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IN CHARGE OF CHANGE PORTS • ANTWERP IS PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN FOSTERING INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF ACTIVITIES WITHIN ITS BOUNDARY IN A WORLD that has been turned upside down over the past year, all those involved in the chemical logistics chain have had to pedal harder than ever to keep up with rapid fluctuations in the pattern and level of demand for their services. Last month’s EPCA Annual Meeting gave the opportunity, if only virtually, for the whole European community to take a breather, reflect on how they had coped and try to peer into an uncertain future with other fundamental disruptions already on their way. And, while it was impossible to gather in the hotels and bars of Budapest, many took the opportunity to reconnect online. Among them was Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of the Port of Antwerp, who offered his views of the next stage of development for the sector and how the port is planning to play a part to help and
support its chemical cluster and the logistics service providers that keep it running. The last six months have presented immense challenges but the Port of Antwerp has been successful in limiting the damage; “we are holding up well,” Vandermeiren said. This is in no small part due to the importance of the chemical and polymer trade, which accounts for around one quarter of containerised throughput. It is also testament to the power of networks and, he added, gatherings such as the EPCA Annual Meeting, even in an online version, are crucial if the sector is to move forward. TAKE THE LONG VIEW However, Vandermeiren said it is necessary not to focus solely on short-term impacts
and their solutions; industry must keep alert to long-term disruptive factors – many of which were discussed during the presentations and panel sessions at the EPCA Annual Meeting: the need for greater sustainability in all industrial and logistics operations; the need to address climate change; and the growing importance of a move towards a circular economy. Ports have an important role to play in the response to climate change and the Port of Antwerp is actively supporting its chemical cluster in its move towards a carbon-neutral and circular economy, Vandermeiren said. That is why, together with its industrial tenants, the port is working to reduce CO² emissions and transform itself into a carbon-neutral port, by means of ambitious transitional projects. “Sustainable shipping, sustainable energy and sustainable industry – these are areas in which the Port of Antwerp has already taken big steps and will continue to do so,” Vandermeiren said. The port authority is teaming up with business front-runners to realise very ambitious ‘lighthouse’ projects in areas such as green hydrogen, carbon capture and use (CCU), the circular economy, waste heat and alternative shipping fuels. SUSTAINABILITY IN PRACTICE Vandermeiren gave some examples of those projects, such as the power-to-methanol plant being built at the Inovyn site; construction is due to start in 2022, he revealed, noting that this demonstration plant involves a consortium of seven players, including the port authority. The plant is projected to produce 8,000 tonnes of sustainable methanol annually, using captured CO² and sustainably generated hydrogen, avoiding an equivalent volume of CO² emissions. The project is, he said, “an absolute scoop for Belgium”. Another consortium, involving seven leading chemical and energy companies, is involved in an ambitious plan to halve CO² emissions from
the port by 2030. The Antwerp@C project aims to capture and/or use CO² generated within the port, in order to keep it out of the atmosphere – and it is aiming to do this within a short time span and at a reasonable cost. The project has now received support from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)
HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2020
