Vopak Botlek gets eight new ethanol facilities
Vopak Botlek has commissioned eight new tanks with a total capacity of 149,000 m3. The first shipment consisted of ethanol for use in fuels. In addition, the handling apparatus for ethanol trains is to be modified.
It was already possible to load unit trains for methanol and unload trains for ethanol. From the fourth quarter onwards, it will also be possible to load ethanol onto trains, at the rate of two a day. This is in response to growth in the ethanol market in general and increasing demand from the hinterland, particularly to destinations without a connection by water. (1)
Ethanol Vopak Botlek.imageIncrease in scale
Ethanol is being produced - overseas - in increasingly large quantities. Parallel to this, the scale of cargo shipments traded and transported by tanker is growing. The large tanks built by Vopak are the next link in the chain. Since some time, larger inland tank vessels come into service. Now, demand is rising on ’dry’ inland locations in especially Germany as well. Therefore the modification of the rail facilities is a logical continuation in process of increase in scale.
Ethanol is blended into petrol. Brazil is the main overseas producer and Rotterdam is the main transit port for Northwest Europe. Transit transport is mainly by smaller sea-going vessels (Sweden, United Kingdom, Northern Germany) and freight barge (Germany’s rivers and canals). The train can pass on the advantages of scale further into the continental hinterland.
It was already possible to load unit trains for methanol and unload trains for ethanol. From the fourth quarter onwards, it will also be possible to load ethanol onto trains, at the rate of two a day. This is in response to growth in the ethanol market in general and increasing demand from the hinterland, particularly to destinations without a connection by water. (1)
Ethanol Vopak Botlek.imageIncrease in scale
Ethanol is being produced - overseas - in increasingly large quantities. Parallel to this, the scale of cargo shipments traded and transported by tanker is growing. The large tanks built by Vopak are the next link in the chain. Since some time, larger inland tank vessels come into service. Now, demand is rising on ’dry’ inland locations in especially Germany as well. Therefore the modification of the rail facilities is a logical continuation in process of increase in scale.
Ethanol is blended into petrol. Brazil is the main overseas producer and Rotterdam is the main transit port for Northwest Europe. Transit transport is mainly by smaller sea-going vessels (Sweden, United Kingdom, Northern Germany) and freight barge (Germany’s rivers and canals). The train can pass on the advantages of scale further into the continental hinterland.