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North Sea Port becomes second Pipelink shareholder for international pipeline projects
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North Sea Port becomes second Pipelink shareholder for international pipeline projects

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North Sea Port becomes second Pipelink shareholder for international pipeline projects

Tom Editor2023-12-18T12:58:35+00:00December 18th, 2023|News|

Cooperation between Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Norh Sea Port to accelerate energy transition North Sea Port is to become a minority shareholder in Pipelink, currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Port of Antwerp-Bruges. This new partnership will develop and build local, national and international pipeline projects – essential steps forward in the modal shift and energy transition. Pipelink owns and manages an asset base of 750 kilometres of pipelines in Belgium. With North Sea Port becoming a minority shareholder in Pipelink thanks to a capital injection, the three largest Belgian port platforms Antwerp, Ghent and Zeebrugge will be represented in Pipelink. Modal shift and energy transition Pipelines are the most environmentally friendly, energy-efficient and safe method for transporting gaseous and liquid products. As such, they have a key role to play in the modal shift and energy transition. Win-win Besides Ghent, Vlissingen and Terneuzen in the Netherlands are also part of North Sea Port. Since this area is home to numerous energy-intensive companies, there are various pipeline opportunities there. Furthermore, Pipelink's ambition is to develop pipeline networks for the transport of (green) hydrogen carriers such as ammonia, methane and methanol. New pipelines between the Zeebrugge and Antwerp port platforms will cross the Ghent port platform and can therefore also connect the Ghent and Antwerp clusters with each other. By analogy with Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Antwerp, North Sea Port – as a shareholder in Pipelink – can play a facilitating role in developing these projects. Shared ambition: CO2 transport infrastructure Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) and eventually the reuse of CO2 as a feedstock for various applications (Carbon Capture & Utilisation, CCU) are essential in the transition to climate neutrality. Like Port of Antwerp-Bruges with its Antwerp@C project (with Pipelink as a partner), in the shape of Ghent Carbon Hub, North Sea Port is also aiming to offer its industrial customers a CO2 hub with locally accessible infrastructure (open access backbone). Alongside these local backbones, Fluxys, Pipelink, Socofe and FPIM have joined forces to develop a national CO2 backbone known as "C-grid". It will be connected to CO2 export infrastructure and adjacent infrastructure in neighbouring countries to support energy-intensive industries in northwestern Europe as they move towards climate neutrality. Jacques Vandermeiren, chairman of Pipelink's executive board and CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges: "For a challenge like the energy transition, collaboration is essential. The fact that North Sea Port is now also part of Pipelink will only accelerate this transition and the construction of the necessary infrastructure. This is good news and a win-win for all parties. By connecting the Belgian port platforms, we can avoid competition and potential duplication of expensive infrastructure." Daan Schalck, CEO North Sea Port: "Our participation in Pipelink is yet another great example of cooperation between ports, and with companies. This allows us to help determine the management and development of the CO2 pipelines in our port area and put opportunities for port customers first. Indeed, North Sea Port is committed to [...]

“Fluxys C-Grid”: Fluxys Belgium, Pipelink, Socofé and SFPIM join forces to create a CO2 network operator

Tom Editor2023-09-27T19:14:06+00:00September 27th, 2023|News|

"Fluxys C-Grid”: Fluxys Belgium, Pipelink, Socofé and SFPIM join forces to create a CO2 network operator Read the full press release here: C-GRID

Pipelink looks back on EIES 2022

Tom Editor2023-02-03T10:54:59+00:00February 3rd, 2023|News|

The need for European pipeline networks Pipelink was a guest at the European Industry & Energy Summit 2022 at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus in Geleen, Netherlands at the end of November. The two-day event saw dozens of speakers from the process industry and energy sector present solutions to combat climate change. Including Michel Leyseele, managing director of Pipelink and Maurice Pelsers, managing director of Petrochemical Pipeline Services (PPS). Here is a review of their plea for the development of common carriers in Northwestern Europe. The importance of European common carriers Northwestern Europe urgently needs cross-border common carriers and this is because of the current energy crisis, supply problems, and growing challenges around energy transition, Leyseele & Pelsers stress. Remarkably, unlike in the United States of America, pipelines in Northwestern Europe very often stop at country borders. According to Leyseele & Pelsers, this has all to do with national and sometimes even regional legislation and their licensing and permitting issues, political polarisation, and constant election fever, resulting in short-term decisions, nimbyism among residents and firms, and so on. And above all, the persistent mindset that neighbouring countries are not partners, but only customers or, worse, competitors. For example, the Antwerp Rotterdam Rhine Ruhr Cluster (ARRR) is viewed not as one mega-cluster, but as a collection of more than twenty local chemical clusters. However, the same parties curiously regard Houston, which is much larger in area, as one cluster. TRILOG as a catalyst Time for change, then. This is why TRILOG was established in 2017, a partnership between the Belgian region of Flanders, the Netherlands and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which is intended to result in specific actions aimed at a sustainable future vision for the chemical sector. TRILOG is a collaboration between Port of Antwerp-Bruges (and its subsidiary Pipelink), Port of Rotterdam, and seven petrochemical players: Sabic (and its subsidiary PPS), Dow, Evonik, Basell Polyolefins, BASF, INEOS, BP, and Borealis. In addition to the development of cross-border pipelines, TRILOG is exploring five more initiatives. Successful start Leyseele & Pelsers underline that favourable framework conditions must be created in order to realise European pipeline networks. At the same time, much has already been realised: Possible products, routes, border crossings, distances and locations to be connected have been investigated. Petrochemical companies have collaborated on a survey to identify industry needs. And the Netherlands, Flanders and North Rhine Westphalia signed a joint declaration of intent on 5 May 2021. The pair of speakers concluded the talk with a positive note and a hopeful outlook: the existing ARG (Aetylen-Rohrleitungs-Geselschaft) pipeline network for ethylene is already one good example of this kind of successful cooperation between the Belgian, German and Dutch chemical industries. Interesting in finding out more about common carriers or a European pipeline network? Contact Pipelink.