General*What will the terminal be used for?
*What bio fuels are we talking about?
*What is blending?*What will the terminal look like?*What are the dimensions of the tanks that will be constructed?
*Who is Vopak Oil Europe, Middle East Africa?*When will the terminal be operational / what is the planning schedule?
Safety, Health & Environment
*How will the environmental and safety aspects be handled?
*The intended site borders on an area with a natural/cultural designation. Won't this area be put at risk?
*Where exactly will the new terminal be constructed?
*Why this location?
Economic angle
*Why is the demand for storage capacity for oil products increasing?
*Why a new oil terminal?
*Why Amsterdam?
*Doesn't Vopak already have an oil terminal in Amsterdam?
*How does the terminal fit in with the Vopak strategy?
*How big will the investment for the new terminal be?
*Will the terminal have an effect on local employment?
*What is the expected effect of the supply and transport of the products on shipping?
General
*What will the terminal be used for?
Vopak Terminal Westpoort will be used for the storage, transhipment and blending of petrol, gasoil, and their components and bio fuels. The products will be transported with barges and sea-going vessels. For instance, petrol (components) will be supplied, by lighter, from various European countries including Germany. In the terminal the petrol can be blended to the correct specification for each market - mainly to the ‘USRBOB specification’ - for the United States, which is where the majority of exports are transported to in seagoing vessels. In America the petrol shortage is increasing. In addition, the European (consumer) market will also be serviced from Amsterdam, using inland craft.
As a result of the expansion of the activities with this new terminal, Amsterdam will be able to develop further the position of the petrol hub of North-West Europe, the place where the supply, processing and transport come together.
*What bio fuels are we talking about?
Such fuels are, for instance, petrol or diesel blended with biological components.
*What is blending?
Blending is the mixing of different products and/or components.
*What will the terminal look like?
It will be a ‘state-of-the-art efficient and safe processing terminal. The planned terminal will have a maximum storage capacity of 1.1 million m3 and a processing capacity of a maximum of 20 million m3 per year. Products will be supplied and transported by means of seagoing vessels and inland craft. To facilitate this transport plans are currently being devised for 41 storage tanks, 6 small sob tanks, pipelines, two jetties and two quays.
What are the dimensions of the tanks that will be constructed?
The tanks will have a capacity of 10,000m3, 20,000m3 and 40,000m3 respectively, and a height of 22,5 metres. (This is a change to the previous design, which was based on a height of approx. 32 metres)
*Who is Vopak Oil Europe, Middle East & Africa?
Vopak Oil Europe, Middle East & Africa (hereafter: Vopak Oil EMEA) is one of the five divisions of Royal Vopak N.V. The division focuses on the geographical area of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and provides storage facilities for crude oil and mineral oil products.
With a total storage capacity of 9.3 million cubic metres, the storage terminals are located in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Estonia, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Customers of Vopak Oil EMEA are national and international oil and chemical companies, oil merchants and governments.
*When will the terminal be operational / what is the planning?
Preparatory building work will commence once a final investment decision has been made. It is expected that the terminal will first become operational in approximately two years time.
Safety, Health & Environment
*How will the environmental and safety aspects be handled?
A great deal of attention and care with regard to safety, health, the environment and quality is an inextricable part of Vopak’s operations. Consequently the terminal shall be constructed in accordance with the latest safety and environmental legislation, and shall make use of the best available technology.
The design incorporates comprehensive measures that will provide the necessary assurances for safety and will minimize the impact of any leaks from the tanks and pipes. These measures also include a comprehensive fire-fighting installation. The design makes full use of experience acquired by the Vopak network and by other organizations.
Vopak shall endeavor to construct an efficient and safe transit terminal with a minimum environmental impact. As such, the terminal’s efficient procedures - without delays - will make a contribution to the cleanest possible operations. In addition, Vopak shall also implement numerous preventive and restricted measures that will contribute to the achievement of this objective; for example, the planned terminal will be Amsterdam’s first terminal to be equipped with a vapor-processing installation to process all vapor released on loading both oceangoing and inland-navigation vessels. The terminal will refuse vessels that are not equipped with the couplings required to connect them to the vapor-processing installation. Each storage tank will be equipped with a floating roof and a domed roof. The floating roof will minimize the evaporation of liquids stored in the tanks; the domed roof will provide protection from rainwater, wind turbulence and solar radiation and, in so doing, will minimize emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Film installed under the tank bases will offer additional protection to the soil. In addition, leak-detection systems shall be fitted under all tanks and to all pipes above water, and a waste-water purification installation shall be constructed to remove any contaminants from the oil terminal’s water.
*The intended site borders on an area with a natural/cultural designation. Won't this area be put at risk?
The area, ‘Westpoort’ in the Afrikahaven, that has been allocated to Vopak has had an industrial designation for a long time. The EIA focus on integrating the structure and installations in the environment. IAnd to the possible consequences for the natural environment and the landscape. Also attention is given to the measurements taken to limit possible consequences.
*Where exactly will the new terminal be constructed?
The terminal will be constructed in the Westpoort industrial estate in the Afrikahaven.
This area lies to the northwest of Amsterdam on the North Sea canal. The area consists of some 35 hectares of undeveloped industrial terrain.
*Why this location?
‘Haven Amsterdam’ designated this site for a new Vopak terminal. The planned construction fits in with the zoning plan. Among other things this zoning plan allows for more ´bulk terminals´ in the areas bordering the quays on the western side of the Afrikahaven.
Economic angle
Why is the demand for storage capacity for oil products increasing?
In the markets in which Vopak operates a number of developments can be seen. For instance, the structural imbalance between supply and demand in the market for oil products in the different regions is resulting in an increase in the flow of oil products. In turn, this results in an increasing demand for storage capacity.
The second development is the further diversification of products; among other reasons this is a result of local legislation with regard to environmentally friendly fuels in various regions, resulting in an increasing demand for storage. The changing specifications of fuels also results in the supply of more components.
Why a new oil terminal?
The Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region is experiencing a capacity shortage. This means there is a requirement for additional storage capacity. The planned terminal will offer both existing and new Vopak customers in North-West Europe the possibility of increasing their position in the ARA area.
Why Amsterdam?
There is an increasing demand for storage capacity for gasoline, gas oil, diesel oil and bio-fuels in Northwestern Europe, and the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region is a major is a major transit region for these products. During the past 20 years the Port of Amsterdam has become the gasoline (transshipment) storage centre in Northwestern Europe. Consequently many players are already active on Amsterdam’s gasoline market, and the components for blending (mixing) oil products of various quality are available at the Port. The new terminal will enable Vopak to further improve the services provided to its international clients, and will offer Amsterdam an opportunity to enhance its position as the gasoline hub in Northwestern Europe.
Doesn't Vopak already have an oil terminal in Amsterdam?
Yes, among other things this terminal plays an important role in the bunker market (shipping fuel) in the Port of Amsterdam.. Read more about this Vopak terminal
In the planned new terminal the petrol will be supplied from, among other countries, Germany and blended to the correct specifications for each market. Distribution of the petrol takes place by tanker to, among other countries, America, where the petrol shortages are increasing. In addition, the European (consumer) market will also be serviced from Amsterdam, using inland craft.
How does the terminal fit in with the Vopak strategy?
The planned development of the terminal fits in with the Vopak growth strategy and is very important for Vopak’s global petrol customers in particular. For international customers the terminal means more flexibility to use the most suitable location and terminal for the various oil products.
Among other product groups and terminals within the Vopak Oil EMEA network there are also growth projects in progress, both through new construction and through conversions of and improvements to the existing terminal network. In Rotterdam, for instance, new storage capacity for 240,000 cubic metres of fuel oil and 200,000 cubic metres of jet fuel is being constructed, and in the Vopak Terminal Botlek Noord terrain a bio diesel manufacturing plant is currently being built. In Fujairah (United Arab Emirates) new fuel oil capacity is also being added.
How big will the investment for the new terminal be?
Vopak is not currently disclosing possible investments.
Will the terminal have an effect on the local employment?
Needless to say, such an activity creates jobs, especially in the construction phase. Such a project can also attract other industries or service providers. The terminal itself is not really labour-intensive, but it does operate seven days a week and 24 hours a day.
What is the expected effect of the supply and transport of the products on shipping?
The supply and transport of products will increase shipping traffic; larger number of ships will be using the network of locks around IJmuiden and more inland craft will be using the Amsterdam waterways.
