2025, a year of acceleration for the H2med hydrogen corridor

The year 2025 has enabled H2med to change scale. The future hydrogen transport corridor must become one of the main European infrastructures dedicated to renewable, low-carbon hydrogen. By 2032, it will be transporting 10% of the 20 million tonnes of hydrogen set out in Europe's RePowerEU targets. This year, H2med has taken decisive steps forward, confirming its position as a strategic link in the continent’s energy transition and industrial competitiveness.

1. The process was set in motion in January, when the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) mobilised €35m to finance the initial studies. This support was confirmed by European Commissioner Teresa Ribera, who received the leaders of the H2med consortium in February.
2. In February, the call for expressions of interest demonstrated the strong interest in this infrastructure: nearly 170 companies responded with more than 500 hydrogen projects, the Iberian Peninsula confirmed its strong export potential from 2030 (0.4 Mt/year for Portugal and 1.22 Mt/year for Spain at the start of 2030), France is showing significant volumes with high consumption and high production trends, and consumption in western Germany could absorb half of H2med's capacity by 2035.
3. In the spring, this territorial commitment took concrete form with the mobilisation of the five French regions in support of HY-FEN, the national H2med backbone crossing France from south to north (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Grand Est, Occitanie and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur).
4. The summer marked a key milestone, with the creation in June of BarMar, a company owned by Enagás (50% of the capital), NaTran (33.3% of the capital) and Teréga (16.7% of the capital). This operational framework, covering the maritime project linking Barcelona to Marseille, is responsible for conducting studies, coordinating governance and preparing the future construction site for the undersea hydrogen pipeline.
5. A few weeks later, the industrial dynamic was reinforced with the expansion of the H2med Alliance, which now brings together 49 major players in the sector - industrial producers, operators and consumers. This expansion has reaffirmed market interest and the gradual construction of a complete ecosystem around the corridor.
6. Then, on 29 August, at the end of the Franco-German Council of Ministers, President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz reaffirmed H2med's central role in European energy strategy, calling for "accelerated development of cross-border infrastructure".
7. The penultimate milestone came on 18 November, with the announcement of the success of the geophysical prospecting campaigns carried out in 2024 and 2025. They confirmed the technical feasibility of the BarMar submarine route: infrastructure crossings can be built and the seabed is compatible with proven engineering solutions. This result means that BarMar can be expected to enter commercial service in 2032.
8. Lastly, in December 2025, the Commission’s publication of the European Networks Package established the H2med energy highway corridor at European level.

Driven by a shared vision, H2med illustrates the ability of European players to join forces to accelerate the energy transition after obtaining Project of Common Interest (PCI) status in 2024.

NaTran plays a key role in the maturing of the project. The company occupies a central position in the development of the French HY-FEN section. Its recognised expertise in network engineering and cross-border interconnections is helping to build an infrastructure that meets the highest technical and environmental standards. As a long-standing partner of the consortium, working closely with local operators, NaTran acts as a catalyst for energy cooperation in Europe.