Trade mission to Oman: opportunities for the Netherlands in critical raw materials and hydrogen
Global demand for critical raw materials is growing rapidly. Materials such as copper, lithium, phosphate and other rare earth elements are indispensable for the energy transition, digitalisation and making industry more sustainable. At the same time, there is a growing need for sustainable fuels, such as green hydrogen, to achieve the climate targets of the Netherlands and Europe. Against this backdrop, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Dutch embassies in the region organised a trade mission to Oman at the end of September, focusing on critical raw materials.
Why Oman?
Oman is rapidly emerging as a key player within both the critical raw materials and hydrogen value chains. The country possesses reserves of, amongst other things, copper, phosphate and other strategic minerals, and is actively investing in mining, processing, logistics and recycling. In addition, Oman is strongly committed to the development of large-scale green hydrogen projects, supported by excellent solar and wind conditions and a strategic location between Europe, Asia and Africa.
This is relevant for the Netherlands. Dutch industry, the energy transition and the manufacturing sector are heavily dependent on a stable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. Strengthening international partnerships and diversifying supply chains are therefore central to the Dutch National Raw Materials Strategy and the European Critical Raw Materials Act.
Dutch expertise meets Omani ambitions
During the mission, discussions took place with various government bodies, project developers and companies from the mining and industrial sectors. The programme included meetings with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, local investors and mining organisations.
The Dutch delegation comprised companies active in the fields of sustainable mining, measurement and control technology, logistics, water management, recycling, industrial technology and hydrogen. Their expertise aligns well with Oman’s ambitions to accelerate the development of sustainable and future-proof value chains.
As the administrator of the Dutch export credit insurance scheme, Atradius Dutch State Business is seeing a growing need for financing solutions for projects that contribute to the security of supply of critical raw materials and sustainable fuels.
Given the insurance solutions for projects in the field of critical raw materials and sustainable fuels introduced last year, it was therefore logical for Atradius DSB to join this trade mission. These instruments have been developed to facilitate financing for, amongst other things, the extraction, processing and recycling of critical raw materials and for the production of sustainable fuels such as biofuels, synthetic fuels and green hydrogen.
This expansion of our product portfolio can support projects abroad that supply raw materials or sustainable fuels to the Netherlands or the European Union. In addition, under certain conditions, it is also possible to support projects in the Netherlands that rely on imported raw materials or are export-oriented.
From trade mission to concrete opportunities
This trade mission gave Atradius DSB greater insight into developments within the Omani mining and hydrogen sectors. It became clear that Dutch companies can play a role in a wide range of areas, from mining technology and recycling to logistics, water management, infrastructure and hydrogen development.
This means the mission fits in well with the wider Dutch commitment to strategic autonomy, security of supply and accelerating the energy transition, and enables Atradius DSB to contribute to the development of future-proof value chains for both critical raw materials and sustainable fuels.
Mackenzie Masaki - Business Developer