Posted on March 17, 2025
Porto do Açu and Sempen, a company specializing in renewable fuel production, have signed an area reservation contract for the low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives hub at the port-industrial complex in Rio de Janeiro state for the construction of a green ammonia plant.
The new facility will have capacity of one million tonnes of green ammonia per year. The final investment decision is expected in 2027 or 2028, with the first green molecules set to be produced in 2030.
The CEO of Porto do Açu, Eugênio Figueiredo, explained to BNamericas why he is confident about the development of Brazil’s green hydrogen market.
BNamericas: Does Porto do Açu perceive greater strength in the green hydrogen market, with better economic prospects for projects, considering the approval of the regulatory framework last year?
Figueiredo: Brazil recently sanctioned the regulatory framework and implemented the national hydrogen program. This is certainly a major step forward for the sector, as it provides legal certainty and supports global companies that want to establish themselves here by making the investment landscape more predictable for private and foreign investors.
At the state level, some governments are organizing to create regulations and develop strategies to seize this opportunity. Porto do Açu is a great example, as it’s the only site in the country that already has a pre-licensed area for a low-carbon hydrogen hub, an advantage that has helped us attract more investors and companies interested in setting up within the port-industrial complex. They can also benefit from other advantages, such as the availability of industrial water and port infrastructure.
BNamericas: Do you believe projects will move forward in the short or medium term?
Figueiredo: Porto do Açu is a private port, 100% privately owned, and has a clear strategy for energy transition, promoting low-carbon industrialization in Brazil. We offer access to water from multiple sources, including industrial reuse, which is an essential factor for hydrogen projects, and infrastructure with terminals up to 25m deep.
The site is also connected to the national power grid and can develop both on-grid and off-grid 100% renewable energy projects, offering certified energy to meet European Union requirements.
We’re preparing to establish low-carbon hydrogen plants in the next decade, located in our back area and serving as enablers for other industries such as ammonia, HBI [hot briquetted iron], fertilizers, and SAF [sustainable aviation fuels], contributing to neo-industrialization.
BNamericas: What are the green hydrogen agreements signed so far by Porto do Açu?
Figueiredo: Since last year, with the licensing of the low-carbon hydrogen hub and derivatives at the port complex, we’ve been advancing partnerships with major market players with expertise from production to the export of clean energy.
In 2024, we signed an agreement with the Norwegian company Fuella AS, a developer and operator of green hydrogen and ammonia plants, securing the first area reservation contract within the hub for the development of their facility. We also partnered with HIF Global, a Chilean e-fuel company, to develop a green hydrogen project.
In 2025, UK-based Yamna, specializing in green hydrogen and derivatives production, secured its area within Porto do Açu’s low-carbon hub for the establishment of a green ammonia plant…
