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Leading tank storage operator Royal Vopak has announced that it has decided to expand its storage terminal for oil products in the Port of Amsterdam, on which construction started in 2009.

Growing demand for storage, blending and transshipment services for gasoline and other light oil products were cited as the main reasons for Vopak to expand its terminal currently under construction in Amsterdam’s Westpoort industrial zone.

The 620,000 cubic meters of storage capacity provided by phase 1, which is already under construction, will be increased by a further 570,000 cubic meters.

After the phased completion of the terminal between 2011 and 2012, total storage capacity will be approximately 1.2 million cubic meters.

The terminal will help to meet the huge demand for storage capacity in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region. The decision to further expand the terminal's capacity is also set to be a boost for bunker volumes in Amsterdam with a larger than expected number of vessels due to begin calling at the facility once construction work is completed.

The Port of Amsterdam plays an important international role in the ARA region as a logistics hub for gasoline and related product flows between Europe, North America and Asia.

With the growing geographical imbalance between supply and demand, the new Vopak terminal will enable both existing and new customers to strengthen their positions. A substantial proportion of the total storage capacity has already been leased on a long-term basis from the completion date.

Automotive gas oil (diesel fuel) and gasoline products will be blended at the terminal with other components to bring them up to specification for the various markets. Gasoline will be distributed by tanker to such destinations as the United States of America, where there is a structurally high demand for gasoline. In addition, tank barges will serve the European market by inland waterway.

The terminal will have two marine jetties handling ocean-going vessels of up to 120,000 DWT and eight berths for coasters and barges of up to 20,000 DWT.