The Port of Rotterdam Authority is raising 55 ha of new land at Maasvlakte 2 for companies making renewable fuels and chemicals.

Dutch marine engineering company Van Oord has already started work, following the announcement by Finnish company UPM that it wanted to establish its new biorefinery in Rotterdam, although a final decision Is not expected before the end of 2022. The Port Authority wants to create a cluster of similar ‘green’ companies producing fuels and renewable chemicals from residual materials, which can share infrastructure such as pipelines. UPM could become the first. The cluster could eventually cover an area of 90 ha.

Van Oord will deliver 5 million m3 of sand onto the southern part of Prinses Alexiahaven to raise the land to 6 m above New Amsterdam Water Level (NAP). The initial part of the work will be completed in July 2022. The sand will need to settle for six months before a layer of clay is added on top and grass sown to prevent the sand blowing away. It can then be built on.

(Source: Tank Storage Magazine)