Jakarta,  Indonesia – October  10,  2025 — HDF  Energy  (Hydrogène  de  France), Neuman  &  Esser South East Asia Ltd. (NEA SEA) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)  GmbH,  through  its  International  Hydrogen  Ramp-Up  Programme (H2Uppp),  have  signed  a cooperation  agreement  to  assess  green  hydrogen  infrastructure  for  decarbonizing  inter-island ferry  transport  in  Indonesia. The  partnership  embodies  supports  from  The  German  Federal Ministry  for  Economic  Affairs  and  Energy  for  entrepreneurial  engagement  in  the  scaling  of hydrogen in the Global South.

The agreement signed on October 10th during the Indonesia Sustainability Forum 2025 in Jakarta, follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2025 between HDF Energy, Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation  (MoT) and state-owned  utility  PLN  (Persero), and  ferry operator  ASDP  Indonesia  Ferry (Persero), in  collaboration  with  the  International  Maritime  Organization  (IMO).  That  MoU  laid  the groundwork for a joint study on the retrofitting of inter-island ferries with hydrogen propulsion as part of the IMO’s GreenVoyage2050 program, marking a national milestone in the decarbonization of Indonesia’s maritime sector.

Indonesia’s archipelagic geography relies on inter-island ferries, yet most operate on isolated diesel grids with limited capacity to integrate renewables. This makes it challenging to decarbonize both the power and  maritime  sectors,  despite  the  clear  benefits  of  moving  away  from  diesel  in  terms  of  cost  stability,energy security, and air quality. In this context, hydrogen propulsion offers a promising, energy-efficient solution for short-to-medium ferry routes while supporting the transition to cleaner island power systems.

Building  on  this  framework,  the  new  cooperation  agreement, established under the public-private partnership scheme in GIZ’s H2Uppp programme, focuses on developing the complementary hydrogen infrastructure value chain, including production, storage, transportation and bunkering. The study will also assess how this infrastructure can be integrated with island grids and port energy systems, needed to supply ferries such as the Kupang - Rote route in Eastern Indonesia, operated by ASDP.

Under the parallel structure of the two programmes led by HDF Energy:

• The IMO – HDF – MoT - ASDP cooperation focuses on retrofitting and vessel conversion, safety and operational readiness.
• The GIZ – HDF – NEA SEA cooperation addresses hydrogen infrastructure and techno-economic feasibility, drawing on German expertise through NEA SEA.

Together,  both  programmes  support  a  single  shared  goal:  demonstrating  the  technical  and  economic viability of hydrogen-powered ferries and establishing a replicable model for small-island contexts across the Indonesian archipelago while attracting investment.

HDF Energy is currently developing 23 Renewstable® hydrogen power plants in Eastern Indonesia, with the potential investment of USD 2.3 billion.  These facilities combine a solar park with substantial on-site energy  storage  in  the  form  of  green  hydrogen  to  provide  non-intermittent,  stable  and  100%  clean electricity to the grid,  day and night. By  generating surplus green  hydrogen at  a competitive marginal cost, Renewstable® plants also pave the way for the supply of green hydrogen to decarbonize maritime transport.  The  hydrogen  produced can be  used  to  power  the  high-power  fuel  cells  developed  and manufactured by HDF Energy, a modular, reliable solution tailored to the conversion of maritime fleets.

With this project, HDF Energy is deploying a unique integrated approach: producing competitive green hydrogen locally and offering a zero-emission maritime vessels’ propulsion solution based on its fuel cells.

This initiative contributes directly to Indonesia’s Net Zero Emission Roadmap for the Energy Sector and National Hydrogen Roadmap, reinforcing national efforts to decarbonize maritime transport, strengthen energy security for island communities, and advance sustainable hydrogen ecosystems.

Mathieu Géze, Director for Asia-Pacific at HDF Energy and President Director of PT HDF Energy Indonesia,  stated: “This  cooperation  brings  together  international  expertise,  national  leadership,  and real-world  applications.  By  combining  the  strengths  of  the  IMO,  GIZ,  NEA  SEA,  PLN,  ASDP and  the Ministry of Transportation with HDF Energy’s hydrogen technology expertise, we are paving the way for Indonesia’s first hydrogen-powered ferry route and for a cleaner maritime future across the archipelago.”

Lisa Tinschert, Director of Energy Programme, GIZ Indonesia/ASEAN, explained: “As the maritime center of the region, Indonesia offers unique opportunities to advance our shared climate goals. Green hydrogen is at the heart of the energy transition, and through H2Uppp we support local entrepreneurship and project development to help grow the global hydrogen market. By combining technology with local context, this initiative creates jobs, drives economic growth, and supports valuable technology transfer.”
 

ABOUT THE DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT GIZ) GMBH
GIZ is a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education  work.  GIZ  operates  in  more  than  120  countries  worldwide,  working  on  behalf  of  the  German Government and other commissioning parties to promote economic development, environmental sustainability,peace,  and  social  justice.  Through  partnerships  with  public  and  private  sector  stakeholders,  GIZ  supports innovative solutions that improve people’s living conditions and strengthen capacities for sustainable change.

More information, visit: https://www.giz.de/en/about-us

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROGEN RAMP UP PROGRAMME (H2Uppp)

Green hydrogen is central to the energy transition and climate protection. Through H2Uppp, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy supports the entrepreneurial drive and project development crucial to the global scaling  of  hydrogen  markets.  In doing  so,  the  Ministry  fosters  investment  and  propels  the  global  hydrogen economy. Private  and  public  partners,  consisting  of  companies  based  in  Germany  or  the  EU,  possible  local partners and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) will synergise their competencies through formalised public-private cooperation (PPP) projects with the aim of fostering the growth of the market for green H2/PtX technologies and applications across the entire value chain.

More information, visit: https://ptx-hub.org/h2uppp/

ABOUT NEUMAN & ESSER SOUTH EAST ASIA LTD. (NEA SEA)

NEA  SEA is s  part  of  the  NEUMAN  &  ESSER  GROUP  (NEA  GROUP),  a  leading  global  solution  provider  for compression  and  grinding  systems  with  a  strong  focus  on  hydrogen,  renewable  gases,  and  energy  transition technologies.  Headquartered  in  Bangkok,  Thailand,  NEA  SEA  oversees  the  group’s  operations  and  customer support across the Southeast Asia region. With more than 190 years of engineering excellence, NEA GROUP delivers  innovative,  sustainable  solutions  for  industries  including  energy,  chemical,  and  industrial  gases,contributing to a cleaner and more resilient global energy system.

More information, visit: https://www.neuman-esser.com/en/