The expansion dovetails with the existing plans and permits. Subsequent to the phased completion of the terminal between 2011 and 2012, the total storage capacity will reach approximately 1.2 million cubic metres. It is a major impulse for the port’s growth in the years to come.

The terminal will serve the growing demand for storage, blending and transhipment capacity for oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region and strengthen Port of Amsterdam’s position as Europe’s main petrol and diesel hub. A significant part of the new terminal’s total storage capacity has already been leased for the long term upon the terminal’s delivery.

At the terminal diesel and petrol products will be supplied and shipped. Blending with other components will allow these products to be used for appropriate specifications in several markets. Petrol will be shipped on tankers to inter alia the United States of America and West-Africa, where demand for petrol is structurally high. The European market will also be served through inland navigation and short sea.

The terminal will have two quays for ocean-going vessels with a maximum capacity of 120,000 DWT, and eight moorings for coasters and inland vessels of up to 20,000 DWT.

Koninklijke Vopak N.V. is the world’s largest independent tank terminal operator, specialising in the storage and transhipment of wet and gaseous chemical and oil products. Vopak operates 79 terminals with a total storage capacity of more than 27 million cubic metres in 32 countries.