Paris, 23 May 2025 – Racine assisted the French company H2V in establishing a joint venture with the German firm Hy2gen, named H4 Marseille Fos. This project is the first Euro-Mediterranean initiative aimed at producing synthetic fuel for decarbonising aviation.

H2V, a subsidiary of the SAMFI-Invest group, is a leading French company specialising in the industrial development of low-carbon hydrogen. Specialising in the design and implementation of green hydrogen and synthetic fuel gigafactories, H2V is central to the national strategy of decarbonising industry and transport.

During the Choose France 2025 international summit, H2V formalised a strategic partnership with Hy2gen, a German company and world leader in the production of renewable hydrogen and its derivatives. Together, they are establishing H4 Marseille Fos, an ambitious Franco-German joint venture based in Fos-sur-Mer, in collaboration with the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille.

With a production capacity of 390 MW of low-carbon hydrogen, it represents a total investment of €1.5 billion in France and creats over 165 direct jobs. By 2030, it will produce 75,000 tonnes of sustainable synthetic aviation fuel (e-SAF) annually.

H4 Marseille Fos is the first Euro-Mediterranean project designed to produce synthetic fuel and decarbonise the aviation sector. Using methanol-to-jet technology, the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 84% compared to fossil paraffin, avoiding around 240,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year. The project establishes Fos-sur-Mer as a European leader in sustainable fuels and will surpass the requirements of the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation as early as 2030.

Racine advised H2V with a team composed of:
– Maud Bakouche, partner, assisted by Elsa Dufaut, Léopoldine Mauvais (associates) and Macha Sonesaksith (legal counsel), on corporate aspects;
– Sylvain Bergès, partner, on projects;
– Quentin Cournot, partner, on tax issues;
– Barna Evva, partner, on financing aspects.

Gide advised HY2GEN with a team composed of Marie Bouvet Guiramand Bénédicte Mazel, partner, on project aspects, Alexis Pailleret, partner, Chloé Bouhours (Counsel) and Sophia Messedi (Legal) on corporate aspects.

Flack & Cie advised H2V on the financial aspects, with a team comprising Arie Flack (CEO), Sam Arachequesne-Jaloux and Thomas Dumon (associates).