Deutsche Bahn eyes role as hydrogen transporter
German national rail company aims to use existing chemical tank wagons to move ammonia from ports to industrial demand centres
German state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) is working with the energy industry to develop ways to use its fleet of tank wagons to transport liquid hydrogen derivates, mainly in the form of ammonia, in large volumes from import terminals to industrial demand centres. DB Cargo, the company’s freight arm, would deploy tank wagons already used to transport chemicals to move ammonia around its 35,000km rail network. The plan offers an efficient alternative to hydrogen pipelines, which Germany does not possess, the company says. "We have developed a solution that brings hydrogen easily and efficiently from the ports to consumers in the hinterland, particularly to our industrial custome
Also in this section
2 December 2025
Oil major cites deteriorating demand and a planning debacle as it abandons one of UK’s largest blue hydrogen projects
1 December 2025
Project at Emden in northwest Germany due online in 2027, but wider ramp-up of clean hydrogen sector in Germany will require overhaul of government policy, company warns
25 November 2025
The northwest African country’s vision of integrating green power, molecules and steel is alive and kicking, and serves as a reminder of hydrogen’s transformative potential
19 November 2025
The creation of ‘lead markets’ to generate hydrogen demand in the EU has potential, but implementation would pose complex challenges for producers and industrial offtakers






