Hydrogen: Movement

Why hydrogen travels disguised as ammonia

What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.

Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 280410

World exports $195.1 m 64 reporting exporters · about 107k t Largest exporter Canada 34.3% of world exports Largest importer United States 31.2% of world imports India imports $872k
exports $17k #24 importer · #48 exporter

Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024

Chart: World map of the largest trade flows

Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 280410: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.

HS 280410: largest exporters

Country	Share	Value (US$)	Tonnes
Canada	34.3%	$66.9 m	34k
Netherlands	14.5%	$28.2 m	3,801
Iraq	14.3%	$27.9 m	55k
United States	10.2%	$19.8 m	2,078
Germany	6.8%	$13.3 m	2,022
France	4.3%	$8.44 m	5,115
Belgium	3.3%	$6.46 m	1,569
Malaysia	2.8%	$5.46 m	572

HS 280410: largest importers

Country	Share	Value (US$)	Tonnes
United States	31.2%	$67.5 m	5,862
Netherlands	22.7%	$49.2 m	15k
France	10%	$21.7 m	4,505
Canada	3.7%	$7.99 m	4,119
United Kingdom	3.6%	$7.77 m	564
Germany	3.3%	$7.13 m	584
Mexico	3%	$6.49 m	57k
Czechia	2.4%	$5.30 m	511

UN Comtrade 2024, reported by each country (exports by exporters, imports by importers), all partners. Some countries (for example Russia and Iran) do not report, so their shares are missing. HS codes can be broader than the tile: check the code before reading a share as the whole market.

How it moves

Measure	Figure
Share traded	under 1% of output crosses borders as hydrogen (indicative); it moves internationally embedded in ammonia and methanol
How it moves	Compressed gas in pipelines (about 5,000 km in the world, mainly US Gulf Coast and Benelux, indicative), tube trailers at 200-500 bar, or liquid at -253 C. Low density makes it costly to move, so it is made where it is used.
Routes and chokepoints	Cross-border hydrogen pipelines exist in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Planned export lanes (Middle East, Australia, India to Japan, Korea and Europe) would ship ammonia or methanol rather than hydrogen.
India	India's hydrogen trade is negligible; plans focus on exporting green ammonia from Kakinada, Paradeep and Tuticorin.
Handling in transit	UN1049 (compressed, class 2.1 flammable gas); UN1966 (refrigerated liquid). Wide flammable range of 4-75% in air; embrittles some steels.