Prumo and Fuella AS secured its first contract for the newly licensed low-carbon hydrogen in Brazil
Prumo, the economic group responsible for the strategic development of the Porto do Açu, Porto do Açu, a subsidiary of Prumo, and the Norwegian company Fuella AS (“Fuella”), a developer and operator of green hydrogen and ammonia plants, have signed the first area reservation contract for the newly licensed low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives hub at the port complex located in the north of the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The hub covers in total of one million square meters; through the agreement, Fuella secures a significant area within the hub. This is the first agreement Fuella has secured in Brazil. Fuella AS is backed by Allianz Capital Partners, on behalf of Allianz insurance companies, one of the world’s leading insurers, asset managers and investors, headquartered in Germany, as the main investor.
The companies also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that establishes the cooperation for the development of the project, including its phases and schedules, to implement a green ammonia plant of up to 520 MW, based on water electrolysis. This unit will have the potential to produce 400,000 tons of green ammonia per year, which can be shipped through the port’s liquids terminal, for export or domestic uses.
The contract and the MoU were executed with the support of Port of Antwerp-Bruges International, a subsidiary of the second largest port in Europe, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, which is a strategic partner of Port of Açu. The expectation is that Açu will become a new export corridor for green ammonia from Brazil to Europe.
“The development of this plant will contribute to global efforts in reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable energy. We have a prepared ecosystem and competitive advantages for the production of green hydrogen and ammonia, both for export and for supplying the Brazilian domestic market,” emphasizes Mauro Andrade.
The timeline for Fuella’s green ammonia plant project foresees a final investment decision within the next 4 years, and the first molecules delivered by 2030.
“This is a landmark agreement for us, in expanding our portfolio of projects internationally, to highly competitive and attractive regions. We believe that Porto do Açu is a fantastic location and partner for us. The winning factors for us were not only the site and the infrastructure in place but also the dedication, competence and support of the team,” comments Dr. Thorsten Helms.
Açu is the largest private port-industrial complex in Latin America, with water availability from multiple sources—a key factor for hydrogen projects—and export infrastructure. The venture is also connected to the National Interconnected System (‘’SIN’’) and can develop 100% renewable on-grid and off-grid projects, offering certified energy to meet European Union requirements.
The low-carbon hydrogen and derivatives hub at Porto do Açu received an unprecedented Preliminary License from the Rio de Janeiro Government in January of this year. The goal is to develop an integrated platform for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production, connected to ammonia and methanol production units. The hydrogen produced at the hub can be exported or used as input for future low-carbon product industrial clusters to be established at Açu.
