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Energy special
Ter Haak Group celebrates its centenary
ZPMC Europe: Bridgehead to Europe
AMSTERDAMAMSTERDAM - BEVERWIJK - IJMUIDEN - ZAANSTAD
2011/nr1
SEAPoRTS
Energy special
Ter Haak Group celebrates its centenary
ZPMC Europe: Bridgehead to Europe
Energy special
Ter Haak Group celebrates its centenary
ZPMC Europe: Bridgehead to Europe
C O L O P H O N
2 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
03 Seaports full of ‘energy’
05 News in brief
06 News in brief
07 Amsterdam Seaports is ready for the future
08 Tank storage terminals in Amsterdam Seaports go green
11 New investment plans for Oiltanking Amsterdam
12 Energy in the picture
14 Coal on the rise
16 One hundred million euro modernisation
17 Amsterdam Seaports: Hub for offshore wind energy
18 Hydrocarbon Hotel, a new tank storage terminal
19 More tanks for greater flexibility
21 Amsterdam Seaports goes biodiesel
22 Ongoing growth as a multi-modal business
23 Keeping the cranes up
AmsterdAm seAPOrtsPublisher: Amsterdam Ports Association
Main contributors: Bart Stam (chief editor), Mark van Baal, Jan van den Berg, Helen Hill, Pieter van Hove, Joris Moes, Willem Moojen, Rob Schoemaker and Niels Tersteeg (trainee).
Photos: Dick van den Berg, Martin Hendriksen, Willem Moojen, Ed Seeder, Reinder Weidijk and others.
Translation: Writewell: Andrew Rogers, Akke Pinkster
Advertising:Daniel Alfeder,De Ruijterkade 7, 1013 AA AmsterdamTelephone + 31 20-6273706Mobile phone +31 6-28999519Fax: + 31 20-6264969E-mail: dalfeder@amports.nlWebsite: www.amports.nl
Important addresses:
Amsterdam Ports AssociationManaging director: Wim RuijghDe Ruijterkade 7, 1033 AA AmsterdamTelephone: +31 20-627 37 06Fax: +31 20-626 49 69E-mail: amports@amports.nlWebsite: www.amports.nl
Port of AmsterdamP.O. Box 194061000 GK AmsterdamTelephone: (0)20-5234500Fax: +31 20-6209821Ships movements information:Telephone: +31 20-6221515Website: www.portofamsterdam.nl
Port representatives abroad USA Jacob Willemsen (New York)+1 - 212 - 681 2566Jacob.willemsen@portofamsterdam.nl Roy Wansik (Houston)+1 - 713 - 964 2713rwansik@yahoo.comGermany Mannes Boelen +31 - 6 - 53 391 745mannes.boelen@portofamsterdam.nlAsia Stella Shao (Shanghai)+86-216 - 288 6990stella.shao@portofamsterdam.cn
Port of BeverwijkNoorderkade 1, 1948 NR BeverwijkTelephone: +31 251-224750Fax: +31 251-214050E-mail: havenmeester@beverwijk.nlWebsite: www.beverwijk.nl
Zeehaven IJmuiden NVHalkade 4, P.O. Box 5411970 AM IJmuidenTelephone: +31 255-547000Fax: +31 255-547060E-mail: info@zeehaven.nlWebsite: www.zeehaven.nl
Port of ZaanstadWestkade 2, 1506 BA ZaandamTelephone: +31 75-6816888Fax: +31 75-6816799E-mail: havens@zaanstad.nlWebsite: www.zaanstad.nl
Business Association ORAMDe Ruijterkade 71013 AA AmsterdamTelephone: +31 20-6222111Fax: +31 20-6203133E-mail: info@oram.nlWebsite: www.oram.nl
Chamber of Commerce AmsterdamDe Ruijterkade 5, 1013 AA AmsterdamTelephone: +31 20-5314000Fax: +31 20-5314699E-mail: info@amsterdam.kvk.nlWebsite: www.amsterdam.kvk.nl
Layout: FIZZ reclame + communicatie, Meppel
Printed by:Ten Brink, Meppel
ContentsAdvertisers:
04 AYOP
20 EuroTankAmsterdamBV
10 KVSA
20 Oiltanking
20 SpecialisedTankerServices
10 WaterlandTerminal
24 ZeehavenIJmuidenNV
Cover Photo: AmsterdamSeaportsisabroadenergyport.Intheforegroundyoucanseesomeofthe88whitetanksofOiltankingAmsterdam,whilebelowweseethedevelopmentofthenewVestaBiofuelsbiodieselplant.Youwillalsospotvariouslarge3MWwindturbines.
A M P O R T S
Seaports full of ‘energy’
By the time you read this column 2011 will be well
underway, and hopefully this year will herald the
definitive recovery of Amsterdam Seaports. I would
like to take this opportunity, however, to reflect on the
results of 2010.
I am pleased to report that the past year was reasonably
successful with a combined storage and transhipment of
90 million tons, an increase of four percent. Although less
growth than seen in Rotterdam (+11 percent) and Antwerp
(+13 percent), it is important to note that in the ‘disaster
year’ of 2009, Amsterdam Seaports had a far smaller
reduction than our fellow ports in the Le Havre-Hamburg
range. In fact, it was only in 2008 that we achieved a better
result (94.7 million tons) than the 2010 figures.
Other positive developments in 2010 included the strong
recovery of steel company Tata Steel in IJmuiden (one
of the four seaports within Amsterdam Seaports), the
thirteen percent increase in transhipment of agri-bulk
(mostly grains and animal fodder products) and the
fourteen percent increase in Roll-on/Roll-off, including cars.
And although the transhipment of oil products and coal
in Amsterdam saw a small decline, both bulk segments
recovered in the second half of 2010.
This edition of Amsterdam Seaports focuses on our role
as a major international energy port. As fossil fuels will
remain the main source of energy for decades to come, we
place an extra spotlight on the storage and transhipment
of oil products and coal in the North Sea Canal region. It is
interesting to read how much money, time and manpower
the major terminals have spent on environmental and
safety measures over recent years. And there is more to tell, such
as the growth of IJmuiden regarding offshore wind turbines, or
the fact that Amsterdam Seaports is becoming a major player
in the field of biodiesel, especially when Greenmills and Vesta
Biofuels go into production this year.
I won’t bore you with a list of all the articles in this edition, but
believe me when I say that Amsterdam Seaports combines four
seaports full of ‘energy’!
Michiel A. Wijsmuller, Chairman Amports
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 3
AMSTERDAM SEAPoRTS Official publication on behalf of the ports of Amsterdam, Beverwijk, Ymuiden and ZaanstadPublished4timesayearinEnglishbyAmsterdamPortsAssociation(amports@amports.nlwww.amports.nl)
MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS: WWW.AMPORTS.NL
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 5
N E W S I N B R I E F
MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL
TRANShIPMeNT INCReASe fOR AMSTeRdAM SeAPORTS IN 2010
Amsterdam Seaports ended last year with a four percent rise in
transhipments. The ports of the North Sea Canal region handled some 90
million tons in 2010.
Compared to 2009, transhipment in the Amsterdam port declined by just 1%
to approximately 72.5 million tons. After a 7.1 % drop in the first six months,
the second half showed a 5% recovery and by the end of 2010 the total
transhipment had almost reached the level of the previous year. For example,
the decline in the transhipment of oil products and coal in the first six months
was followed by a rise in the second half of the year.
Year-on-year recovery was seen with agricultural bulk (+13%) and sand, gravel
and minerals. Roll on/Roll Off transhipment also grew strongly by 40%, while
general cargo and container transhipment declined.
Major challenges for the Port of Amsterdam in 2011 include strengthening
Amsterdam’s position as a logistical and economic hub, the new Port
Information Guide, ensuring ongoing progress with the new sea lock and
possible privatisation of the port of Amsterdam.
In 2010, the transhipment in IJmuiden increased by 30% to 17 million tons,
mainly due to the growing demand from Tata Steel, while the import of
fresh fish increased from 12,774 tons to 14,041 tons, a turnover growth of
approximately ten percent. For the pelagic fishing sector the year mainly
involved substantial fleet investments.
To further develop as a major European hub, the Port of IJmuiden NV recently
started construction of 440 metres of quay wall for a new terminal for reefer
containers for deep-frozen fresh fish. Meanwhile, the number of passengers
on DFDS Seaways between IJmuiden and Newcastle (UK) increased by four
percent to a record-breaking 555,000.
STeRN TRAWLeR AS GOOd AS NeW
After a refit of nearly a year at ship repair yard
Shipdock Amsterdam, the stern trawler SCH81
Carolien (owned by the fishing company Cornelis
Vrolijk in IJmuiden) was relaunched in late 2010.
Named after director Carolien Vrolijk, the vessel
was upgraded in accordance with the latest
environmental requirements, including those
due to be implemented in 2015. This included
changing the cooling system so that it no longer
uses Freon but a mix of ammonia (NH3) and CO
2.
Other renovations involved the working decks,
conveyor belts, crew accommodations, bridge,
sonar systems, echo sounder and the navigation
& control equipment.
AeO CeRTIfICATION fOR NUSTAR
NuStar is the first tank storage company in
Amsterdam Seaports to receive the so-called
AEO certification from Dutch Customs. AEO offers
numerous benefits to logistical companies that
are active in international trade, including the
reduction and simplification of physical customs
checks. Mary Morgan, European president
of NuStar, was handed the certificate on 17
December 2010.
NeW SeA CONTAINeRS
Container Company Amsterdam (CCA) has
launched a new range of multifunctional
containers that meet the most stringent quality
demands. Developed in cooperation with the
Rotterdam-based company Mammoet, 450 of
these ISO-certified containers have already been
made by Chinese company CIMC. The containers
can be used for land and sea transport or as a
counterbalance for the new generation of cranes.
They have a load capacity of up to 120 tons.
Aerial photograph of Amsterdam Seaports
The stern trawler Carolien
6 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
VCK GROUP ANd COMPASS START
STRATeGIC COOPeRATION
The Amsterdam VCK Group has taken a 50%
stake in German logistics company ComPass.
ComPass will benefit the extensive VCK network
and client base, while VCK will expand into
the German market with VCK subsidiary All-in
Logistics (AIL) playing a key role. Founded in
1993 and located near Düsseldorf International
Airport, ComPass employs over 200 staff and
will continue its current activities under its
own name and management. Peter Loonen,
managing director of the VCK Group, has joined
the Board of Directors of ComPass Holding.
OSd LAUNCheS NeW OffShORe VeSSeL
Anglo-Dutch company Offshore Ship Designers
(OSD) has launched a new offshore wind farm
maintenance vessel concept that will improve
uptime of deepwater wind turbines and reduce
costs by carrying out simultaneous maintenance
of multiple wind turbines. The Sea–Wind design
is a submersible dock ship with a large floodable
dock accessible from the stern. It will provide
accommodation for wind turbine engineers,
service personnel, ships and support crew. The
vessel has a capability to service up to 45 wind
turbines per day in up to 2.5 m significant wave
heights. Offshore Ship Designers Group (OSD)
is based in IJmuiden (Amsterdam Seaports)
and has offices in Montrose, York, Appledore,
Shanghai and Singapore.
fASTeR CUSTOMS PROCeSSING AT VOLLeRS
In January 2011, warehousing company Vollers
Holland became one of the first cocoa storage
companies in Amsterdam Seaports to receive
AEO certification (Authorised Economic
Operator) from Dutch customs. This document
applies to customs simplification and security
at Vollers’ two facilities in Amsterdam and
Rotterdam.
N E W S I N B R I E F
CITy Of ST. PeTeRSBURG MAKeS MAIdeN CALL TO AMSTeRdAM SeAPORTS
On Saturday 5 February, the brand-new car carrier City of St. Petersburg made
her maiden call in the port of Amsterdam. The Ro/Ro vessel, owned by Nissan
Motor Car Carrier, unloaded 1150 Nissans for the European market at Koopman
Car Terminal with the aid of the nearby Waterland Terminal. The Dutch operator
of the vessel, Euro Marine Carrier, mainly intends to use City of St. Petersburg for
transporting cars to Northern Europe and Russia.
A unique feature
of the ship is
her streamlined,
semi-spherical
bow shape, which
reduces fuel
consumption.
According to
Nissan this will
result in an annual
reduction of 800
tons of fuel oil
(2500 tons of CO2) compared to a conventional car carrier. Built by Kyokuyo
Shipyard in Japan, the vessel is 140 metres in length with a beam of 22.4 metres
and a total weight of 21,143 tons. With its crew of 24, the vessel can carry up to
2,000 cars per trip at a speed of approximately 16.9 knots.
dfdS SeAWAyS ReCORd
DFDS Seaways’ daily line service between IJmuiden and Newcastle transported
a record number of 555,000 passengers last year, around 24,000 more than in
2009. The passenger increase is the result of a higher occupation of the two
cruise ferries in the spring and autumn seasons due to a successful promotion
campaign. Another reason for the improved figures was the volcanic eruption in
Iceland that paralysed air traffic in April 2010. Many stranded passengers chose to
travel between the UK and the European mainland with DFDS Seaways.
MORE ABOUT AMSTERDAM PORTS ASSOCIATION AND ITS 300 MEMBERS WWW.AMPORTS.NL
City of St. Petersburg arrives at the Koopman Car Terminal
DFDS ferry at the Felison Terminal in IJmuiden
Artist’s impression of the Sea-Wind
“Amsterdam Seaports has a very strong
position in the tank storage of oil products,”
says Ruud van Stralen, commercial
manager for oil and chemicals at the Port of
Amsterdam. “We have several ultra-modern
terminals that can also be used for blending
these products in accordance with the most
diverse specifications.”
Amsterdam has succeeded in obtaining
a dominant position in blending and
has become the largest gasoline port
in the world. Van Stralen: “Amsterdam is
benefitting from the imbalance in the global
gasoline product sector with regards to
the production in Europe on the one hand
and the main markets such as the USA,
West Africa and the Middle East on the
other.” According to Van Stralen, Amsterdam
Seaports also has a leading edge regarding
other oil products: “Over a third of the wet
bulk transhipped in Amsterdam consists of
gas oil. The seaport has the ideal location
with regard to its hinterland in general and
Germany, Switzerland, France and the UK
in particular.” Over the past three years,
Amsterdam has continued to grow between
17 and 25 percent, partly as a result of the
multi-million-euro investments made by the
large terminals between 2005 and 2010.
COAL
Coal is the main dry bulk product handled
by Amsterdam Seaports, with the goal to
increase the current 15 to 17 million tons to
24 million tons by 2020. According to Lex
de Ridder, unit manager bulk logistics of
the Port of Amsterdam, the transport and
transhipment in the ARA range (Amsterdam-
Rotterdam-Antwerp) has been enjoying
considerable growth for a number of years,
notably as a result of the closure of many coal
mines in Germany.
De Ridder says that Amsterdam Seaports
– and of course Rotterdam – will continue
to be the main coal ports in the Le Havre-
Hamburg range. With 33 percent Rotterdam
is slightly bigger than Amsterdam (25
percent, including Tata Steel) with a main
focus on cokes for the steel industry, while
the majority of coal from Amsterdam is used
in electricity plants.
De Ridder: “As a seaport we are well-equipped
for growth up to 24 million tons in 2020.
Increasing the turnover rate is key. Over the
past five to ten years the two large terminals
in Amsterdam – OBA and Rietlanden – have
already invested considerable amounts
into the modernisation of their facilities. In
addition, the Port of Amsterdam is constantly
upgrading its lighter facilities and creating
new mooring places for large bulk carriers.
We have also increased the depth of the
channel to the North Sea Canal to 17.8
metres, enabling large bulk carriers to come
to Amsterdam fully loaded.”
BIO-fUeLS
Like Ruud van Stralen, Marcel Gorris,
commercial manager of the Port of
Amsterdam, also believes that bio-fuels will
play a major part in Amsterdam Seaports,
albeit in the longer term. “As the large tank
storage companies will have to incorporate
and blend an increasing amount of bio-fuels,
the port will automatically become more
sustainable.” Gorris is also proud to report
that the large tank storage companies in
Amsterdam already blended around 800,000
tons of biodiesel and bio-ethanol over the
past year in addition to the total volume of
oil products. Moreover, in late 2010 the new
Greenmills biodiesel plant transferred its first
2,150 tons from Amsterdam to a BP terminal
in the UK. Amsterdam Seaports also has
major ambitions for biomass says Gorris. “We
expect to be transhipping around six million
tons of biomass by 2020.”
www.portofamsterdam.nl
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 7
E N E R g y
Amsterdam Seaports is ready for the futureThe International Energy Agency (IEA) has indicated that although fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) will continue to dominate over the coming decades, sustainable energy is slowly gaining ground. By strengthening its position as an international hub for oil products and coal while simultaneously expanding its sustainable energy facilities, Amsterdam Seaports is well placed to benefit.
With an annual throughput of some 37
million tons of gasoline, gas oil, fuel oil and
kerosene, Amsterdam is one of the largest
seaports in the world for oil products. In
fact, when it comes to gasoline, Amsterdam
is the most important port in the world,
ahead even of the likes of Singapore and
Houston.
To stay ahead, however, the terminals
have to continue to invest not only in
increasing their capacity and safety, but also
in environmental measures. Examples of
upgrades include modern vapour recovery
systems, water treatment plants, oil-water
separators and soil sanitation schemes.
Ruud van Stralen, commercial manager for
oil and chemicals at the Port of Amsterdam,
carefully follows developments at the
tank terminals in Amsterdam. “The large
tank storage companies have long been
engaged in proactive environmental
investments, and this increases their
flexibility. Vopak, for instance, uses internal
floating roofs against vapour formation,
while NuStar has opted for a balance system
between the containers. These two different
systems are both highly effective.” Ruud van
Stralen estimates that each terminal has
now invested between 15 and 20 million
euros in vapour recovery systems.
ShIP TO ShIP TRANSfeR
Graham Wastell, director of Silver Star
Agencies, agrees that his company
increasingly needs to consider various
environmental issues – the Amsterdam-
based ship brokerage often deals with the
supply, storage and transit of oil products.
“It is standard procedure for us to check
our customers’ vessels for the stringent
environmental requirements in both our
port and the European Union at large.”
In order to provide more freedom for its
customers, Specialised Tanker Services
(STS), a subsidiary of Silver Star Agencies,
has developed a mobile vapour processing
and degassing installation for ship to
ship transfer. This plant will be going into
operation as soon as the current trial period
is concluded. According to Wastell, this gives
additional room for manoeuvring when
pumping liquid cargo between two tankers.
It also allows tank storage companies to
receive more vessels.
An important development underlined
by the Silver Star Agencies director is that
sea-going vessels have been obliged to
use only low-sulphur fuel in all EU ports
Tank storage terminals in Amsterdam Seaports go green
8 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
Three terminal managers from Amsterdam Seaports. From left to right: Rolf van Iterson (BP Amsterdam
Terminal), Eric Kleine (Vopak) and Coen Hübner (Oiltanking Amsterdam)
since January 1, 2010. “This increases the
demand for fuels such as gas oil, creating new
opportunities for the leading terminals in
Amsterdam.”
OILTANKING AMSTeRdAM
With a capacity of 1.6 million m3, Oiltanking
Amsterdam is by far the largest tank storage
terminal in the Port of Amsterdam. As
managing director Coen Hübner points out,
in addition to extra jetties and storage tanks
the company has invested a lot of money
in environmental and safety measures in
recent years. “All 83 tanks have floating roofs
to minimise the leaking of volatile organic
compounds (VOCs). In 2009, we also deployed
an advanced vapour recovery installation
Major oil product storage companies in Amsterdam Seaports have invested heavily in modernising their infrastructure and in environmental upgrades over recent years.
E N E R g y
with special carbon filters, which captures
vapours when loading ships.”
BP AMSTeRdAM ANd eUROTANK
With a capacity of around one million
tons, the BP Amsterdam Terminal (BAT)
is another large import and export point
for materials such as propane, butane,
gasoline products, gas oil and diesel.
“We are working with environmental
investments in many areas,” terminal
manager Rolf van Iterson says. “For
instance, we are currently equipping all
our pump cisterns with an impermeable
layer. We are also carrying out a variety of
soil sanitation projects.”
In 2009, BP Amsterdam completed a major
65 million euro investment, in which
environmental issues were an important
component. This focused primarily on
the direct connection of the new pier for
sea-going vessels to the modern vapour
processing installation. In late 2009, BP
also connected the twelve existing jetties
for inland shipping and sea-going vessels
to a second vapour processing system.
According to its director Frank Schaper,
EuroTank Amsterdam has taken a number
of important environmental steps in
recent years. “In 2009 and 2010 we fitted
two large vapour processing installations
for sea-going ships as well as lorries and
rail tank cars. The plants have a capacity of
2,500 and 5,000 m3 per hour, respectively.”
NUSTAR TeRMINALS
Completed in 2005, NuStar Terminals is
a relatively new tank storage terminal
with a capacity of about 600,000 m3. The
terminal stores and tranships fuel oil,
gas oil, gasoline and biofuels. “In recent
years, we have invested large sums in new
environment and safety systems,” general
manager Dineke Pot says. “We aim to be
an emissions-free terminal.”
“We have a unique vapour recovery
system different from that found at
other terminals,” Environment, Health &
Safety manager Lars de Waart adds. “At
NuStar, all tanks and jetties where volatile
compounds are stored and transhipped
are connected to each other with pipes
and linked to a vapour processing
installation. This means that our system
is functional even when no vessels
are loading or unloading. NuStar has a
completely closed system, removing the
need for floating roofs on our tanks.”
NuStar has also invested a lot in other
fields recently. “All locations where
compounds could leak, such as pumping
stations and loading and unloading points,
have impermeable floors,” De Waart
explains.
“We are currently examining how we can
reduce energy use at the terminal,” Pot
adds. “As part of this process, we will first
look at three large thermal boilers which
heat our fuel oil tanks and consume a great
deal of power. We think that automated
controls may be the key to the required
savings.”
NeW VOPAK TeRMINAL
Vopak will soon have a second terminal
at its disposal in Amsterdam. The existing
terminal has 21 storage tanks, which
together provide 85,000 m3 for fuel oil
and gas oil products. “We have also made
the necessary environmental investments
in recent years,” terminal manager Daan
van Rooijen says. “For instance, in 2009
we replaced an old boiler with a new one
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 9
running on natural gas, which led to a
sharp reduction in pollutants such as NOx
and is more energy efficient. In 2008, we
also insulated three fuel oil tanks, cutting
energy consumption by half.”
Naturally, environmental investments
also played a major role in the new Vopak
Terminal Amsterdam Westpoort in the
Afrikahaven (Africa harbour), which will
come into operation later this year with a
capacity of 1.2 million tons. The 41 storage
tanks have an automatic leak detection
system, as do the pipelines between the
jetties and the terminal. Furthermore, all
tank valves are equipped with a special
film (HPDE) to prevent leakage.
“The advantage of a greenfield site is that
we can set up processes using state-of-the-
art technology,” managing director Eric
Kleine points out. “Any emissions of volatile
organic compounds will be very low
thanks to our tanks having both internal
floating roofs and a vaulted ceiling, and our
advanced vapour processing systems that
capture and process vapour both during
loading and under the floating roofs.”
www.oiltanking.com
www.bp.com
www.nustarenergy.com
www.vopak.com
www.silverstar.nl
www.portofamsterdam.nl
The transhipment of oil products has increased substantially in Amsterdam Seaports between 2005 and
2010, partly thanks to the considerable investments made by the terminals
In the largest All Weather Terminal of Europe transferring vulnerable products likesteel, timber and paper no longer depends on dry weather conditions.
Stevedore and Terminal operator
Elbaweg 10 - 1044 AD AmsterdamThe NetherlandsT +31 20 44 80 620E kantoor@waterlandterminal.nlW www.waterlandterminal.nl
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 11
The German group Oiltanking,
headquartered in Hamburg, has been
active in Amsterdam Seaports since
1974. “Over the years, our terminal has
grown to encompass a total storage
capacity of 1.6 million m3,” Hübner says.
“Our main activities are storage and
transhipment as well as the blending of
oil products like gasoline, which reflects
the difference in supply and demand
between the US and Europe. But there is
also a lot of gasoline going out from our
terminal to other regions.”
Gasoline is not the only product stored
and blended at Oiltanking Amsterdam,
however. The company deals with a
broad range of oil products such as gas
oil, diesel, naphtha and jet A-1 fuel. They
are stored in 88 different storage tanks
with a capacity ranging from 2,000 to
60,000 m3 each.
PIPeLINe TO SChIPhOL
Oiltanking Amsterdam is linked to
two major pipelines. The first is 80 km
long and ensures the supply of crude
oil from various production platforms
in the North Sea. “We first separate
the salt and water from the oil here in
Amsterdam,” Hübner specifies. “After
treatment we load the treated crude oil
to barges for transportation to refineries
in Rotterdam.”
A second pipeline of approximately
16 km, in operation since 1998, links
Oiltanking Amsterdam to Schiphol
Airport. “This infrastructure allows us
to supply our national airport with
more than 50 percent of its demand for
kerosene,” Hübner adds. Oiltanking is
also storing strategic oil reserves for EU
gouvernments. Finally, the company has
an additional, activity in the form of the
storage of molasses, a syrup-like binder
substance used in livestock feed.
Oiltanking Amsterdam currently employs
78 people, a figure which Hübner expects
to grow in the coming period.
eNVIRONMeNT ANd SAfeTy
In addition to new jetties and storage
tanks, Oiltanking Amsterdam has
made considerable investments in
environmental and safety measures over
recent years. “As a lot of light flammable
liquids stored here it is only right that
we meet the stringent environmental
and safety requirements of the Dutch
authorities,” Hübner points out. The
terminal manager underlines that all his
company’s storage tanks now equipped
with floating roofs so as to minimise the
emissions of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs). In 2009, the company also
installed an advanced vapour processing
installation, which fully absorbs VOC
emissions during the loading of vessels.
Oiltanking is also a member of the
new AMAS association (Amsterdam
Mutual Aid System), in which five large
oil storage terminals in Amsterdam
Seaports cooperate with the regional fire
brigade should a fire break out in any of
the terminals.
exPANSION
Thanks to the excellent results of recent
years and positive market developments,
Oiltanking is currently planning to
expand its terminal site in Amsterdam.
“We hope to soon have the necessary
construction and environmental
permits,” Hübner concludes.
www.oiltanking.com
E N E R g y
The Hong Kong based mv Adriatic Wave docks at Oiltanking’s new jetty in the port of Amsterdam
New investment plans for Oiltanking AmsterdamWith a capacity of 1.6 million cubic metres, Oiltanking Amsterdam is the largest tank storage terminal for oil products at Amsterdam Seaports. “Olitanking is also working on several expansion projects,” managing director Coen Hübner reveals.
E N E R g y I N T H E P I C T U R E
12 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
VeRSATILe eNeRGy PORT
It is no exaggeration to say that Amsterdam Seaports is a broad
energy port. Almost all types of energy are represented by an
impressive number of tank storage companies for oil products, two
large coal terminals, an international steel company in IJmuiden
(Tata Steel), two electricity plants and companies involved in
sustainable energy. Examples of these businesses include the new
biodiesel plants of Vesta Biofuels and Greenmills as well as the
offshore wind industry centred in IJmuiden.
These photographs show the wide diversity of Amsterdam
Seaports. In the foreground you can see the 88 white tanks of
Oiltanking Amsterdam, and in the top left corner the contours of
the new Vopak Westpoort Amsterdam Terminal and Rietlanden
Terminals for coal storage. Top right are the tanks of BP Amsterdam
Terminal (BAT), while below we see the development of the new
Vesta Biofuels biodiesel plant. You will also spot various large 3 MW
wind turbines.
VeRSATILe eNeRGy PORT
It is no exaggeration to say that Amsterdam Seaports is a broad
energy port. Almost all types of energy are represented by an
impressive number of tank storage companies for oil products, two
large coal terminals, an international steel company in IJmuiden
(Tata Steel), two electricity plants and companies involved in
sustainable energy. Examples of these businesses include the new
biodiesel plants of Vesta Biofuels and Greenmills as well as the
offshore wind industry centred in IJmuiden.
These photographs show the wide diversity of Amsterdam
Seaports. In the foreground you can see the 88 white tanks of
Oiltanking Amsterdam, and in the top left corner the contours of
the new Vopak Westpoort Amsterdam Terminal and Rietlanden
Terminals for coal storage. Top right are the tanks of BP Amsterdam
Terminal (BAT), while below we see the development of the new
Vesta Biofuels biodiesel plant. You will also spot various large 3 MW
wind turbines.
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 13
Coal on the rise
14 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
Ready to roll: The new covered coal transhipment terminal at Rietlanden Terminals
E N E R g y
The two large bulk cargo companies (OBA and Rietlanden) in Amsterdam Seaports have joined forces with Tata Steel to keep dust emissions from coal handling to a minimum. This is part of a strategy to ensure that the expected growth in coal throughput from 17 million tons today to 24 million tons by 2020 is responsible and sustainable.
Coal is the main dry bulk sector of
Amsterdam Seaports. Given that high
tech processes increasingly allow modern
power plants to process this fossil fuel
power with ever greater returns, it is
not surprising that there are so many
coal plants in Europe – including the
Netherlands – and that some of them are
even being expanded.
The supply of coal from deep sea ports
to European power plants and steel
mills is a laborious process. The ongoing
closure of German coal mines has already
significantly increased this maritime traffic,
and Germany is set to reduce capacity by a
further 20 million tons in the coming years.
For Amsterdam Seaports, this is expected
to represent an increase in coal throughput
of some 40 percent by 2020. Terminals
should be able to absorb this growth by
improving the processing speed at their
sites.
TWeNTy-fIVe PeRCeNT ShARe
“In absolute terms, coal supply has
flattened over the past two years, partly
because some power plants in Western
Europe have switched over to natural gas,”
explains Lex de Ridder, bulk logistics unit
manager at the Port of Amsterdam. “The
ongoing closure of mines in Germany,
however, has meant that more coal now
comes by sea, turning Amsterdam Seaports
and Rotterdam into main ports for the
product.”
About 25 percent of the coal destined
for ports from Le Havre to Hamburg goes
through Amsterdam Seaports, including
Tata Steel in IJmuiden. With a share of 33
percent, Rotterdam focuses mainly on coke,
which – together with iron ore – supplies
the German steel industry.
“The focus on power production is part of
the reason why Amsterdam did relatively
well last year even though the steel market
was struggling,” De Ridder points out. “This
effect was noticeable both in the port of
Rotterdam and at Tata Steel: For instance,
the supply of raw materials to Tata Steel
in IJmuiden decreased by 60 percent in
2009 – although the situation has since
improved thanks to the global recovery.
The construction of new coal plants here
at home – in Rotterdam and Groningen
Seaports – will further increase the supply
of this fuel.”
hIGheR ThROUGhPUT CAPACITy
OBA Bulk Terminal Amsterdam has
invested heavily in expanding its sites
over recent years. The company now
has 650,000 m2 of surface capacity and
1,230 metres of jetties, offering a storage
capacity of three million tons. OBA was
able to increase its throughput capacity
from around eight to ten million tons a
year by modifying the existing terminal
and constructing new jetties for inland
shipping. The company is also investing in
a new 60-ton bridge crane which will come
into operation in the second half of 2011.
The first coal carrier moored at the new
Rietlanden terminal in the western part
of the port of Amsterdam (Afrikahaven)
in late 2006. Two years ago, the company
was taken over by the French EDF, and
Rietlanden Terminals now has over 565,000
m2 of surface capacity and 1,600 metres
of jetties at its disposal in Amsterdam,
amounting to a storage capacity in excess
of three million tons.
In addition to site expansion and the
improvement of technical equipment such
as floating cranes, OBA Bulk Terminal and
Rietlanden Terminals have done everything
possible to minimise dust emissions during
storage and handling. This was achieved by
installing sprinklers in the overflow bunkers
and conveyors, spraying the coal piles with
a liquid that leaves a thin layer of cellulose
after evaporating, keeping the coal moist
during dry periods, and protecting it from
the wind. A monitoring system tracks the
presence and movements of dust in the air,
and measurements have shown that the
problem has been eliminated.
Tata Steel has also invested heavily in
countering dust emissions both at its site
and in the surroundings. It is over a decade
ago that the steel company installed an
automatic sprinkler system, and this has
since been expanded and improved several
times. New measures include the capacity
Due to the ongoing closure of German coal mines, Amsterdam Seaports expects an increase in coal
throughput of some 40 percent by 2020
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 15
E N E R g y
The NeCeSSITy Of A SeCONd
SeA LOCK
The IJgeul, the link between the North
Sea Canal and the port of Amsterdam,
was expanded for vessels with a
draught of 17.8 metres in 2005, allowing
capesizers – bulk carriers of 160,000
to 190,000 tons – to enter the port of
IJmuiden. Unfortunately, these ships
are still too deep to pass through the
locks and reach Amsterdam, and have
to be partly unloaded into barges (i.e.
lightened) before they can take their
remaining cargo to OBA Bulk Terminal
and Rietlanden Terminals in Amsterdam.
While this may seem cumbersome,
lightening means that no additional
action for loading and storage is
necessary at the terminal itself. To
incorporate larger vessels – in terms of
length and beam as well as draught – a
large new sea lock in IJmuiden (500
metres long and 65 to 70 metres wide)
is of crucial importance.
COAL: ThIRd IN eUROPe
According to Eurostat’s 2010 Yearbook,
coal-fired plants provide 18 percent
of electricity in the European Union,
while gas and nuclear power represent
20 and 30 percent, respectively. Lignite
and hydropower accounted for ten
percent each, while biomass and wind
power had a share of three percent.
Coal throughput at Amsterdam
Seaports increased from 17 million
tons in 2003 to 22 million tons in
2007 and 2008. In 2009, throughput
fell to 17.5 million tons as a result
of the global recession, which was
particularly difficult for the steel
industry. Last year, the port of
Amsterdam handled more than 14
million tons of coal, 8.5 of which went
through OBA Bulk Terminal and 5.7 via
Rietlanden Terminals.
The transhipment of coal in IJmuiden
represented nearly five million tons in
2010, an increase of 30 percent over
the difficult previous year. Increased
demand for steel products made
a significant contribution to this
improvement.
to cover the coal stock with a thin layer of
latex in IJmuiden, and wind-proof concrete
walls that minimise wind effect during
long-term storage. Tata Steel now also has
covered conveyor belts, and all roads and
rolling stock are cleaned regularly.
www.rietlanden.com
www.oba-bulk.nl
www.portofamsterdam.nl
16 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
EuroTank was acquired in 2006 by Vitol,
a leading energy product company
that is currently broadening its focus to
include the exploration and production
of oil reserves as well as the marketing
of oil products. Soon thereafter a large-
scale project was initiated to modernise
the tanks and other installations in the
Amsterdam facilities.
The renovation is aimed at making
improvements in the field of safety, the
environment and the efficiency of the
infrastructure, says General Manager
Frank Schaper. “For example, we built
two new vapour return installations of
2500 and 5000 m3 to prevent gasonline
and gasoline component vapours
from entering the atmosphere. We can
now intercept and condense these
vapours to reclaim fuel.” The renovation
programme will continue until at least
2015 and cost over 100 million euros.
IMPROVING The qUAyS
Part of the project is improving the (un)
loading facilities for seagoing vessels,
Schaper explains. “We will renovate
the existing jetties, which includes
improving the loading arms to increase
their capacity. As a result, we should
be able to unload a tanker in 24 hours
instead of the current 36.”
EuroTank Amsterdam also built four
storage tanks for gasoline products in
2009, with a joint capacity of 150,000 m3.
These will be extended in mid 2011 with
four more tanks for gasoil with a total
capacity of 75,000 m3. The new tanks
to maintain its position in Amsterdam
Seaports. Schaper: “This port continues
to be one of the major storage and
transhipment hubs for mineral products
in the ARA region (Antwerp-Rotterdam-
Amsterdam).” EuroTank is therefore very
important to mother company Vitol as well
as being the company’s largest storage
terminal with a capacity of nearly 1.4
million m3.
are not intended as capacity expansion,
however. Once they are ready, EuroTank
will clean out and demolish several old
tanks. “For now we don’t have any plans
to expand our storage capacity, but we
are looking into the possibility of building
extra capacity on our current land at a later
date,” says Schaper.
It is understandable that EuroTank wants
EUROTANK AMSTERDAM RENOVATES STORAgE TERMINAL
One hundred million euro modernisationEuroTank Amsterdam is in the midst of a multi-year renovation of its storage terminal in the port of Amsterdam, a project that will eventually cost over 100 million euros.
General Manager of EuroTank Amsterdam, Frank Schaper
E N E R g y
According to Peter van de Meerakker,
Managing Director of Zeehaven IJmuiden
NV Port Authority, the IJmondhaven (IJmond
harbour), the third largest port of IJmuiden,
is an ideal operating base. “The sailing
times to the new parks on the North Sea
are relatively short. In addition, we have
40,000 m2 of land where the wind turbines
can be assembled.” All potential developers
(energy companies, project developers and
investment companies) have now visited
the IJmondhaven. “I hope they will use
this location as the base of operations for
multiple offshore wind parks,” says Van de
Meerrakker.
The major benefit of IJmuiden is its central
location, adds Ron Davio, the new chairman
of the promotional organisation AYOP
(Amsterdam IJmuiden Offshore Ports).
He says that another key advantage is
the presence of a large number of service
organisations such as metal companies,
KVSA (a shipbroker that provides a full range
of IT services) and the Maritime Service
Centre Ymond (MSCY).
The suitability of the IJmondhaven became
apparent during the construction of two
wind turbine parks off the Dutch coast. The
first is the Near Shore Wind Park built in
2006, which consists of 36 wind turbines of
3 megawatt (MW). The second wind turbine
park (2008) is approximately 23 kilometres
from the port of IJmuiden and includes 60
wind turbines of 2 MW.
VeSTAS fACILITIeS
Vestas Offshore the Netherlands opened
new facilities for these projects in IJmuiden
in 2009. The company organises the
maintenance of both wind parks from this
new office and warehouse, and may soon
expand its activities. In 2009 the Dutch
government granted the license for two
new wind turbine parks. The first is from the
German energy company RWE and consists
of 59 turbines of 5 megawatt. The second
project has 100 3 MW turbines.
The Dutch government also gave out design
licenses for the largest offshore wind park of
the Netherlands (350 MW), located some 55
kilometres from IJmuiden. Finally, the Dutch
company E-connection has been granted
the license to build a wind park with 94
3 MW turbines sited 74 kilometres from
IJmuiden.
SUPPLIeRS BeNefIT
These developments are having a positive
effect on the regional suppliers. Iskes
Towage and Salvage, for example, has
already done a lot of work for the two
existing wind parks. During construction the
IJmuiden company was involved in towing
the installation vessels and the transport of
maintenance personnel to sea.
Iskes is also active in the maintenance sector
together with the IJmuiden company Wals
Diving. In 2010, one of Iskes’s vessels (Pollux)
was transporting divers almost continuously.
Iskes expects to continue to be involved
in the maintenance of the current wind
turbines and the installation of the new
parks nearby.
Established in IJmuiden for some time,
WindCat Workboats also transports
personnel and materials to and from the
wind turbine parks on the North Sea.
Together with the American company
Morelli & Melvin, WindCat Workboat
designed a fast catamaran with a front
fender and rubber rubbing strip that allows
the boat to moor alongside the wind
turbines and facilitate easy boarding and
disembarkation.
This year WindCat Workboats is planning
to take the WindCat-101 into operation,
a 27-metre catamaran for a crew of 50.
The vessel is specifically intended for
transporting personnel to farther offshore
accommodation platforms. For smaller tasks,
the company has the fast WindSpeeds,
12-metre polyester monohulls that can carry
small components or up to ten people.
www.zeehaven.nl
www.ayop.com
www.iskestugs.nl
www.windcatworkboats.com
Construction of offshore wind turbines in the IJmond harbour
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 17
E N E R g y
Amsterdam Seaports: Hub for offshore wind energyOver recent years the port of IJmuiden, part of Amsterdam Seaports, has developed into the Dutch centre for wind energy on the North Sea.
Hydrocarbon Hotel, a new tank storage terminalPort of Amsterdam aims to be one of the most sustainable ports in Europe by 2020. In line with this ambition, a tank storage terminal for products such as bio-fuels is due for completion in the port of Amsterdam at the end of this year. The project is being built by Hydrocarbon Hotel, a joint venture between Blue Ocean and the North Sea group, two companies active on the British and Dutch market for motor fuels.
The guests at the groundbreaking
ceremony in the Amerikahaven (America
harbour) in the port of Amsterdam on 23
September 2010 included Neil O’Leary
(CEO Ion Equity, shareholder of Blue Ocean)
and Peter Nohlmans (CEO of the North Sea
Group). At the time construction of the new
blend terminal officially started foundations
for three tanks were already in place. When
completed, the facilities will include eleven
tanks with a total capacity of 140,000 m3
as well as a holding and filling station. The
terminal will also have a quay for seagoing
and inland vessels. Hydrocarbon Hotel is
active in the import, export and blending
of gasoline and the storage of gasoline
components and bio-fuels. The delivery
date is set for 1 December 2011.
CLIeNT NeTWORK
Ruud van Stralen, commercial manager oil
and chemicals of the Port of Amsterdam,
explains that the Amerikahaven is a logical
location for the new terminal: “Hydrocarbon
Hotel is located in an area that is already
being used for tank storage. Moreover,
the terminal suits the needs of our client
network in Amsterdam.”
An important environmental measure is the
construction of a vapour balancing system.
According to Van Stralen this closed system
ensures minimum emissions and vapour
loss, while also preventing odour issues and
other air-polluting effects.
To blend the gasoline efficiently, all eleven
tanks will be equipped with a circulation
system including so-called venturi blend
nozzles. The benefits of this system are
very short blending times and the absence
of electro motors and seals in the tanks.
Because the tanks include a system for
measuring the product density at fifteen
levels, operators can monitor the progress
of the blending process and see when it is
finished on screen without having to take
product samples from the tank.
NeW fOUNdATION
During the groundbreaking ceremony all
eyes were on Voorbij Funderingstechniek,
a Dutch company involved in foundation
techniques that is also situated in the
Amsterdam port. In addition to 134
traditional prefab piles (including for
the operating building and the pump
foundations), the company used high-
speed piles (HSPs), a solid pile system which
had never previously been used as a tank
foundation.
Some 3,800 HSPs are being used, each
with a diameter of 220 mm and an average
length of approximately 23 metres. This
means the load will be more evenly
distributed over a large number of relatively
slim concrete piles, enabling the use of
thinner, less reinforced concrete plates.
The HSPs also have the benefit of fast
installation: Depending on the conditions,
over 200 HSPs can be placed per day,
considerably reducing the construction
time.
www.voorbijfunderingstechniek.nl
www.mno.nl
www.northseagroup.com
www.harvestenergy.co.uk
18 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
E N E R g y
Aerial photograph taken during the groundbreaking ceremony of Hydrocarbon Hotel. In the background we
see the storage tanks of ‘neighbour’ Oiltanking Amsterdam
With its Amsterdam Seaports storage
capacity increasing to 116,000 m3,
Westway Terminals will be servicing more
than just the large agri-industry in the
environs of the Dutch capital. Thanks to
good hinterland connections via trucks,
inland shipping and coasters, the storage
company will also be supplying products
to clients in Germany, Belgium and the
UK. Once the nine new stainless steel
tanks (a total of 15,750 m3) are ready in
mid 2011, Westway Terminals will have
46 tanks in Amsterdam of which fourteen
are stainless steel.
“Compared to carbon steel, these
stainless steel tanks are easier to
clean,” says Bert van Holst, Operations
Director Europe of Westway Terminals.
“This is practical and more efficient
when switching between products. The
stainless steel tanks can also be used
to store certain fatty acids that cannot
be stored in normal steel due to their
specifications. In short, this expansion
gives us greater volume, more tanks and
enhanced flexibility – which is what our
clients need. We offer tanks with volumes
varying from 290 m3 to 13,430 m3.”
SUffICIeNT SUPPLIeS
Independent storage and transhipment
companies such as Westway Terminals
play a stable role in the supply chain of
their clients. The information systems of
the terminal and its clients are closely
linked, for example via paperless EDI
connections. The terminal has a strong
distribution function: Combining the
various goods flows from various
continents for later delivery in smaller
volumes. The tanks also offer clients the
possibility to store products temporarily
and then deliver them when market
conditions are more favourable.
In Amsterdam Seaports the globally active
Westway Terminals is specialised in agri-
products such as vegetable and animal
oils and fats that are used, for example,
as raw material in the food and animal
fodder sector. Van Holst: “Our business is
all about food safety and quality control.
This is a complex process in which we can
offer various services with added value
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 19
WESTWAy TERMINALS ExPANDS
More tanks for greater flexibilityWestway Terminals is expanding its storage terminal in the port of Amsterdam with nine stainless steel tanks. In addition to an increase in capacity, the independent logistic services provider specialised in the storage of (semi-)manufactured goods for the agri-industry and bio-oil will be able to offer clients increased flexibility and diversification.
Aerial photograph of Westway Terminals
such as blending. The transport of the
products to and from the terminal is the
responsibility of the client.”
PURe BIOdIeSeL
The market in agri-products is reasonably
stable, according to Westway Terminals.
This does not apply to another major
activity of the company: The transport
and transhipment of methyl esters, which
is biodiesel in its purest form that is later
blended with fuel. “The market for methyl
esters is very much on the move,” Van
Holst concludes. “Much will depend on
government policies regarding bio-fuels.”
www.westwayterminals.com
E N E R g y
Dirk HuizingaManager Health, Safety, Security & Environment, Oiltanking Amsterdam
Your reliable storage partner for liquid bulk.
We Can, We CareAt Oiltanking, safety always comes first. This is reflected
in our global Health, Safety, Security and Environmental
(HSSE) policy, which has been translated into 15 languages
and is signed by each Profit Centre Manager. For continuous
improvement of our performance we need people like Dirk
Huizinga. Working for Oiltanking Amsterdam, Dirk’s job
is to ensure his terminal meets all internal and external
HSSE standards. Handling huge volumes of hazardous pro-
ducts utilizing more than 90 tanks and 18 jetties, as well
as pipelines to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and crude oil
platforms in the North Sea, Dirk has a lot of responsibility.
He can manage, because he cares.
Admiralitaetstrasse 55 | D-20459 Hamburg Germany Tel. +49-40-370990 0 | Fax +49-40-37099 499 | www.oiltanking.com
Dedicated to your bulkliquid handling. Efficient,safe and with respect forthe ecological environment.
Bro
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Westhavenweg 105F1042 BB Amsterdam T. +31 (0) 20 480 2060F. +31 (0) 20 480 2061E. ops@specialisedtankerservices.comI. www.specialisedtankerservices.com
kwart pagina sts FC.pdf 1 27-04-10 17:58
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Amsterdam Seaports goes biodiesel As part of its plan to become Europe’s most sustainable seaport by 2020, Amsterdam Seaports is currently in the process of acquiring two biodiesel plants: greenmills and Vesta Biofuels, each with a capacity of 200,000 tons a year.
The Dutch company Simadan is
constructing a complex of plants where
organic waste, fats and oils will be
processed, stored and converted into
biodiesel and biogas for the generation of
electricity. This project has been given the
collective name of Greenmills.
BIOdIeSeL TO The UK
The brand new Biodiesel Amsterdam
plant will purify and convert 350 tons
of used fats into biodiesel a day in large
tanks. With a total capacity of 100,000
m3, the park consists of dozens of round
storage tanks and is owned by the
storage and transhipment company
Tankstorage Amsterdam. A bridge with
a bundle of pipes links the tank park to
the pier for seagoing vessels. The ship
carrying the first cargo of biodiesel
departed from this pier in December
2010.
Simadan is a holding company that
incorporates Biodiesel Amsterdam,
Tankstorage Amsterdam, Rotie – a
company that collects materials such
as organic waste and cooking oil – and
the trading company Noba. These four
firms share eleven acres in the port with
Orgaworld under the name Greenmills.
“This means that Greenmills is a concept,
not a company,” Simadan executive
director Chris Linderman explains.
SeLf SUPPORTING
Both the production and storage of oils
and fats costs a great deal of power. Yet
the plants get all their energy needs from
within Greenmills, for instance by using
bio heating oil – a by-product of biodiesel
production – to supply their boilers.
Orgaworld generates methane gas and
electricity from organic waste, and the
residual heat is used for the tank park.
In the future, Biodiesel Amsterdam will
produce raw materials itself, reducing
the potential effects of fluctuating
commodity prices. The company has
already set up a plantation of Jatropha,
an oily, non-edible subtropical plant, in
Mozambique. “We have now planted
the first 2,000 hectares, and our goal
is to ultimately develop 50,000,” Chris
Linderman explains. “Dutch Jatropha
Consortium, which also belongs
to Simadan Holding, now has 237
employees in Mozambique. We have
been working on this for 3.5 years now,
and hope to gather the first oil harvest
this year. By 2013 we expect to produce
sufficient amounts to make it worthwhile
shipping the crop to Amsterdam Seaports
as a raw material for the biodiesel plant.”
VeSTA BIOfUeLS exPANSION
Having started construction of the
factory in February 2010, Vesta Biofuels
will begin production this summer. The
biodiesel plant is currently also working
on an expansion for converting used
cooking oil into biodiesel. “We can
process a wide variety of feedstock,”
project leader Erik Pluimers says. “The
used oils, purchased by Vesta from
animal fat producers, are purified in three
steps.”
The extension of the plant, which will
cost between eight and ten million euro,
will not affect the total refining capacity
of Vesta Biofuels, which amounts to
200,000 tons. The capacity of the seven
storage tanks will also remain at 42,000
m3. Erik Pluimers is hoping to begin work
on the expansion in mid 2012.
www.vestabiofuels.com
www.greenmills.nl
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 21
E N E R g y
View of Vesta Biofuels, scheduled to go into operation in mid-2011
“The scope of our activities and business
units has become ever wider over the
years,” says Richard Ter Haak, CEO of Ter
Haak Group since 1985. “We have grown
into a truly multi-modal modern company
that provides added value logistics for its
customers.” The Amsterdam entrepreneur
expects his business to focus even more on
the international transport chain over the
next five years. “Who knows, maybe we’ll
even have our own freight trains,” he adds.
Richard ter Haak joined the company
in 1975. “I started working in the
container sector in 1978, while we were
still a conventional stevedoring and
warehousing company. The sale and rental
of 20-foot containers proved to be highly
profitable, and that is how our subsidiary
Container Company Amsterdam (CCA) was
created.
IMPORTANCe Of WeST AfRICA
A subject close to Ter Haak’s heart is
the importance of line services to West
Africa for both the Ter Haak Group and
Amsterdam Seaports as a whole. “We
need to support shipping companies by
providing an optimal service, as we do
through our subsidiary United Stevedores
Amsterdam (USA).”
With this in mind, Ter Haak wishes to
encourage the shipping of return freight
from Amsterdam to West Africa. “There
are plenty of opportunities – in the
combination of bulk products such as milk
powder and flour with cocoa products, Ro/
Ro and consumer electronics for instance.”
DIRECTOR RICHARD TER HAAK CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL OF TER HAAK gROUP IN 2011
Ongoing growth as a multi-modal business
22 Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 www.amports.nl
I N T E R V I E W
Chief Executive Officer Richard ter Haak is the third generation at the helm of his family business, which will be one hundred years old in 2011. Over the past century the Ter Haak group has evolved from a local shipping service firm in Amsterdam to a multimodal company with branches around the world.
This is why the Ter Haak Group has teamed
up with the adjacent Amsterdam Container
Terminals (ACT) to investigate the potential
for a joint one-stop shop terminal for
project cargo with attractive, transparent
rates.
Meanwhile, the Ter Haak Group is busy
enhancing its multi-modal hinterland
connections, including most recently in
Veendam in the northern Netherlands and
in Strasbourg. Although Ter Haak Logistics’
new office in Amsterdam has yet to get up
and running, Ter Haak is convinced that
this will happen as soon as the economy
recovers.
According to Ter Haak, all these plans
will come into their own once two major
regional infrastructure projects are
completed – a planned new motorway
(‘Westrandweg’) linking the port to
the ring road around Amsterdam and
Schiphol Airport, and the second large
sea lock in IJmuiden. “The new road will
significantly enhance the connection
between Amsterdam Seaports, Schiphol
and the port of Rotterdam. And the
second lock will boost the competitive
position of Amsterdam Seaports,
especially where container and cruise
ships are concerned.”
The fOURTh GeNeRATION
Three generations of the same family
have been at the helm of the Ter Haak
Group since 1911. “Being a family business
has both advantages and drawbacks. One
advantage is the strong involvement of
the owner in the ups and downs of the
business. But this can also be a weakness,
since you bring your troubles home at the
end of the day.”
Meanwhile, the fourth generation is
slowly gearing up to take charge. “My
son Michael has been learning the ropes
at various departments over the past
four years,” Ter Haak explains. “And since
we believe that it is very healthy to look
beyond your own back yard once in a
while, Michael is currently in Hong Kong
and Shanghai gaining vital international
experience.”
www.terhaakgroup.com
Richard ter Haak: “Amsterdam needs to
stimulate the shipping of return freight to
West Africa”
ZPMC EUROPE ExPANDS IN AMSTERDAM SEAPORTS
Keeping the cranes up
“Quality at a low price,” is how Paul
Rijbroek, sales manager at ZPMC Europe,
explains the strategy that has allowed
ZPMC to take the world by storm. All types
of cranes – grab, general cargo, offshore
or gantry – are increasingly shipped from
Shanghai to the four corners of the world.
In 2001, Kraanservice Van den Broek and
its sister company Crane Parts Europe
assisted ZPMC in the development of
Amsterdam Container Terminals (ACT).
This provided the Chinese company
with a permanent foothold in Europe.
“ZPMC was looking for a service division
in Europe and found us,” Rijbroek says.
“Things moved very quickly after that.”
The two Dutch companies merged in
2008 to form the new firm ZPMC Europe,
which now has 75 employees in the ports
of Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
SeRVICe ANd MAINTeNANCe
“Our activities focus on service and
maintenance,” Rijbroek explains. “We
provide travelling cranes, hoisting
equipment and spare parts, such as
brakes, wheels and cable pulleys, for all
types of cranes. This includes models by
current and former crane manufacturers
from Europe which we replicate to
specification in China or elsewhere. And
although the lifespan of a crane is around
25 years, moving parts, which are subject
to wear and tear, require more regular
replacement.
“We recently started using a second
warehouse for our spare parts in the port
of Amsterdam, which means we now
have 3300 pallets at our disposal. And we
continually have some 25 to 30 service
engineers in the field for maintenance,
inspections and repairs, while another
25 people are based at our full service
branch in Rotterdam.”
CUSTOMISATION
Through its projects department, ZPMC
Europe helps with the construction of
ZPMC cranes as well as related activities,
such as logistics, transportation,
installation, procurement, manpower
and communication with customers
in Europe. “Our Amsterdam base is
strategically ideal for servicing all
of Europe,” Rijbroek says. “And our
consultancy department guides and
advises European customers in the
acquisition, engineering and construction
of cranes, since port cranes are often
customised.” ZPMC Europe has, for
instance, been involved in a new 60-
ton bulk crane for OBA Bulk Terminal
Amsterdam, and two cranes of 530 tons
for MultiServ Holland, based at Tata Steel
in IJmuiden.
OTheR SeCTORS
The larger the container, the higher,
larger and faster the cranes need to
be. Automation has its place not just
at container terminals, but also bulk
terminals, Rijbroek explains. “The automatic
positioning of the grip at given coordinates,
and the augmentation of speeds and
lifting capacities, allow a bulk vessel to be
unloaded faster. At the same time, crane
management and maintenance help to
reduce turnaround times and prevent or
shorten crane down time. In addition, cranes
are constantly upgraded to become more
energy efficient.”
The market for port cranes has become
fairly saturated after the major sales in
recent times. “This means that ZPMC, and by
extension ourselves, has started increasing
our attention on other sectors, including
large steel structures, wind farms, and
dredging and anchor vessels,” Rijbroek
concludes. “Cranes always have to keep up,
and so do we!”
www.zpmceurope.com
www.amports.nl Amsterdam Seaports No. 1 2011 23
C R A N E S
ZPMC Europe in Amsterdam Seaports is the Chinese crane manufacturer’s bridgehead in the European market. Since it is crucial for a crane to be reliable, servicing, maintenance and the availability of spare parts are critical. With this in mind, the company has recently started operating a second warehouse in Amsterdam.
Transport of the two 530 ton cranes for MultiServ Holland in IJmuiden
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