SAIL Amsterdam 2025: Celebrating Heritage, Connecting to the Hydrogen Future
Amsterdam has once again been transformed by SAIL 2025, with more than two dozen tall ships and hundreds of historic vessels sailing into the city to mark Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. Over five days, more than 2.5 million visitors lined the waterfront to watch highlights such as the Shabab Oman II from Oman, Spain’s Fundación Nao Victoria fleet, the Peruvian Navy vessel B.A.P. Unión, and of course the Clipper Stad Amsterdam, which proudly led the opening parade and this year ran entirely on renewable fuel.
Beyond the spectacle, SAIL is also a moment to reflect on how Amsterdam’s maritime heritage connects to its energy future. Our members such as the Port of Amsterdam and other partners are working to ensure that the North Sea Canal Area is not only a stage for iconic ships, but also a hub for the next wave of global energy trade. Just as tall ships once carried all types of goods across oceans, today Amsterdam is preparing to receive green hydrogen imports from places like Oman, highlighted during SAIL by the presence of the Shabab Oman II.
The momentum is tangible. Earlier this year, the Port of Amsterdam enabled the first liquid hydrogen bunkering in the Netherlands, a milestone that shows how the port is embracing its multi-fuel future. At the same time, local infrastructure company Firan is developing H2avennet, a new hydrogen distribution network that will connect users in the North Sea Canal Area and link directly into the national backbone by Gasunie. These developments are supported by the City of Amsterdam and regional authorities, ensuring that spatial planning and permitting keep pace with the hydrogen transition.
On the import side, Amsterdam is home to innovative projects that will make hydrogen trade scalable and safe. Terminal operator EVOS, together with international partners such as North Atlantic, Silverpeak, and Hydrogenious are advancing plans for a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) developments, which would allow hydrogen to be transported and stored in liquid form using existing infrastructure. This kind of innovation is critical to unlocking reliable supply chains between producers abroad and offtakers in Northwest Europe.
Members like ECOLOG are also active in logistics and project development of a liquid hydrogen terminal, adding to the ecosystem that ensures Amsterdam can play its role as Europe’s hydrogen gateway. Taken together, these efforts show how the port, the city, and private partners are closely collaborating in making Amsterdam not only a host of spectacular maritime events, but also a leader in the clean energy transition.
As the sails come down and the ships depart, the legacy of SAIL 2025 will be more than just a celebration of the past 750 years. It is also a reminder of Amsterdam’s unique position at the heart of Europe’s hydrogen future, a port where heritage and innovation meet, and where the energy transition becomes tangible on the waterfront.
(Photo credits: Martin Hols)