Inauguration ceremony held on September 9 in Veendam, Netherlands; Attended by POSCO, European Union, Dutch Royal Family, and government officials
POSCO involved in the entire process from design to production; POSCO steel used throughout the test track and diverging sections
POSCO attended the inauguration ceremony of the European Hyperloop Center (EHC) Phase A test track, which Hardt Hyperloop hosted on September 9 in Veendam, Netherlands.
▲European Hyperloop Center test track (Source: Hardt).
The event was attended by approximately 300 people, including Jens Gieseke, Member of the European Parliament; Prince Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau of the Netherlands; Inigo Cruz Martinez, Policy Officer for the European Union Transport Authority; Bertrand Van Ee, CEO of Hardt; Seok-jong Seo, Head of Steel Product R&D Center at POSCO Technical Research Laboratories; Yong-hyeok Kim, Head of Eco-friendly Industrial Steel Business Division at POSCO International; and representatives from EHC partner companies.
The EHC is a test center carrying out sub-projects of the Hyperloop Development Program (HDP), a national hyperloop development initiative led by Hardt and the Dutch government. It is equipped with test tracks and research facilities to promote standardization and technology validation of hyperloop within the EU.
Commercial hyperloop tubes require approximately 2,000 tons of steel per kilometer. With an estimated 25,000 km of hyperloop construction expected in Europe alone by 2050, this industry shows significant growth potential.
The inaugurated hyperloop test track (Phase A) is 2.5m in diameter and 450m long. Hardt plans to focus on testing operational runs, acceleration and deceleration (instantaneous maximum speed of 100 km/hr), precise control in diverging sections, and passenger safety.
POSCO’s Steel Product R&D Center, Steel Solution R&D Center, and Marketing Division collaborated throughout the EHC design and production process. They supplied 352 tons of PosLoop355 steel for the Phase A test track, which is 27% lighter than Hardt’s original design. This marks the world’s first specialized steel for hyperloop tubes, offering 1.7 times the vibration-damping capacity* of regular steel during high-speed travel and excellent seismic performance.
*Vibration damping capacity: The characteristic of a material to internally reduce vibration.
Additionally, the test track is designed to allow for route divergence testing during high-speed travel. POSCO’s advanced thick plate products, totaling 123 tons, were also used in this section, ensuring POSCO steel is utilized throughout the entire hyperloop system.
In addition to the inaugurated Phase A test track, Phase B (2.7km) is scheduled for construction by 2027. The Phase B section will enable testing of instantaneous maximum speeds up to 700km/hr and safety performance checks, raising expectations for commercialization.
POSCO plans to continue collaborating with Hardt on the Phase B test track, applying specialized steel and differentiated tube structures to the main line and diverging sections to ensure competitive infrastructure.
POSCO International also participated in this project. In 2022, as part of its global new business development, POSCO International invested in Hardt, securing a 6.1% stake and steel supply rights. In 2023, they signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Hardt and are jointly developing Phase B and projects in Europe and the Middle East.
In collaboration with POSCO International, POSCO plans to actively market its steel for use in future global hyperloop test track projects.
Kyu-hwan Lim, Head Hot Rolled & Wire Rod Marketing Office at POSCO, stated, “In a carbon-neutral future, while intercontinental passenger and cargo transport will be handled by aircraft and ships, we believe hyperloop, with its superior energy efficiency and transport speed, will manage travel between mega-cities. We will thoroughly prepare to ensure the POSCO Group secures competitiveness as a major player in the steel market for future transportation.”