NoorBridge holds first meeting in Muscat

MUSCAT, OCT 26
Programme NoorBridge, a collaborative Oman–Netherlands initiative aimed at developing commercially viable hydrogen supply chains linking the Sultanate of Oman with European markets, has convened its inaugural Steering Committee meeting in Muscat, marking a significant step towards implementing the bilateral clean energy partnership.
The meeting, hosted at the Oman Hydrogen Centre, the programme’s designated home base, brought together representatives of leading Omani and Dutch organisations involved in hydrogen development, maritime logistics, infrastructure, research and education.
Holland Hydrogen Hub (H3), which spearheads NoorBridge, announced the appointment of Essam al Sheibany, Vice President – Sustainability at Asyad Group, as the inaugural Chairman of the Steering Committee. Holland Hydrogen Hub, represented by Marcel Kooter, will serve as the committee’s Secretariat.
Participants included representatives of Asyad Group, Hydrom, Avans University of Applied Sciences, the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), Port of Rotterdam, SOHAR Port and Freezone, the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and Holland Hydrogen Hub.
Describing the meeting as a new milestone in bilateral hydrogen cooperation, Holland Hydrogen Hub said the establishment of the Steering Committee would enable participating organisations to begin translating their shared ambitions into concrete opportunities across the hydrogen value chain.
Launched in December 2025 and formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam in May 2026, NoorBridge seeks to strengthen an emerging clean energy corridor connecting Oman's hydrogen production ambitions with European industrial demand.
A central component of the programme involves collaborative research into alternative technologies for transporting hydrogen and its derivatives over long distances.
Potential carriers under consideration include liquefied hydrogen, green ammonia, methanol, synthetic natural gas, liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC), sodium borohydride and metal-based fuels.
Research will examine their comparative economics, conversion efficiencies, infrastructure requirements, environmental performance and logistical feasibility, helping identify commercially competitive pathways for future hydrogen trade.
The initiative builds on growing bilateral engagement, including a high-level Omani delegation's visit to the Netherlands in July 2026, led by Minister of Energy and Minerals Salim bin Nasser al Aufi. The visit included technical discussions with European hydrogen infrastructure operators, technology providers and potential industrial consumers.
NoorBridge also complements a separate Oman–Netherlands–Germany agreement signed in April 2025 to develop a liquid hydrogen export corridor connecting Duqm with Amsterdam and Duisburg.
While the latter focuses on establishing a commercial-scale liquid hydrogen supply chain, NoorBridge provides a broader platform for evaluating alternative hydrogen transportation technologies and facilitating knowledge transfer, research partnerships and industrial collaboration.