Ballard’s subsidiary GeoPura has partnered with the Port of Tilbury in the UK to deliver the first deployment of a mobile, hydrogen-powered rapid EV charger providing shore-to-ship power on the Thames Estuary.
Deploying a GeoPura HPU2™ hydrogen power unit and rapid charging technology, the project successfully charged a commercial vessel dockside using zero-emission electricity without relying on a fixed grid connection.
Decarbonizing a busy port requires energy solutions that work around vessel schedules, heavy-duty equipment and the daily movement of goods. As port operators electrify, access to power becomes a critical consideration: how can ports bring clean electricity to the places that need it when grid capacity is limited?
At the Port of Tilbury, on the River Thames near London, GeoPura is demonstrating how hydrogen can help meet that need. GeoPura’s work combines hydrogen supply infrastructure with applications that show how fuel cells can support port electrification to create cleaner power options for their operations.
“Following on from our work at HyMarnham Power, where we’re transforming a former coal fired power station into a large scale low carbon hydrogen production site, Tilbury is another powerful example of how the UK can use its existing industrial infrastructure to produce renewable fuels for the future. It’s great to see the clear commitment of the Port of Tilbury to decarbonize its operations. It’s a perfect location to support hydrogen adoption across the Thames Estuary, improving air quality and creating new high quality clean energy UK jobs.”
Andrew Cunningham
President, Ballard
Demonstrating hydrogen-powered dockside vessel charging, GeoPura's HPU2™, mounted on a floating platform, supplied electricity to a rapid charger, enabling a commercial vessel to charge without a permanent grid connection.
For vessel and port operators, access to charging is a critical operational consideration. It can influence where electric vessels operate and how they fit into daily schedules. Bringing power to the point of use offers greater flexibility and a way to explore electrification while permanent infrastructure develops.
The demonstration also illustrates how hydrogen fuel cells and batteries can work together. Hydrogen provides the energy for electricity generation at the dockside; that electricity charges the vessel. Where grid access is constrained, this approach can help extend the reach of electric operations.
GeoPura’s role at Tilbury extends to the infrastructure needed to support wider hydrogen adoption. Under a 10-year agreement with Forth Ports, the port’s owner, GeoPura is developing an initial 1MW hydrogen production facility. The project plans to use on-site solar power for electrolysis, supporting a local hydrogen supply for port operations and the wider Thames Estuary.
For customers considering hydrogen, developing fuel supply alongside customer demand is an important step. It creates a foundation for assessing how hydrogen could support their equipment, energy requirements and operating patterns. Bringing these elements together at a working port also provides an opportunity to build operational experience before expanding deployment.
The benefits extend to people working in and around the port. Replacing diesel-generated power with hydrogen fuel cell electricity can reduce local exhaust emissions and noise, supporting a cleaner working environment as operations evolve.