Survey services firm Furgo and engineering consultancy Sweco started soil investigations for the 70km Delta Rhine Corridor (DRC) West that will connect industrial areas in Rotterdam, Moerdijk, and Boxtel.
Developed by Dutch gas network operator Gasunie, DRC West will transport hydrogen produced or imported into the Port of Rotterdam to end-users in the industrial regions. CO2 captured from industrial sites will be carried to offshore storage sites in the North Sea.
Furgo is performing group tests, mechanical drilling, and installing monitoring wells along the route to establish subsurface conditions.
It’s also carrying out geographical surveys to map the Hollands Diep riverbed.
DRC West will eventually connect to an eastern segment, where the hydrogen and CO2 pipelines will divert, connecting hydrogen supply to Northwest Germany.
Originally expected online in 2028, the project has faced significant delays and is now due to be commissioned in 2033.
These delays have been cited as reasons for the delay of major clean hydrogen production and import projects. In 2025, Vattenfall and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners scaled and pushed back their 1GW planned Zeevonk hydrogen plant.
DRC was also highlighted as a barrier for clean hydrogen import terminal developers in the Port of Rotterdam.
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