ADIPEC 2026: Rotterdam seeks UAE partnership to drive energy transition with hydrogen and CCS investments

Abu Dhabi: Rotterdam is positioning itself as a long-term partner for the UAE’s energy transition, urging Gulf producers to start with blue hydrogen rather than wait for green, and inviting investors to tap CCS and hydrogen infrastructure that is already in place.

The city’s mayor, Carola Schouten, is in Abu Dhabi for ADIPEC with a delegation of Dutch companies.

Speaking to Gulf News, the mayor said the visit is about strengthening long-standing ties.

“First of all, it’s to show that Rotterdam is a reliable partner, and that we are here and we stay here,” she said. “We want to show that the UAE and the region stay very important for us.”

A shared mindset

The mayor said she had already held talks at Abu Dhabi Port on the morning of her arrival and felt an immediate connection.

“I really feel the same mentality as we have in Rotterdam. We have to move forward. That is also the spirit of Rotterdam,” she said.

The Port of Rotterdam is also a shareholder in the Port of Sohar in Oman. More than 50 companies - most from the Rotterdam region, are exhibiting at ADIPEC, which she said shows strong business appetite for working with the UAE.

“It’s not only from the government side, but also from the business side. People want to continue doing business with the UAE.”

Europe’s energy gateway

Rotterdam is Europe’s largest port, and around 13 percent of the energy entering Europe passes through it. The municipality holds a 70 percent share in the port, with the Dutch national government holding the remaining 30 percent.

“We want to become the greenest and also the most successful port in the future, which means you have to invest and take decisions already to make it happen, and we need partners for that,” the mayor said.

She said the two sides have much in common, particularly in carbon capture and storage (CCS). “We have a big project in Rotterdam, and they already do it here, so it’s interesting to see what each other is doing and to use knowledge both ways.”

On hydrogen, she pointed to Holland Hydrogen One, one of the largest infrastructure projects under way in Rotterdam. Once the infrastructure is operating, she said, Rotterdam could import green hydrogen from the UAE. “You can use the partnership you already have and think about opportunities from both sides.”

She also encouraged Gulf producers to begin with blue hydrogen, produced with carbon capture. “Don’t wait until it must be green. Work with us to make the transition in hydrogen.”

Open for investment

Asked why Gulf companies should invest in Rotterdam, she pointed to the port’s scale and integrated industry. “You can talk about scale, because we have it. We have almost all the industry we need, and they work very closely together.”

She added that investors would find the groundwork already laid. “We invest a lot in hydrogen infrastructure, and the CCS infrastructure is already there. You don’t have to start from zero.

”Permitting for new investment has also become easier, she said.

“I’m really convinced that we can move forward, and that now is the time to look for opportunities to invest in the Port of Rotterdam.”

Vision for 2050

The city aims to have Europe’s strongest port by 2050.

“It’s our duty for the next generations to work on a greener energy system,” she said.

“We are responsible for our children and all the generations after us, and I see that many companies feel this responsibility too. It’s not only a moral point of view, but also an economic one.”

Giving women in energy “a voice and a stage”

During ADIPEC, Rotterdam will launch a Women in Energy initiative in collaboration with Khalifa University. The mayor, who is the first woman to hold the post in Rotterdam, said the sector’s female talent deserves more visibility.

“There are very good and intelligent women active in the industry, but they are not so visible,” she said. “I’m the first female mayor of Rotterdam ever, which was quite late. I want to show that there are so many women who are smart and active, and who have the solutions for the future. I want to give them a voice and a stage.”

She said she hopes the event will inspire others. “We can join forces, we can show that we can do it, and we can inspire other women to do the same. Then I am convinced we can have a brighter future.”

Impressed by the UAE’s pace

The mayor said she was eager to experience the country first-hand. “I read about it, but I want to see it. I want to feel it. I want to understand what’s going on here.”

She praised the UAE’s ability to turn plans into action. “I’m really impressed by the resilience of the country, how quickly you adapt. You really put plans into practice. It’s not that you discuss it for years. We need that resilience in Europe too, so I want to see how you do it.”

She also said she was keen to learn about the UAE’s work in artificial intelligence. “I’m curious what the UAE has to offer on AI, and how we can use it to improve the way we work and give a boost to the economy in the Netherlands and Europe.”

Of ADIPEC itself, she said: “I think it’s one of the most important gatherings in the world.”

A natural chemistry

The Rotterdam delegation includes companies from the maritime, offshore, energy and dredging sectors, as well as battery technology. Dutch firms have played a role in dredging projects in the UAE, including some of the country’s islands.

She said the two cultures share a straightforward approach. “People say the Dutch are quite direct, but I feel it here too. People don’t discuss too much when they want to come to the point. It’s very open, and that’s what we understand.”