countries to Germany. This will promote the use of hydrogen in European industries – starting with Daimler Truck's zero-emission vehicles. "By bringing our technologies to Europe, we want to support demand from industry and heavy-duty transport and contribute to building a scalable international hydrogen corridor that strengthens competitiveness, resilience, and climate neutrality," says Kei Nomura, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Hydrogen Strategy Division at Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
Back in October 2025, Daimler, Kawasaki, and Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) announced their collaboration to examine the development of a "reliable and economical supply chain" for green liquid hydrogen via the port to the European hinterland. The cooperation was intended to facilitate imports from hydrogen-producing countries to Germany and thereby strengthen the Hanseatic city "as a central hub."
Photo above
The Port of Hamburg is to become a hub for hydrogen imports to Germany and Europe. © Hamburg Tourismus GmbH / Christian Lietzmann
