Dutch CO2 quintet paving the way for Northwest Europe’s cross-border CCS network

November 28, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Five Dutch CO2 infrastructure projects, which signed grant agreements under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Energy), have set their cap on spotlighting how their collaboration lays the groundwork for a cross-border CO2 transport and storage network, linking emitters in Northwest Europe with permanent geological storage sites in the Netherlands.

During PCI Energy Days, organized by the European Commission last year to highlight projects of common interest (PCIs) for the energy infrastructure story, multiple CO2 projects from the Netherlands inked grant agreements under the CEF Energy, with the aim of building a cross-border CO2 transport and storage network for Northwest Europe.

These projects have the potential to transport up to 35 million tonnes of CO₂ per year from industrial emitters to permanent geological storage, contributing to the European Union’s Net Zero Industry Act target of 50 million tonnes of annual injection capacity.

Five CO2 infrastructure projects from the Netherlands, which plan to demonstrate on December 2nd and 3rd, 2025, at the PCI Energy Days in Brussels how they are working together to form one integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) network for the Netherlands and Northwest Europe are the Porthos (Port of Rotterdam CO2 Transport Hub and Offshore Storage) project, Aramis CCS, CO2next, Delta Rhine Corridor, and Delta Schelde CO2nnection.

The Dutch quintet will lend a helping hand in building an EU-wide infrastructure to link multiple CO2 sources and storage sites. While the Delta Rhine Corridor, which got a €47 million grant from the EU, will link the Rotterdam industrial cluster with Germany, enabling cross‑border CO2 transport, the Delta Schelde CO2nnection that obtained €22 million from CEF Energy will establish a connection between Rotterdam and Antwerp (Belgium), strengthening Northwest European CCS integration.

This quintet is determined to present how their collaboration lays the foundation for what Porthos, which got funding of €6.5 million for studies and more than €102 million for works related to the infrastructure from the EU, has described as “a smart, safe, and affordable network” that connects industry, ports, and storage locations across national borders, taking “major steps toward a climate-neutral Europe.”

While CO2next secured €33 million of CEF funding to develop, build, and operate a hub terminal in the Port of Rotterdam for the reception, temporary storage, and transit of liquid CO2, Aramis won €124 million to set up a carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) infrastructure from emitters in hard-to-abate industrial sectors in Northwest Europe to stores on the Dutch Continental Shelf.

Porthos claims to demonstrate that this CO₂ network is already in development, with the crafting of the land and sea pipelines that have been completed. In addition, the construction of the compression facilities is well underway, as is the conversion of the existing gas production infrastructure into CO2 injection wells and a platform.

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“This progress demonstrates that a robust and future-proof CCS network is indeed within reach. The PCI Energy Days are the European platform for projects that contribute to the EU’s energy and climate goals. Policymakers, industry, and stakeholders are working together to build the infrastructure of the future,” according to Porthos.

“CCS plays a crucial role in this: it reduces industrial CO₂ emissions where alternatives are not yet feasible and keeps our industry competitive. The PCI status underlines the strategic importance of these projects.”

The Dutch project has confirmed a change in its management, in close consultation with its steering committee, formed by its parent companies – Gasunie, Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN), and the Port of Rotterdam Authority – as Hans Meeuwsen, Porthos Project Director, has decided to step down from his position at the end of February 2026.

As a result, the recruitment process for his successor is set to begin, enabling a new Project Director to be selected, who will lead the project through to commissioning and the full operational phase. The other board members, Helen Miley, Dorus Bakker, Michiel Bekker, and Marco Goense, will take over as needed to ensure continuity.

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Porthos is envisioned to be set up as a system for transporting and storing CO2 in the North Sea to prevent CO2 emissions from the Rotterdam port industry from entering the atmosphere, assisting the Netherlands in achieving its climate goals. The construction of this project is underway to allow it to become operational in 2026.