Oman Participates in World Hydrogen Summit in Netherlands

Oman Strengthens Global Hydrogen Partnerships at World Hydrogen Summit

Rotterdam:  The Sultanate of Oman participated in the fifth edition of the World Hydrogen Summit & Exhibition, hosted in Rotterdam in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with broad participation from governments, companies, and international institutions specializing in hydrogen and clean energy.

The participation comes within the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to strengthen its global presence in the green hydrogen sector and expand strategic partnerships in sustainable energy fields.

The Omani delegation was headed by Eng. Salim Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, who reviewed during the summit’s opening session the latest developments in implementing Oman’s Green Hydrogen Strategy and the progress achieved in developing related projects and infrastructure.

He stressed the importance of international alignment on legislation, standards, and enablers that support accelerating the transition toward a hydrogen economy and low-carbon energy systems.

The Minister also highlighted Oman’s vision for the future of global energy markets and the role of green hydrogen in achieving sustainability and net-zero targets.

On the sidelines of the summit, Eng. Salim Al Aufi held a series of bilateral meetings with officials and executives in the energy and hydrogen sector, including Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam.

The meeting discussed the role of the Port of Rotterdam in Oman’s energy transition strategy, opportunities for cooperation in solar energy projects and electricity grid connectivity, the development of green hydrogen supply chains to European markets, and the “Noor Bridge” project aimed at establishing a green hydrogen corridor between Oman and the Port of Rotterdam.

The Omani delegation also met representatives from the Port of Vlissingen and several companies to review plans related to hydrogen production and consumption, blue and green hydrogen transition projects, and opportunities for cooperation in infrastructure, storage facilities, and import operations.

In another meeting, the delegation met the CEO of the Dutch TNO Foundation for Applied Research to discuss cooperation in carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies, natural hydrogen, hydrogen certification frameworks, and scientific research programmes related to hydrogen and low-carbon energy projects in Oman.

The delegation also held talks with the Belgian Hydrogen Council to review opportunities for cooperation with European institutions operating in the hydrogen sector and discuss investment opportunities across green hydrogen value chains.

Eng. Salim Al Aufi further met Jelmer Terpstra, CEO of Dutch gas transmission company Gasunie, to discuss developments in hydrogen infrastructure projects, hydrogen transportation and collection studies, and opportunities for developing related infrastructure projects in Oman.

The Minister also participated in the “Liquid Hydrogen Corridor” meeting, which brought together representatives from Oman, the Netherlands, Germany, and Japan to discuss opportunities for developing international corridors for green hydrogen trade and transportation and linking global markets with hydrogen production projects in Oman.

In a separate meeting, Eng. Salim Al Aufi met Sophie Hermans, Minister of Climate Policy and Green Growth of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to discuss developments in energy and hydrogen markets and mechanisms for advancing bilateral cooperation in clean energy and hydrogen sectors.

The discussions also followed up on agreements and partnerships signed during His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s visit to the Netherlands in April 2025.

The Omani delegation additionally met Carola Schouten, Mayor of Rotterdam, to discuss cooperation opportunities in clean energy, sustainability, innovation, and economic partnerships.

During the summit, Oman participated in roundtable meetings of the International Hydrogen Trade Forum alongside government and private sector representatives from around the world to discuss the future of global hydrogen trade and the development of regulatory frameworks supporting the sector.

On the sidelines of the event, the “Noor Bridge” project agreement was signed between Sohar Port and Freezone, the German University of Technology in Oman, ASYAD Group, and several Dutch entities to study the transportation of hydrogen and its derivatives between Oman and the Netherlands through multiple logistics solutions.

The Omani delegation also conducted field visits to strategic projects and facilities in Rotterdam, including the Dutch Data Centers Foundation, to explore opportunities for renewable energy and hydrogen-powered data centre solutions.

Oman’s participation in the summit reflects its commitment to developing the green hydrogen sector as a strategic pillar supporting economic diversification and net-zero targets, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, while strengthening its position as a global hub for the production and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.