In a significant step towards supporting Indonesia's energy transition goals, PT HDF Energy Indonesia - a subsidiary of HDF Energy - has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Transportation (MoT), state-owned electric utility PT PLN (Persero) and ferry operator PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry (Persero). The agreement outlines a joint study to decarbonize Indonesia's maritime sector using locally produced green H₂. The study will be conducted in collaboration with, and co-funded by, the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The MoU was signed during the Global H₂ Ecosystem Summit on April 15, 2025, in Indonesia, and was witnessed by H.E. Fabien Penone, Ambassador of France to Indonesia, Timor Leste and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

The study will focus on Eastern Indonesia, a region with plenty of sun and home to many of ASDP's strategic ferry routes. HDF Energy is currently developing 23 Renewstable® H₂ power plants in the region. These facilities combine a solar park with substantial onsite energy storage in the form of green H₂ to provide non-intermittent, stable and 100% clean electricity to the grid, day and night.

By generating surplus green H₂ at a competitive marginal cost, Renewstable plants also pave the way for the supply of green H₂ to decarbonize maritime transport. The H₂ produced will be used to power the high-power fuel cells developed and manufactured by HDF Energy in France, a modular, reliable solution tailored to the conversion of maritime fleets. With this project, HDF Energy is deploying a unique integrated approach: producing competitive green H₂ locally and offering a zero-emission maritime vessels' propulsion solution based on its fuel cells.

ASDP, which operates one of the world's largest ferry networks, plays a critical role in connecting Indonesia's remote islands. As a key player in the maritime sector's energy transition, the company will contribute to the study to identify opportunities for converting its fleet and port infrastructures. The aim is to replace traditional diesel engines with solutions based on green H₂ and renewable electricity, in order to significantly reduce emissions.

PLN has already taken a proactive role in launching H₂ pilot projects across the country. The company previously signed an MoU with HDF Energy to accelerate the deployment of Renewstable H₂ power plants as a green alternative to diesel-based power — a collaboration representing potential investments of up to $2.3 B, supported by international development institutions including the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

On the same occasion, HDF also signed an MoU with PT Pelayaran Bahtera Adhiguna (PT BAg), a national shipping company specializing in sea transportation services for primary energy distribution across Indonesia. The partnership reflects a joint commitment to assessing H₂ as a clean alternative to power auxiliary systems on large vessels.

Mathieu Geze, HDF Energy's Director for APAC and President Director of PT HDF Energy Indonesia, stated, “We are proud to reaffirm our commitment to a Net Zero emission future through this strategic collaboration. Working together with PLN, ASDP, the Ministry of Transportation, and with PT Bag, we aim to place Indonesia at the forefront of green H₂ innovation in the Asia-Pacific. Our fuel cells represent a decisive step forward in the decarbonization of maritime transport in the Indonesian archipelago, as well as a formidable showcase for French innovation on the international stage.”

H.E. Fabien Penone, Ambassador of France to Indonesia, Timor Leste and ASEAN, added, “This agreement is a symbol of the mutually beneficial partnership between France and Indonesia in the field of energy. The densification of our economic relations is a shared priority agreed upon by the Presidents of our two countries and will be high on the agenda of the State visit President Macron will pay to Indonesia at the end of May, as I discussed today with Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia.”

“This initiative demonstrates how national leadership, coupled with multi-stakeholder collaboration, can lay the groundwork for meaningful progress toward a zero-emission maritime future,” said Jose Matheickal, Director of the Technical Cooperation and Implementation Division at International Maritime Organization (IMO). “Through our IMO-GreenVoyage2050 program, we are pleased to support the Government of Indonesia in exploring clean energy pathways for shipping.”

On a regional scale, this partnership in Indonesia is part of HDF Energy's development drive in Southeast Asia. On April 11, in the Philippines, HDF signed a MoU with the Department of Transportation to harness green H₂—produced by HDF's Renewstable power plants currently under development—to power the next generation of H₂-fueled maritime vessels. The following day in Vietnam, HDF entered into a strategic partnership with ACST, an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Construction, to advance green H₂ solutions, including the retrofitting of diesel ferries with HDF's H₂ fuel cells.