---

Rubis Terminals and Cargill have signed a lease agreement with the Port of Rotterdam Authority for the expansion of their site by 2.8 and 4.4 hectares respectively.

The site, on Welplaatweg, is currently leased by their joint ‘neighbour’ Evonik. This company will have ceased all operations by the end of 2012 and will hand over the (cleaned-up) site afterwards, which will be in 2013.

In addition to the site expansion, an agreement was also reached on deepening Cargill’s sea jetty by 3.5 metres to -/- 15.20 metres NAP (New Amsterdam Water Level). This will be possible by moving various mooring facilities ‘outside’. The project is scheduled to be completed in the final quarter of 2012. For the time being, Rubis is looking into expanding its jetty capacity for both ocean and inland shipping.

Intensification

The Botlek area, built in the 1950s, is virtually full. It is becoming more cramped on the water too, due to the increased size of ocean-going ships and inland vessels. At the same time, the Port Authority wants to facilitate economic growth by creating more handling capacity. It is therefore continually redeveloping and investing through and in:

* re-allocation following business discontinuation, as now with the Evonik site.

* construction of space-saving quays such as for Odfjell.

* filling up open (option) sites, such as now with Bertschi and EBS.

* modification of the infrastructure, such as laying and rerouting pipelines, roads and railway lines.

Companies

Rubis Terminal Rotterdam is part of the French Rubis Terminal, the largest independent tank storage company in France. The terminal in Rotterdam has been operating since 2008 and stores both oil and chemical products. The expansion on the Evonik site will enable Rubis to almost double its storage capacity to a total capacity of 350,000 cubic metres.

Since the takeover of the refinery of margarine manufacturer Brinkers in 1984, Cargill has been operating from the Botlek facility. The plant refines, fractionates and hardens tropical vegetable oils. Since the start, production capacity has been increased sevenfold to over a million tonnes. At the expansion location, Cargill plans the gradual expansion of the current refinery. The proposed investments are also expected to lead to greater cost efficiency.