UK-headquartered consulting engineer Mott MacDonald has been engaged as owner’s engineer for EcoLog Terminal Amsterdam, a project positioning itself as the world’s first commercial‑scale facility to import liquid hydrogen and export liquid CO2. The appointment places the global consultancy at the centre of technical oversight for what is shaping up to be a key node in Europe’s emerging hydrogen and carbon‑management infrastructure.
As owner’s engineer, Mott MacDonald will oversee planning, design and construction, focusing on safety, quality and delivery performance. The firm will independently review design deliverables, support risk management and monitor progress, drawing on extensive experience in large energy and port‑related projects in the Netherlands.
The terminal is being developed by EcoLog in the Port of Amsterdam and is designed as an open‑access, third‑party hub for both gaseous and liquid hydrogen, as well as liquid CO2. The first phase is targeted for completion by the end of 2030, with initial annual throughput of 200,000 tonnes of liquid hydrogen and 1.8 million tonnes of liquid CO2, expandable to 600,000 and 4.25 million tonnes respectively.
A distinctive feature of the design is the use of cold energy released during hydrogen regasification to liquefy CO2, improving overall energy efficiency and lowering operational emissions. The site will connect to multiple hydrogen and CO2 pipelines, with truck loading, barge jetty and rail links, aiming to act as a logistical axis for green hydrogen distribution and CO2 consolidation for reuse or offshore storage.
Front‑end engineering design began in January, with the terminal expected to begin operating by the end of 2030.
Stakeholders say it is intended to help decarbonise sectors such as steel, heavy road transport, maritime operations and data centres, while forming an early reference point for similar hydrogen-CO2 terminals in Europe and beyond.
