Bypassing the Grid: Rotterdam Deploys Off-Grid Hydrogen Port Infrastructure

ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – October 01, 2026 – The future of global mobility is often envisioned as a fleet of sleek, battery-powered machines silently navigating our cities and supply chains. But look closer at the invisible digital and electrical backbones required to sustain this vision, and a different reality emerges. At the edge of the world’s oceans, where the heaviest lifting occurs, regional electrical grids are hitting their physical limits. The infrastructure required to simultaneously fast-charge fleets of massive container-handling equipment is proving to be a formidable bottleneck.

In response, the maritime logistics sector is beginning to bypass the grid entirely. Today, Hyster announced the delivery of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered ReachStacker to Rotterdam Shortsea Terminals (RST), Europe’s largest dedicated shortsea shipping hub. However, the true innovation lies not just in the 45-foot container handler itself, but in the localized energy network built to sustain it.

Deployed as part of a five-year innovation initiative, the Hyster RSJ46-33XDH/62 ReachStacker will operate within a unique "living lab" alongside a modular, off-grid hydrogen refueling station operated in partnership with Berkman Energie Services. Co-funded by the European Union’s Just Transition Fund (JTF) and the Province of South Holland, the project serves as a critical stress test for decentralized, zero-emission port infrastructure.

Gridlock on the Docks: The Case for Off-Grid Hydrogen

For years, terminal operators have been caught in a tug-of-war between tightening environmental regulations and the relentless demand for continuous operational uptime. Competitors in the heavy machinery space, including Kalmar, Konecranes, and Terberg, have made significant strides in battery-electric solutions. Konecranes, for instance, recently launched an electric reach stacker capable of up to 16 hours of operation, while Terberg’s electric terminal tractors have become a common sight on European docks.

Yet, the hidden cost of these battery-electric fleets is the staggering infrastructure required to charge them. A single electric reach stacker can require megawatt-scale charging infrastructure to replenish its massive battery packs within a realistic operational window. When multiplied across a fleet of dozens of machines, the electrical draw can easily overwhelm local grid capacities, necessitating multi-million-dollar substation upgrades and years of permitting delays.

This is the precise bottleneck the RST field lab is designed to circumvent. By utilizing a modular hydrogen refueling station, the terminal decouples its decarbonization efforts from the constraints of the regional electricity grid. Hydrogen can be delivered and stored on-site, allowing the heavy-duty equipment to refuel in less than 30 minutes—a turnaround time directly comparable to traditional diesel machinery.

"Ports and terminals are under increasing pressure to lower emissions without compromising performance," explains Lucien Robroek, President, Global Big Trucks at Hyster. "Hydrogen fuel cell technology has the potential to play an important role in applications where equipment must combine zero tailpipe emissions with the power and uptime required for intensive container handling. Working alongside RST and the wider project team will help further our understanding of how this technology can support the future needs of the industry."

Engineering the Heavy Lift: Inside the Dual-Power Architecture

Moving 45-foot shipping containers—including specialized open-top units—requires immense bursts of kinetic energy. To meet this demand without a diesel engine, Hyster’s engineering team utilized a dual-power architecture that marries the continuous energy delivery of a fuel cell with the rapid discharge capabilities of a lithium-ion battery.

The RSJ46-33XDH/62 is equipped with a Nuvera 60-kilowatt fuel cell engine that acts essentially as an onboard generator. Instead of driving the wheels directly, the fuel cell continuously converts hydrogen into electricity to maintain the charge of a 130-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. When the operator engages the specialized 45-foot spreader to hoist a fully loaded container, the system draws heavily from the battery to handle the peak load. During lowering or idle periods, the fuel cell replenishes the battery.

This hybrid approach allows the machine to maintain the raw power necessary for heavy-duty cycle work while maximizing the efficiency of the hydrogen fuel. Furthermore, the vehicle incorporates the same standardized software architecture used across Hyster’s broader electric product line. This common digital backbone provides terminal operators with a unified diagnostics platform, streamlining maintenance and standardizing the operator experience regardless of the underlying power source.

"For us, sustainability is not just an ambition for the future; it is about the choices we make today," says Arno Storm, CEO of RST. "This hydrogen refueling station and hydrogen fuel cell-powered ReachStacker allow us to explore the transition in practice. We want to play our part, learn along the way and contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the generations to come."

Navigating the Hydrogen Ecosystem

The physical deployment of the ReachStacker is only one node in a much larger, emerging energy network. The Port of Rotterdam is aggressively positioning itself as the hydrogen gateway to Europe. With the recent commissioning of the first 32-kilometer section of the Hynetwork pipeline—filled with RFNBO-certified (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin) hydrogen—the region is laying the groundwork for a massive influx of green energy.

While the initial phases of the RST field lab rely on localized, modular refueling, the long-term viability of hydrogen port equipment is inextricably linked to this broader regional infrastructure. Projects like Holland Hydrogen I and Air Liquide’s ELYgator plant are slated to bring hundreds of megawatts of green hydrogen production online in the coming years. As this ecosystem matures, off-grid solutions like the Berkman Energie Services station will transition from experimental workarounds to integrated endpoints of a vast, renewable supply chain.

"South Holland is at the forefront of the energy transition, and innovative projects like this hydrogen fuel cell-powered ReachStacker keep us there," said Jeroen van Dijken, South Holland Provincial Executive. "We are creating opportunities to accelerate innovation by bringing together pioneering companies, educational institutions and public partners. This strengthens our regional economy and prepares our workforce for the industries of the future."

The Just Transition: Rewiring the Workforce

Infrastructure is only as resilient as the people trained to operate it. A critical, yet frequently overlooked, component of industrial decarbonization is the human element. The shift from internal combustion engines to high-voltage battery and pressurized hydrogen systems requires a fundamental reskilling of the port workforce.

Recognizing this, the European Union’s Just Transition Fund has structured its support to mandate investments in human capital alongside technological innovation. The JTF, which strictly limits its contribution to 50 percent of eligible project costs, requires robust local partnerships to bridge the funding gap. In Rotterdam, this has materialized through a coalition that includes local authorized dealer Heffiq and educational partner STC Next.

Together, these entities are establishing a joint experience center designed to train dockworkers, mechanics, and logistics students in the safe and efficient handling of hydrogen systems. Local dealer Heffiq is tasked with managing the operational maintenance and field service support for the ReachStacker, translating theoretical engineering into daily, practical maintenance protocols.

"RST has been a valued Heffiq and Hyster customer for many years, and we are proud to support them on this next step in their sustainability journey," says Martijn Veerkamp, Commercial Director at Heffiq. "Projects like this depend on strong collaboration between customers, technology providers and service partners. By combining our local expertise with Hyster innovations and RST's operational knowledge, we have been able to deliver a pioneering solution that will generate meaningful insights by working in a live terminal environment."

By embedding this educational infrastructure directly into the five-year operational trial, the project ensures that the transition to zero-emission logistics does not leave the existing workforce behind. Instead, it transforms traditional diesel mechanics and heavy equipment operators into specialized technicians of a new, decentralized energy grid. As the maritime industry continues to grapple with the limitations of centralized power, it is localized, intelligent networks—both technological and human—that will ultimately keep the world moving.