Antwerp-Bruges port eyes bigger India share as cargo volumes dip, bets on green hydrogen

What Happened

• The Port of Antwerp-Bruges — Europe's second-largest port by cargo volume — is actively pursuing increased Indian trade as overall cargo volumes between India and Antwerp have declined.
• Port officials have identified India as a strategic partner for green hydrogen imports, positioning Antwerp-Bruges as a future northwest European gateway for Indian-produced green hydrogen and its derivatives, particularly green ammonia.
• The port conducted a multi-city India roadshow in January 2026 covering Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), building on an MoU signed with GH2 India during the Belgian Economic Mission to India in March 2025.
• Antwerp-Bruges is simultaneously developing large-scale ammonia storage and cracking infrastructure in Belgium with partners including Air Products, Vopak, Advario, Fluxys, and VTTI.
• The engagement reflects the port's broader strategy to transition from conventional container and bulk cargo to becoming a green molecules import hub for Belgium, Germany, and northwest Europe.

Static Topic Bridges

India's National Green Hydrogen Mission

The National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in January 2023 with a total outlay of ₹19,744 crore. Its primary objectives are to position India as a global production, export, and utilisation hub for green hydrogen. The mission targets production of at least 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030, supported by large-scale electrolyser manufacturing capacity development and investment incentives. Green hydrogen is produced by electrolyzing water using electricity generated from renewable sources — unlike "grey hydrogen" (from fossil fuels) or "blue hydrogen" (fossil fuels with carbon capture).

India's geographic advantages — abundant solar and wind resources, long coastline, and developing port infrastructure — make it a competitive candidate for large-scale green hydrogen production and export. The India-EU Task Force on Green Hydrogen has been operationalised to support production, storage, and distribution cooperation, and the India-EU Free Trade Agreement under negotiation includes provisions for streamlined green hydrogen export procedures to European ports.

India-EU Trade Relations and the India-EU Free Trade Agreement

The European Union is India's largest trading partner collectively, with bilateral merchandise trade exceeding $120 billion annually. India-EU FTA negotiations, which were relaunched in 2022 after a decade-long gap, are targeting conclusion by the end of 2026. The FTA is significant because it would cover goods, services, investment, and government procurement — and critically, green technology trade including green hydrogen, solar equipment, and electric vehicle components.

Belgium is a key European trade partner for India, with Antwerp historically processing significant volumes of Indian diamonds, chemicals, and machinery. The recent dip in cargo volumes between India and Antwerp is attributed to evolving trade patterns — including India's growing direct trade with German and Dutch ports — and warrants the port's outreach to reposition itself in India's trade geography.

Port Infrastructure and the Green Hydrogen Value Chain

Green hydrogen cannot be stored or transported as efficiently as conventional fuels in its molecular form. It is typically converted to carriers for transport: green ammonia (hydrogen + nitrogen, using the Haber-Bosch process), liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC), or liquefied hydrogen (at -253°C). For trade at scale, the entire value chain matters — production (electrolysis), compression or conversion, shipping, import terminal infrastructure (storage, cracking or reconversion), and end-user distribution.

Antwerp-Bruges's investment in ammonia storage and cracking infrastructure (with partners such as Air Products and Vopak) is the European import-terminal component of this chain. India's Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh — one of the stops on the January 2026 roadshow — has been identified as a potential green ammonia export hub given the state's renewable energy capacity and coastal access.

Key Facts & Data

• National Green Hydrogen Mission outlay: ₹19,744 crore (approved January 2023)
• Green hydrogen production target: 5 million metric tonnes per year by 2030
• EU is India's largest trading partner (merchandise: ~$120 billion annually)
• India-EU FTA: under negotiation, targeting conclusion by end of 2026
• India-EU joint green hydrogen research funding: €60 million
• Antwerp-Bruges: Europe's second-largest port by cargo volume
• MoU signed with GH2 India: Belgian Economic Mission to India, March 2025
• Green ammonia: primary carrier for large-scale green hydrogen trade