August 13, 2025
Neuman & Esser (NEA) Ltd., Hydrogen de France (HDF) Energy and the German International Cooperation Society (GIZ) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to jointly explore green hydrogen applications for decarbonizing maritime transport across Indonesia’s small islands.
As announced, the initiative is part of a broader public-private partnership (PPP) project officially launched at the H2Uppp Southeast Asia Conference on Green Hydrogen and Power-to-X in Bangkok. Led by Indonesia’s National Energy Agency (NEA) and HDF Energy, with support from GIZ under the International Hydrogen Ramp-Up Programme (H2Uppp), the project will conduct a feasibility study on hybrid hydrogen and battery-powered ferries.
The aim is to develop a strong technical and financial plan for clean, reliable, and scalable inter-island transport. As stated, this effort directly supports Indonesia’s national priorities, including the recently released National Hydrogen Roadmap and the Net Zero Emission Roadmap for the Energy Sector.
There is demand from the maritime sector and a push for energy transition in Indonesia. While the hydrogen strategy for maritime transport will start in 2030, it is optimal we contribute solutions now. We hope this project will help accelerate maritime decarbonization in Indonesia and the wider region.
…said Atiek Puspa Fadhilah, Advisor, GIZ Indonesia, further stressing the importance of immediate action.
Furthermore, the project has received backing from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and is intended to serve as a model for future pilot projects by both public and private sector stakeholders in Indonesia and beyond.
As the world’s largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia relies heavily on inter-island maritime transport. However, many ferries still operate on fossil fuels and are limited by isolated energy grids, particularly in the eastern regions.
The two worlds of maritime and energy transition go together. There is a demand from the maritime sector, and a push for energy transition in Indonesia, which are the Net-zero Emission Roadmap for the Energy Sector and the Hydrogen Roadmap which has been published recently. While the hydrogen strategy for maritime transport will start in 2030, it would be optimal that we start working on contributing the solutions now.
…said Atiek Puspa Fadhilah.
