North Sea Port, ArcelorMittal Belgium and all the port companies have committed themselves to a climate-neutral port by 2050. This will be achieved by reducing CO2 emissions and further developing the circular economy. To this end, the North-C Circular industrial estate is being developed in Ghent, according to North Sea Port's release.
The development of the North-C Circular industrial estate is a joint initiative by North Sea Port and ArcelorMittal Belgium. Together, they will develop an industrial estate on the right bank of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal in Ghent. The site lies between Rodenhuizedok, the port ring road R4 and the ArcelorMittal Belgium site. It is part of the port area that is designated for companies based in the seaport and along the waterways. The intention is to prepare this 150-hectare site for construction, install basic infrastructure like utilities, provide access by road, rail and water and move in companies geared towards circular activities.
A brownfield covenant is being drawn up for the entire site between North Sea Port, ArcelorMittal Belgium and the Flemisch government. On 40 hectares of this site there are historic dredging sludge depots that are impeding the immediate development of the site. The covenant will enable this underutilised land to be transformed into an industrial estate in a comprehensive and structured manner and its use extended. The accompanying forest compensation will be carried out as much as possible in the vicinity.
When work on the industrial estate is completed, it will be ready to accommodate economic activities focused on reducing CO2 emissions, the energy transition from fossil to renewable raw materials, the circular economy and partnerships with companies in the surrounding area. These companies will then contribute to making the port and ArcelorMittal Belgium climate-neutral.
The first is to further improve resource and energy efficiency.
The second is to embrace hydrogen as a reducing agent. ArcelorMittal Belgium has two blast furnaces that primarily use carbon to draw oxygen from the iron ore. One blast furnace will be replaced by an installation that uses natural gas and hydrogen to reduce iron ore. This investment consists of a DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) installation and two electric smelting furnaces.
The third and final axis of the action plan is the development of ‘Smart Carbon concepts’ in the heart of the circular economy. ArcelorMittal Belgium is replacing fossil carbon with green and circular carbon: using waste wood from container parks as part of the Torero project is an example of this. ArcelorMittal Belgium is active in the field of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). For instance, the Steelanol installation will convert steel gases into 80 million litres of sustainable ethanol per year. For the purposes of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), ArcelorMittal Belgium is working with the Belgian gas network operator Fluxys and North Sea Port on a study into liquefying CO2 and building a CO2hub.