The Transformation from City Port to Climate Port Gelsenkirchen

By 2045 Germany aims to become climate-neutral.
From then on, only as many greenhouse gases may be released into the atmosphere as can be simultaneously removed (e.g., through reforestation). Achieving this ambitious goal requires rapid and far-reaching changes across both economy and society. The transformation into a climate-neutral industrial nation must begin early and encompass all sectors – not only large corporations in basic industries but also SMEs in manufacturing and trade.

The Gelsenkirchen city port offers unique conditions to become a real-world laboratory for this SME transformation:
It is home to energy-intensive companies from various sectors, functions as a trimodal logistics hub with significant traffic, is centrally located in the Ruhr metropolis with access to an extensive gas pipeline network, and will soon have early access to green hydrogen. Plans for local electrolysis capacity are also underway.

The Climate Port Gelsenkirchen initiative seeks to leverage this unique starting point to accelerate the path toward climate neutrality – building on the many measures already implemented in recent years.

The participating companies analyze the climate impact of their activities – for example, by creating CO₂ footprints (Corporate Carbon Footprint) and by assessing emissions and savings across the entire life cycle of their products. Beyond core operations on-site, upstream and downstream value chains and transport activities are also considered – from freight logistics to employee mobility.

The companies are developing operational measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – such as improving energy efficiency and installing renewable energy solutions (e.g., photovoltaic systems) – and implementing these independently. They support one another through regular exchanges of experience and act jointly across company boundaries – for instance, by expanding infrastructure for climate-friendly gases or planning demand for a hydrogen filling station.

The initiative’s supporters accompany these efforts constructively – providing assistance with planning processes, advising on funding opportunities, and facilitating knowledge-sharing.

In this way, Climate Port Gelsenkirchen is becoming a blueprint for climate-conscious transformation of an entire industrial area.
The pilot projects represent the first steps for SMEs entering the hydrogen economy.