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Actual - News ArchiveResults Groningen Seaports over 2008January the 30th, 2009 Groningen Seaports can look back in its jubilee year (50 years) to an exceptional good year 2008. The net result mounts up to € 21 million (2007: 5,9 million) and has never been this high. The main reason for this is the number of sold business sites, 120.1 hectares! (2007: 17.6 hectares). But also a new record of cargo throughput has been realized: 7,980,000 tonnes (2007: 7,805,000 tonnes). The turnover increased as well and amounts about € 37 million (2007: € 19.3 million).
Despite of the financial situation the future looks bright for Groningen Seaports. “It was a tremendous year full of growth,“ says Harm Post, managing director of Groningen Seaports. “And the forecasts are very positive as well.”
Mega-investments
In the eastern part of the Eemshaven (Energy Park Eemshaven) construction of quays and ways, preparing business sites, extending Wilhelmina- and Beatrixharbour, deepening the fairway, etc. will start now. Investments of these huge infrastructural works in Eemshaven run up to over € 100 million. But also in Delfzijl huge investments are planned: upgrading Oosterhorn area (e.g. accessibility Chemical Park Delfzijl, Metal Park Delfzijl, and MERA Park Delfzijl, construction of a steam network, and developing Weiwerd.
Successful start
The year 2009 has already been started successfully for Groningen Seaports by selling 3,4 hectares of industrial sites to Sealane Coldstorage (logistic provider foodstuffs), 0,18 hectares to Reym (industrial cleaning), both in Eemshaven, and 0,53 hectares to Jos Hofkens HIG (industrial cleaning) in Delfzijl.
Groningen Railport
In the year 2008 Groningen Seaports has obtained a majority share in the Rail Service Center Groningen in Veendam. From 1st January 2009 this inland rail terminal operates under a new name: Groningen Railport. Nuon Magnum: resumption of construction one step closer byDecember the 8th, 2008 Amsterdam - Friday 5 December 2008 the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality issued a ruling on objections regarding the Nuon Magnum power plant. This brings the resumption of the construction of the plant, which stopped in May this year, one step closer.
The minister considers most of the objections that were lodged against the construction of the power plant unfounded. However, in her ruling she proposes a few extra measures to enable the power plant to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Nuon endorses these measures, which are oriented to protecting the ‘Grey Dunes’ on the islands of Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. Nuon has already, among other things, set up a nesting and resting place for birds.
The ruling was issued in the context of the Dutch Nature Conservation Act. The next step is the issue of the licence – in the context of the same Act – by the province of Friesland. The final step in the process is the granting of a new licence in the context of the Dutch Environmental Management Act by the province of Groningen. The construction of Nuon Magnum can then be resumed.
With the development of the Magnum power plant Nuon is making a step in the transition to a sustainable energy supply. The gas-fired part of the power plant will be built first. The second phase should comprise the construction of a unit to gasify coal and biomass. This gasification technology makes it possible to capture CO2 with a relatively small loss of output. If a lot of wind energy is available, the coal gasification unit of the power plant can be used for the production of products other than electricity. In this way Nuon Magnum can respond flexibly to the fluctuating availability of wind energy. Sealane started weekly liner service Eemshaven-NorwayDecember the 3rd, 2008 Sealane Agency has started a weekly liner service from Eemshaven to Norway in cooperation with the Norwegian company Nor Lines. Each Tuesday a Nor Lines’ vessel leaves Eemshaven to go to several ports on the West coast of Norway, e.g. Lyngdal, Bergen and eventually Kirkenes. From January 1st 2009 they will also call on the Oslofjord.
Since April 1st 2008 Sealane Agency is the official agent for Nor Lines. As agent and stevedore Sealane Coldstorage handles the Nor Lines side-load reefer vessels with a weekly service to and from West coast / North Norway. Reefer cargo / frozen fish is transported to Eemshaven for further distribution. Sealane can also arrange export of all frozen or general (palletized-) cargo to Norway.
Nor Lines put on three vessels on the cycle between Eemshaven and Kirkenes, by which about 30 ports on the West coast of Norway are called on. The vessels, Nordvær, Nordkyn, and Nordjarl, are side-load reefer vessels and are able to transport conditioned as well as dry cargo. Furthermore these vessels are well-equipped with heavy deck-cranes suitable for handling containers, general cargo and project cargo. If wished, Sealane and Nor Lines could even offer a total door-to-door concept. More information could be found on www.sealane.nl and www.norlines.no.
.jpg) Overview Julianaharbour (Eemshaven) with in the middle Sealane Coldstorage Kollo builds new factory in DelfzijlAugust the 1st, 2008 In 2009 Kollo Holding will be starting the construction of a new factory in Delfzijl. This new company, which will be called Kollo Special Grains, will be manufacturing premium quality silicon carbide grains for use in applications including diesel soot filters. The arrival of Kollo Special Grains in 2009 will initially create jobs for 5 people, rising to 20 in 2015. The new factory is being built on a piece of land at the Oosterhorn industrial site in Delfzijl, close to Kollo Silicon Carbide.
Kollo Special Grains will be concentrating mainly on the manufacture of premium quality silicon carbide grains and powders. Kollo Silicon Carbide will be one of the silicon carbide suppliers. The grains and powders are used in diesel soot filters, for cutting silicon slices for solar cells and computer chips and for the manufacture of top quality ceramic components. The capacity planning operation is justified by the sustained growth in worldwide demand for these products.
The construction of Kollo Special Grains will get underway at the beginning of 2009 and involves an investment of € 9 million. The factory will be situated in Kloosterlaan at the Oosterhorn industrial site in Delfzijl. Kollo has leased a parcel of land and has already started the permit acquisition process. Trials are scheduled to be held from September 2009. A modular increase in production capacity is planned for the years 2010 to 2015. The intention is to quadruple the initial capacity during that period.
The Kollo Group comprises the companies Kollo Holding, Kollo Silicon Carbide, Kollo Technology, Kollo Energy, Kollo Trading and Kollo Vastgoed. The Kollo Group has an annual turnover of 40 million euros and provides some 100 jobs. Parent company Kollo Holding is headquartered in Appingedam. Groningen Seaports takes majority share in RSCGJuly the 14th, 2008 Groningen Seaports (GSP) has expanded its share in Rail Service Centrum Veendam (RSCG) from 40.5 percent to 66%. Furthermore the port takes over the management of RSCG from the Development Company. This decision was made in the general board meeting of GSP, with the agreement of the share holders NV NOM and the city Veendam.
GSP and RSCG share the opinion that this expansion of shares and management take-over will lead to a better synergy between RSCG and GSP and that the customers of GSP will receive a better container- and rail transport connection in the logistical chain. This connection is very much wanted to be prepared for the expected growth of goods transport. The RSCG offers existing and potential customers an important modality that is to present in the ports: a container rail terminal. The longest electricity cable in the world is operationalMay the 6th, 2008 This morning (Tuesday, the 6th of May) the longest high-voltage cable in the world was successfully put into operation: the NorNed cable between the Netherlands (Eemshaven) and Norway (Feda), with a length of 580 kilometres. The cable has a capacity of 700 megawatt and is intended for the transmission of electricity between both countries. This cable contributes in creating an European electricity market for 200 million consumers. The cable provides the required synergy for both countries. Norway and the Netherlands complement each other with regard to production and consumption of energy. In the Netherlands, energy consumption is less during the night than during the day. In Norway, the energy consumption during the night is relatively high. Both countries have different forms of energy consumption: Norway has electrical heating, whereas in the Netherlands gas heating is used. With the NorNed cable the Dutch and Norwegian power plants can use their production capacity to an optimum. Moreover, the Netherlands has the possibility to import green hydro powered energy. Partially thanks to this connection, the Dutch market will have lower and more stable prices. The electricity can flow in two directions, whereby the direction will be determined by the energy prices in the Netherlands and Norway. Stable pricesThe NorNed cable is a joint project of the Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from Norway and the Netherlands, Stattnett and TenneT. The 580 kilometre long cable is the longest submarine high-voltage cable in the world. Due to this electricity motorway, market parties can import and export electricity via explicit auctions. For the Netherlands, NorNed is the sixth international connection. For the Netherlands, NorNed is the sixth connection going beyond her borders. The existing cables are two connections to Belgium and three connections to Germany. The NorNed cable fits within a series of developments which are currently taking place within the European TenneT ambitions. Currently, works on a cable to the United Kingdom as well as a fourth connection to Germany are under way. Next developments in relation to the integration of the western European electricity markets have been started. Due to the NorNed cable a market of 200 million consumers is becoming reality. Yesterday, on May 5th, transmission capacity on the NorNed cable was auctioned for the first time. The capacity was auctioned for today, May 6th. The available capacity amounted to 700 MW during all daytime hours. The demand received by NorNed Auction totalled 2430 MW per hour on average. Eventually, the average price was set at EUR 49.42, with a maximum of EUR 89.46 at noon and a minimum of EUR 20.56 at 4.00 a.m. The direction of the electrical current is determined by the energy prices in the Netherlands and Norway. Because prices in Norway are lower than those in the Netherlands, the current will flow from Norway to the Netherlands. The NorNed cable meets the demand for the transmission of cheaper, sustainably produced electricity from Norway to the Netherlands, and the transmission of electricity from the Netherlands to Norway during periods of scarcity in the latter country. Fact and figuresThe cable is a construction cable connected to two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations in Eemshaven and Feda. These stations have a surface area of approximately two football pitches. The total weight of the cable is approximately 47,000 tonnes and the cable has been installed in eight sections. In total the project involved a continuous execution time period of ten years, of which three years were used for the actual installation of the cable and corresponding converter stations.
Groningen Seaports and RWE sign contract EemshavenMarch the 11th, 2008 Groningen Seaports and RWE have signed a agreement for land purchase for a power plant of RWE. The location in Eemshaven occupies an area of almost 50 hectares. The signing took place on the future grounds of RWE and is an important step in the development of the energy cluster in Eemshaven.The eastern part of the Eemshaven has been established for the development of the energy related businesses: the so called Energy Park Eemshaven. In January the contract was signed with NUON, also for the construction of a energy plant. Earlier Essent, Vopak and Gasunie has chosen Eemshaven for the construction of a LNG terminal. RWE wants to build a power plant suitable for coals and biomass. The plant will be build including a provision to collect and store CO2. They expect to start with the construction at the end of 2008. The plant will be ready in four years. The investment is € 2.2 billion. Raw materials from Delfzijl for Olympic swimming pool BeijingMarch the 10th, 2008 CLEVELAND – Few events signify perfection better than the Olympics. To qualify to be a part of the 29th Olympiad requires a flawless performance, as well as a track record for outstanding achievement – not just for the participants who compete, but also for the products and materials chosen for the construction and operation of the numerous competition venues at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. That includes the piping required to run the elaborate water treatment system designed especially for the main competition pool found inside the National Aquatics Center. After rigorous product and performance testing, it was determined that The Lubrizol Corporation’s (NYSE:LZ) Corzan® CPVC pipe and fittings possessed the best combination of attributes to effectively and reliably perform in this demanding environment. Corzan pipe and fittings possess a unique balance of properties, including corrosion resistance (even in highly aggressive, chlorinated water), high-impact strength, low maintenance requirements, superior flame and smoke characteristics and the ability to maintain water quality without concerns of leaching or biofilm formation. In addition, Corzan CPVC is immune to the corrosive effects of many chemicals, including sodium hypochlorite, which is used in the National Aquatics Center’s water filtration system. Its resistance to such aggressive chemicals – which can corrode metal equipment and result in leaks, and at times, cause premature failures – made CPVC an attractive alternative to metallic systems. Since Beijing has long-term plans for the Olympic pool that involve its use long after the games are finished, it needed a reliable piping system that could perform consistently even under the harshest conditions. CPVC, with its nearly 50-year track record, has proven compatibility in a wide array of corrosive industrial environments, including a number of water treatment facilities around the globe. Installation time was a primary consideration, because delaying the start of the games was not an option. A fast and easy solvent cement joining system saved countless hours compared to the soldering required on metallic systems. In addition, CPVC is lightweight, which makes it easier to maneuver on the job site. Depending on the diameter of the pipe, CPVC is between one-sixth and one-eighth the weight of metal. As a result of these labor-saving attributes, more than 4,300 feet of CPVC in various diameters was installed in less than six months. Not surprising given the size and scope of the Olympics undertaking, total installed cost also was a consideration. The total cost for the Corzan CPVC pipe and fittings used in the pool’s water treatment systems was approximately $500,000 – a sizable investment, but only a fraction of the cost of copper or high-alloy metal piping. Both in the construction and operation of the Olympic facilities, China is making major efforts to demonstrate that it is a good steward of its natural resources. The selection of Corzan CPVC piping supports this initiative. The material’s manufacturing process requires substantially less total energy to produce (from raw material feedstocks to pipe production) than competitive materials. Corzan CPVC piping is also energy efficient with natural insulating properties that help maintain desired water temperature. Its superior hydraulics, due to the combination of a smooth interior pipe surface and a large internal diameter, result in lower energy use and efficient water conveyance. Finally, from a water quality standpoint, the system also maintains water purity, eliminating concerns of leaching as found in some metallic alternatives. For more information on high-performance Corzan CPVC Piping Systems, visit www.corzancpvc.com. Two new ocean barges for Wagenborg TowageFebruary the 27th, 2008 Wagenborg Towage has bought two new building flattop ocean going barges. The dimensions of these barges are 100 x 25.6 x 6.1 mt. DWT 11,000 tons / deck load 15 tons/m2. The first one is available in July 2008 and the second at the end of 2008. More information can be found on www.wagenborg.com. Impression of the new ocean going barges from Wagenborg Towage Nuon chooses Mitsubishi to build Nuon MagnumFebruary the 1st, 2008 Amsterdam - Dutch energy company Nuon and the Japanese Mitsubishi group signed today the contract for the construction of the gas-fired part of the Nuon Magnum power plant in Eemshaven. The Management Board thereby takes its definitive decision to go ahead with the first phase of construction of the multi-fuel power plant. The construction contract is worth over EUR 1 billion. The power plant will start supplying electricity in 2011. The choice of Mitsubishi follows a European tender procedure from Nuon. Ultimately, the combination of commercial and technical aspects and the associated guarantees led to the selection of Mitsubishi. Because of the nature of Mitsubishi’s steam and gas turbine, the production capacity has increased to around 1300 MW. This capacity will be provided by three turbines. The power plant is to be built in the Eemshaven, a location in the province of Groningen that offers excellent potential for importing fuels by sea, has a good connection to the electricity and gas network and has a plentiful availability of cooling water. Nuon signed the agreement to purchase the site from Groningen Seaports on 14 January 2008. The construction of the power plant will start in the first half of 2008. In November 2007 the shareholders of Nuon approved the investment in the gas-fired unit. This gas-fired unit will on completion include all the preparatory facilities for the construction of the gasification plant. This installation will enable the gasification not only of coal but also of biomass on a large scale and will also have provisions for efficient CO2 capture. Nuon expects to take a decision on the construction of the gasification plant within two years. About Nuon
From left to right: Shutaro Oda, General Manager Power Systems Export Unit Mitsubishi Corporation; Ichiro Fukue, executive vice president Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd; Ludo van Halderen, chief executive officer Nuon; Øystein Løseth, member management board Nuon. Record net result and mega-investments aheadJanuary the 25th, 2008 Groningen Seaports has had an excellent year 2007. The net result mounts up to € 5.1 million and has never been this high since 1998. The main reason for this is the number of sold business sites, 17.6 hectares (2006: 14.1 hectares). Moreover because of the new record of cargo throughput of 7,805,000 tonnes (2006: 7,721,000 tonnes). The turnover increased as well and amounts € 18.4 million (2006: € 14.3 million).
“It was a good year full of growth,“ says Harm Post, managing director of Groningen Seaports. “Not only new businesses, but also existing companies have contributed to this growth, which marks the excellent entrepreneurial climate of our ports.”
Mega-investments
From 2008 until 2012 Groningen Seaports has tremendous investments ahead. Investment expectations run up to over € 76 million (2007: € 19.5 million). This has especially to do with huge infrastructural works in Eemshaven: construction of quays and ways, preparing business sites, extending Wilhelmina- and Beatrixharbour, deepening the fairway, etc.
Successful start
The year 2008 has already been started successfully for Groningen Seaports by selling 1 hectare of industrial sites in Delfzijl to the company Zeolyst (producer of zeolites). Gasunie and Vopak new partners of Essent in LNG project EemshavenDecember the 19th, 2007
N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie (Gasunie) and Koninklijke Vopak N.V. (Vopak) have agreed with Essent N.V. to further develop the Eemshaven LNG project. Companies have signed a Heads of Agreement. As part of the deal, Gasunie and Vopak each acquire a 25% stake in the project, while Essent keeps a 50% stake.
Gasunie and Vopak are partners who took the initiative to develop Gate terminal, the first Dutch LNG import terminal, which will be built at the Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The Gate terminal has an initial throughput capacity of 9 billion cubic meter (bcm) per year and can be expanded to a maximum of 16 bcm per year. The throughput capacity of the planned terminal in the Eemshaven port will be maximum 12 bcm per year.
Gasunie and Vopak have taken the final investment decision on the Gate terminal project, in which Essent will participate, both as a customer (for 3 bcm gas throughput) and as a shareholder (5%). Corus announces signing of Letter of Intent with American Industrial Acquisition Corporation (AIAC) for disposal of aluminium smeltersDecember the 6th, 2007 Corus and AIAC (Aluminium Acquisition Company Limited) have announced that they have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent for the proposed acquisition of Corus’ aluminium smelters by an affiliate of AIAC for an undisclosed sum. Internal consultation and advice processes related to the transaction have commenced. It is intended that a Sale and Purchase Agreement would only be entered into once these processes are completed. The proposed transaction may be subject to certain external regulatory clearances. Following the sale of Corus’ downstream aluminium extrusions and rolling business to Aleris in August 2006, Corus has been looking at opportunities to secure a future for its aluminium smelters outside the Group. The two smelters are based in Delfzijl in the Netherlands and Voerde in Germany and produce over 200,000 tonnes of primary metal per annum. The smelters employ 481 people in Germany and 475 people in the Netherlands. Corus is Europe's second largest steel producer with annual revenues of over £10 billion and a crude steel production of about 20 million tonnes. With main steelmaking operations primarily in the UK and the Netherlands, Corus provides innovative solutions to the construction, automotive, packaging, mechanical engineering and other markets worldwide. Corus is a subsidiary of Tata Steel, the world's sixth largest and second most global steel producer. With a combined presence in nearly 50 countries, Tata Steel including Corus has 84,000 employees across five continents. Nuon shareholders approve new power plantNovember the 23rd, 2007 Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 22 November 2007 -Nuon shareholders have approved the Management Board’s decision to invest up t0 EUR 1.5 billion in the construction of the gas-fired section of Nuon Magnum, a large power plant to be built in the Eemshaven in Groningen. The mandate was granted today at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders in Amsterdam.
Nuon CEO Ludo van Halderen said after the meeting: ‘We are pleased that shareholders have entrusted us with this large and important investment. Investments in large-scale production capacity are required at this moment, so that we can also secure the supply of sufficient and affordable power 30 years from now. Additionally, Nuon has elected a technology that clearly goes a step further in making electricity production more sustainable. Our shareholders support that.’
The approval of the shareholders enables Nuon to turn negotiations with contract parties into final contracts for the construction of the plant. Whether and when these contracts will be signed depends on progress with the negotiations and the final consent of the Management Board.
Nuon Magnum is a multi-fuel plant with a capacity of 1,200 MW, which will be able to supply more than two million households with power. In due course, the plant will be able to generate electricity from coal, gas and biomass. In the first phase, a gas-fired plant will be built, that will be prepared for the incorporation of the multi-fuel section. The gas-fired plant should start delivering power in early 2011.
About Nuon
Nuon is an ambitious energy company with over 10,000 employees serving 2.6 million consumers and organisations in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Nuon produces, transports and delivers electricity, gas, heating and cooling, and engages in energy trading in the major international markets. Nuon also supplies additional services and technical innovations to businesses and consumers. In doing so, Nuon aims to provide a reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supply. With a turnover of EUR 5.6 billion in 2006, Nuon occupies a prominent position in the Dutch energy market. The shares are held by local and regional authorities. Impressive vessels in DelfzijlOctober the 24th, 2007 At the moment two large impressive vessels are moored at the commercial quay in Delfzijl: the Keoyang Majesty and the Star Isoldana. The Keoyang Majesty has a length of 221 metres (Gross Tonnage: 43,181), a breadth of 32.20 metres, and a draught of 10.71 metres. The vessel unloaded about 15,000 tons of palm-pit pellets and is expected to depart to Argentina on Wednesday 24th October. The agent of the Keoyang Majesty is the Royal Wagenborg Group.
The Star Isoldana has a length of 198.50 metres (Gross Tonnage: 33,448), a breadth of 31 metres, and a draught of 12.05 metres. This vessel unloaded about 7000 tons of anodes on behalf of the aluminium producer Aluminium Delfzijl. The vessel stays until the end of this week in Delfzijl and after that it will leave to Brazil. The agent of the Star Isoldana is Veem & Factor.
.jpg) The Keoyang Majesty (l) and the Star Isoldana (r) at the commercial quay in Delfzijl
Back on track!October the 4th, 2007 Together, the two Groningen seaports, Delfzijl and Eemshaven, have 37 kilometres of public railtracks and countless private rail connections. There are many shunting sites and public loading and unloading platforms, including one at Metal Park Delfzijl. Nearby in Veendam is a high-quality rail terminal.Yet in spite of all this, rail transportation has declined in recent years – partly also due to the loss of chlorine transports after the opening of the new AKZO Nobel chlorine plant in Delfzijl, but also because the closing of the own border crossing Nieuweschans–Weener. Eric Bertholet, account manager Logistics at Groningen Seaports, believes that transportation by rail deserves more serious consideration – and effort – than it presently gets. Eric Bertholet summarizes recent developments: “Until 1 January of this year, the northern region had a direct rail connection to Germany via our own border crossing Nieuweschans - Weener. It offered us an opportunity to draw in clients that now choose other options because of the time and money lost for transports via the Oldenzaal-Bentheim route. I believe that the discontinuation was mainly the direct result of the bureaucracy at DB Netz in Germany. We have discussed the matter with their Dutch counterparts, Railion. Yet, to this day, the matter remains unresolved.” Ample opportunities Eric Bertholet regrets the discontinuation. He sincerely believes that opportunities are ample. Delfzijl produces a staggering 15 percent of all chemicals produced in the Netherlands. Veendam would be the perfect transhipment terminal for the tons of sawed wood that arrive in Friesland, a true Railport. Bertholet: “I believe that we can make the benefits of international rail transportation quite clear to entrepreneurs in this part of the world, particularly if the Nieuweschans – Weener crossing is reopened. We plead for a permanent sales representative for northern rail transportation, stationed in Veendam. As part of the Railion Europe rates system, it could offer customers regular connections to key logistic centres in Europe, such as the Ruhr and Milan areas.” Shift goods flows Groningen Seaports are booming. One of the reasons is that logistics are smooth and fast, and roads are congestion-free. Bertholet: “Rail capacity in the harbours of Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam is reaching its limit. I know of sea shipping firms that are investigating the possibilities to shift goods flows to our northern harbours. I urge the rail sector to anticipate this development. I am convinced that sea shipping and rail transport are a perfect match. Moreover, we are prepared to make additional investments here.” Railion would be the perfect partner in this, particularly as they are the only ones in Europe to have introduced a modern form of wagon load transport, enabling reliable connections to strategically located terminals across Europe. Railion could handle the pre- and post-transport perfectly with local transporters, creating dense flows on the tracks and a fine distribution network by road. Eric Bertholet: “Let’s join hands and get things back on track!” Rotterdam North, just a thought?October the 4th, 2007 Harm Post, director of Groningen Seaports, smiles: “The new name for the two ports in the over here in the North should be Rotterdam North,” he says. Deep down he is quite serious. Post believes that both Groningen Seaports and Rotterdam would benefit from this new name. For Rotterdam, it would mean that the port can add the annual figures of Groningen Seaports to their own and Groningen Seaports would benefit from the global reputation of the Rotterdam name.For Groningen Seaports to join Rotterdam would result in significant cost efficiency for both parties. Due to good accessibility of the two Northern harbours, Groningen Seaports is an attractive alternative to the port of Rotterdam. Harm Post: “I expect that the congestion in the Rotterdam area will continue to grow. It is just logical and practical to move part of the flow to and via the uncongested North of the Netherlands. To people outside our country, the Netherlands is just one big delta. Basically we are. So why not make the best possible use of what we have.” Scheldegracht called at DelfzijlSeptember the 25th, 2007 Monday 17th September last the MS Scheldegracht moored at the commercial quay in the port of Delfzijl. The 172 metres long vessel belongs to ship-owners Spliethoff and carried ferro silicon, that was transhipped in barge vessels. The Scheldegracht has a breadth of 25.50 metres, a draught of 6.70 metres, and has a maximum loading capacity of 16,639 tons. The agent is Wijnne & Barends’, which is a subsidiary of Spliethoff. On 18th September the vessel left the port of Delfzijl to go to Copenhagen in Denmark.
.jpg) The Scheldegracht in the port of Delfzijl (photo Geert Venema, Hoaven van Delfziel) Nuon phases construction of multi-fuel power plant because of high building costsSeptember the 18th, 2007 Amsterdam – Nuon has decided to build its planned multi-fuel power plant in the Dutch province of Groningen in phases. First of all the natural gas-fired part of the power plant will be built, followed by the part in which coal and biomass are gasified. Nuon expects that within two years it will be able to take a decision on the construction of the gasification plant. As a result of the recent sharp price rises on the global market for process installations and construction work, the cost of building the multi-fuel power plant have almost doubled in recent months. Because of this high cost, Nuon has decided to phase the construction of the power plant. Nuon’s shareholders will soon be asked to approve the investment. When the gas-fired plant is completed, it will be equipped for connection to the gasification plant, which makes it possible to co-gasify biomass on a large scale and to capture CO2. In the power plant in Buggenum, in the Dutch province of Limburg, where Nuon has been using gasification technology for several years, Nuon wants to start a trial of CO2 capture. With the knowledge and experience gained there Nuon will then be able to realise CO2 capture at the multi-fuel plant in Groningen once the gasification plant there is in operation. Nuon has been working on the preparations for the multi-fuel power plant for the last two years. The Eemshaven location was chosen in July 2006, because it offers excellent potential for the seaborne import of fuels and excellent availability of cooling water. Nuon’s intention in building this power plant is to guarantee the future energy supply in the Netherlands and to take the next step in the transition to a clean, affordable and reliable energy supply. The gas-fired unit will be operational in 2011 and, with a capacity of 1200 MW, will be able to supply energy to more than two millions households. About Nuon Nuon is a leading energy company that serves customers in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany with electricity, gas, heating and related services. The company is active in the production, trading, transport and supply of (renewable) energy. Nuon pursues balanced growth for all stakeholders: shareholders, employees, customers, the environment and society. Total net turnover in 2006 was EUR 5.6 billion. The number of employees at the end of 2006 was 9,768 FTEs. The larger shareholders of Nuon are the provinces of Gelderland, Noord-Holland, the municipality of Amsterdam and BV Houdstermaatschappij Falcon whose shares are held by the province of Friesland. Another cruise ship to EemshavenAugust the 31st, 2007 From Sunday 16th September next a new cruise ship will call at the Eemshaven. The ‘Norwegian Gem’, which is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has been built by the Meyer Werft in Papenburg and will leave Papenburg on Sunday 16th September next. The 294.13 metres long vessel will have 1,197 cabins offering space for a total of 2,400 passengers. The Norwegian Gem has a breadth of 32.31 metres. You will find the program below (modifications are possible due to weather and wind conditions):
Norwegian Gem Major fire destroys warehouses in EemshavenAugust the 1st, 2007 A large fire destroyed six large transit warehouses of the stevedoring company Veem & Factor in Eemshaven early August. Luckily there were no human casualties. At one point it took 80 firemen to control the flames. Beatrixharbour ready to get waterJuly the 20th, 2007 The construction of the new Beatrixharbour in the Eemshaven progresses in a good speed. It even is ahead of schedule. In April from this year de quay of 375 metres had already been finished and now the digging work of the new harbour basin is almost ready as well. The basin has dug out on a depth of 5 metres and is now ready to fill with water. Eventually the total depth of the Beatrixharbour must be 10 metres. The remaining 5 metres will be dredged by a hopper. The work continues by digging the dike and doing some preparations to make it possible to let the water in. It is expected that the first water flows in September next. On both sides of the new harbour there are also building activities going on. At the northern part AG Ems is building new passenger terminal and at the southern part Wijnne & Barends’ started building a 15,000 m2 covered transit shed. April 2008 the Beatrixharbour will be in full use.
.jpg) Overview Beatrixharbour New terminal Wijnne & Barends’ in EemshavenJuly the 17th, 2007 Friday 25th May last Wijnne & Barends’ started building activities of their new terminal in the Eemshaven. The stevedoring company is building a covered transit shed of 15,000 m² at the southern part of the new Beatrix harbour. It is a multimodal terminal attainable by rail, road, and water, for both inland and sea-going vessels. Due to a draught of 10 metres, the new shortsea harbour is very attractive for bigger sea-going vessels.
Mr. Van Wanrooij, director of Terminal Delfzijl B.V., which is a 100% daughter of Wijnne & Barends’, expects an increase of activities by 25%, because of an extension of current activities, and a widening of cargo flows. From 1st January 2008 Terminal Delfzijl has three different establishments: a terminal at the Eemskanaal in Farmsum, a terminal in the outer harbour of Delfzijl, and a terminal in the Eemshaven.
.jpg) Artist impression new terminal Wijnne & Barends' in Eemshaven Energy Park Eemshaven becomes visibleApril the 5th, 2007 Building activities do not only take place in the ‘Westlob’ of the Eemshaven, but also the Energypark in the eastern part is taking shape. The construction of the converter station of Norned is far advanced and also the building work of the TCN SIG Real Estate datacenter is progressing. Next to that the locations of the LNG Terminal (Essent/ConocoPhillips) and the multifuel power plant of Nuon become more and more visible. Last months the location of Nuon has been raised with ground from the future LNG harbour. Because of that the contours of both locations are already becoming visible clearly.
.jpg) The roof of the malt factory gives you an excellent view on the LNG harbour and the raised Nuon-site
Construction of North Refinery’s new plant in full flowMarch the 6th, 2007 The construction of the new 3-phase vacuum distillery of North Refinery - a Delfzijl-based company that recycles spent oil, waste oil and bore dust - is in full flow. The plant uses tried-and-tested technology that has been developed by the German engineering company Meinken. This makes North Refinery the only factory in the Netherlands that has such a plant. The new oil refinery can recycle spent oil into a high-grade raw material for new lubricants. Any spent oil that is released in the Netherlands is processed in the factory in Delfzijl; the oil is transported to Delfzijl by barges. The company also has many foreign customers, most of whom are based in Germany. Betonbouw Delfzijl has completed the foundations for the new plant, and the steel construction is the next phase. The factory is expected to be commissioned in the middle of 2008. The expansion involves investments of some € 20 million and will double the capacity to approximately 180,000 tonnes per year. North Refinery anticipates the expansion to generate a number of new jobs, but as yet it is unclear how many. Currently, the company employs 30 employees.
Bulk carrier MST Callao loads malt in EemshavenFebruary the 21st, 2007 Tuesday February 20th last the MST Callao moored at the bulk quay in Eemshaven to load 12,000 tons of malt from Holland Malt. The 180 metres long vessel has a breadth of 30.50 metres, a draught of 10.93 metres, and has a gross tonnage of 22,000. The malt will be shipped to Venezuela, but if loaded the Callao departs to Antwerp to load more malt. After that the vessel will be going to South America. The agent is Marico, a member of the Armada Group for which the Callao is sailing.
Construction of the Oosterhorn Delfzijl waste water treatment plantFebruary the 16th, 2007 North Water is investing in the construction of a modern desalination water treatment plant at the Oosterhorn industrial estate in Delfzijl. This is an important step toward the realisation of the long-term goal of companies, social organisations, and local government authorities alike, who are aiming at preserving the industrial area by considerably decreasing the volume of industrial waste that is being dumped into the surface waters. This construction was made possible today when AKZO MCA and Teijin Twaron signed a contract at the Groningen Provinciehuis [Groningen County Hall] concerning the supply of waste water to the treatment plant located on the industrial estate.
North Water b.v. is a joint venture between the Waterbedrijf Groningen [Groningen Department for Water Management], Evides Industriewater, and the Waterleidingmaatschappij Drenthe [Drenthe Waterworks]. The construction plans effectively eliminate an important obstacle in the battle against the dumping of untreated waste water into the Zeehavenkanaal, to end up on the tidal flats near Delfzijl. The waste water treatment plant will help reduce the industrial waste discharged into the surface water. The facility has a capacity of 35.000 pollution units. This project is associated with an investment of approximately 6 million Euros.
Waste water treatment on an industrial scale is difficult and very costly, due to the high salt concentration and the complex composition of this waste water. For several companies, discharging their waste water via the Weiwerd sewage treatment plant was not a feasible alternative because the salt content was too high. It was for this reason that the decision was made to build a separate industrial desalination water treatment plant for the entire industrial estate. This project includes the construction of a collection system for the industrial estate, the construction of the treatment plant itself, and the discharge of treated water to the Zeehavenkanaal.
This innovative project is expected to add to the attraction of the Oosterhorn industrial estate. In the past, several companies had excluded Oosterhorn as a potential branch location because of the absence of an industrial-scale facility for final waste water treatment. New industries can now completely concentrate on their “core business” and worry less about their waste water treatment. North Water expects employment opportunities in the Eemsmond area to face a considerable incentive due to the construction of the plant; direct and indirect employment opportunities may increase by several hundred jobs. The facility will be built on the grounds of the former village of Heveskes. Apart from North Water, Groningen Seaports and the Hunze and Aa Water Board are also involved in this project.
In due course, North Water hopes to be able to announce more projects being started in the north of our country concerning the supply of process water as well as the reuse of waste water. North Water possesses considerable know-how in this respect. Thus, in February, Evides Industriewater will be commissioning a plant to process the household waste water of the Terneuzen sewage treatment plant such as to make it suitable for the delivery of demineralised water to Dow Benelux. Besides, a long-term contract was signed with Schiphol regarding the treatment of waste water at a treatment plant.
For years, Waterbedrijf Groningen [Groningen Department for Water Management] has been delivering oxygen-free water to Akzo Nobel in Heiligerlee, demineralised water to Kisuma, and industrial water to NedMag in Veendam. In cooperation with the Hunze and Aa Water Board, possibilities of reusing the effluent of the Weiwerd sewage treatment plant are under investigation. Construction Datacenter TCN SIG in progressFebruary the 16th, 2007 The constructing work of TCN SIG Real Estate in Eemshaven is progressing.
The foundation of piles and pile work has been finished now and in the meantime the building contractor started to place the steel constructions as well as the walls. The contours are getting visible. The datacenter is being build to meet the decreasing demand for data storage and hosting space. According to the latest press news releases Google will be the major customer. It is expected that the datacenter will be operational in the fourth quarter of the year 2007.
.jpg) Pile work on location TCN SIG in Eemshaven Mounts Bay will call at EemshavenFebruary the 14th, 2007 Wednesday February 14th the Mounts Bay will call at Eemshaven to load military goods. The 176 meters long vessel has a breadth of 32.20 meters, a draught of 5.1 meters, and has a gross tonnage (GT) of 23,569. The flight deck can accommodate two Merlin or Chinook helicopters, and a hanger could be fitted in future if required. The ship can carry an Embarked Military Force of 356 troops and large numbers of vehicles, although this can be increased to 500 using undesignated space. The ship is able to position it selves dynamically using a bow thruster and their steerable azimuth thrusters to discharge equipment without the need to anchor. The Mounts Bay is designed to operate over the horizon using helicopters and landing craft through a floodable stern dock to get men and equipment ashore.
First transformer Norned unloaded at the bulk quayJanuary the 29th, 2007 Wednesday January 24th the first transformer for the converter station of Norned has been unloaded at the bulk quay in Eemshaven. Another three ones will follow shortly. MS Walker transported the transformer of 250 tonnes from Norrköping (Sweden) and arrived January 22nd in Eemshaven, but the cranes of Mammoet and Koekkoek were only two days later available to unload the heavily built transformer. After unloading, the transformer has been transported to the Norned-location in the eastern part of Eemshaven for installation. NorNed is a joint project of Statnett and TenneT to install a submarine high‑voltage cable between Norway and the Netherlands. Statnett is the Norwegian Transmission System Operator (TSO) and TenneT fulfils the same role for the Netherlands. The whole operation passed off without problems and on schedule.
First 5,800 tonnes of stone split BKV unloadedJanuary the 19th, 2007 Wednesday January 10th the first shipment of stone split of BKV Nederland has been unloaded at the bulk quay in Eemshaven. MS Wilson Sund transported 5,800 tonnes of stone split to the Eemshaven, where Elzinga Cargo Facilities unloaded the cargo by using the Liebherr 320 port crane. At the end of last year BKV Nederland decided to use the bulk quay and storage boxes in the Eemshaven frequently. BKV Nederland is a trading-firm in sand, gravel, and related materials, and would like to transship and store 100,000 – 150,000 tonnes of split via the bulk terminal per year. The next vessel is expected shortly.
Growth Groningen Seaports continuesJanuary the 15th, 2007 The cargo throughput in Delfzijl and Eemshaven has been increased to 7,721,000 tonnes in 2006 (+8.7 percent compared with 2005). This means an all-time high record for Groningen Seaports. Next to that Groningen Seaports has sold 14,1 hectares of industrial sites, which is more than the yearly target of 12 hectares. Groningen Seaports has also made a net result of about € 2.6 million. In 2007 Groningen Seaports will try to continue these excellent results by finishing the two enormous investments in the western part of the Eemshaven: extension of the deepsea bulk quay (350 m.), and a new harbour dedicated for shortsea traffic. Furthermore the building activities have started to create an Energypark in Eemshaven and in Delfzijl is Groningen Seaports together with the municipality of Delfzijl updating an industrial site for small and medium sized enterprises called Farmsumerpoort. The year 2007 has already been started succesfully for Groningen Seaports by selling 1.4 hectares of industrial sites in Delfzijl to the company Borg (storage and transshipment of various goods).
Transshipment sugar stone in EemshavenDecember the 8th, 2006 Friday December 1st the first 3,500 tonnes of sugar stone have been unloaded at the bulk quay in Eemshaven. This shipment is bound for the sugar plants of the Suikerunie (Cosun) in Groningen and Hoogkerk, and will be temporarily stored in the excellent equipped storage boxes, situated directly behind the bulk quay. The first 600 tonnes have already been transported to the sugar plants. Elzinga Cargo Facilities unloaded the cargo under the agency of Amasus Shipping. The intensions are to increase the quantity of sugar stone to 30,000 – 50,000 tonnes per year.
 Sugar stone at the bulk quay in Eemshaven Construction Biovalue makes progressDecember the 8th, 2006 The construction of the new biodiesel plant of Biovalue is progressing. The foundations already have been constructed and four big storage tanks have been placed as well. The skyline of the Eemshaven changes increasingly. At the moment the builders started with constructing the plant itself, that is situated between de storage tanks and the road. The building activities are on schedule and it is expected that the plant is operational in the last quarter of the year 2007.
 The four storage tanks of the biodiesel plant of Biovalue New Chemicals Plants Represent Landmark for Akzo NobelSeptember the 26th, 2006 When Akzo Nobel officially opens its two new chemicals plants in Delfzijl today it will mark the completion of the company’s biggest ever chemicals investment in the Netherlands. The construction of the chlorine and monochloroacetic acid (MCA) facilities -which involved the relocation of activities from Hengelo- saw the company commit a total of approximately EUR 200 million to the project, an outlay which has also signaled the end of Akzo Nobel’s regular Dutch chlorine transports. Supported by a EUR 65 million contribution from the Dutch government which was approved by the European Commission, today’s official opening at Delfzijl will be attended by a number of guests, including the Dutch State Secretary for the Environment, Pieter van Geel. “This is a landmark occasion for Akzo Nobel given that structural chlorine transports by rail have now ended,” said CEO Hans Wijers ahead of the ceremonial event. “However, it would not have been possible without the full support of the authorities, with this project offering concrete proof of what can be achieved through a successful public/private partnership.” Added Leif Darner, Akzo Nobel’s Board member responsible for Chemicals: “Investing in these new facilities emphasizes our strong commitment to supporting our refocused chemicals activities. The new Delfzijl MCA plant is one of the largest of its kind in the world and will benefit from having a key raw material—chlorine—supplied on-site by our second new factory, which uses state-of-the-art membrane cell technology and is the first of its kind in Europe.” All the chlorine produced by the new facility will be carried downstream by pipeline to several users at the chemical park in Delfzijl. The largest user will be the new MCA plant. MCA is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of a number of products, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and agrochemicals, as well as having applications in the oil, mining and detergent industries. Digging new port basin startedAugust the 8th, 2006 In order of main building contractor De Klerk the company Elzinga has started with the first digging activities for the new shortsea port basin in the Eemshaven. The next weeks the real size of the port basin will be becoming visible. It is a very special moment in history of Eemshaven. Nuon chooses Eemshaven as location for new power plantJuly the 19th, 2006 Licence issued for clean electricity production
RWE plans to build power plant in the NetherlandsApril the 13th, 2006
RWE plans to construct a combined hard-coal/biomass-fired power plant in the Netherlands. Harry Roels, CEO of RWE AG, announced during today’s Annual General Meeting in Essen that the RWE Power plant, with a gross output of 1,600 to 2,200 MW, would have a net efficiency rate of 46%. The facility could come on stream in 2012 or 2013 if planning and implementation procedures proceed optimally. Two possible seaside locations are being examined for the state-of-the-art plant: Rotterdam Maasvlakte or Eemshaven. The plant, of which construction is expected to begin in 2008, is estimated to cost around EUR 1.5 billion. The plant would satisfy the demand of 3.4 million households in the Netherlands. This new power supply source will enable the Netherlands to meet its expected demand for new generating capacity. A final decision on the project will be taken following further feasibility studies. The power plant project will comply with all regulatory requirements, including approval by the Dutch authorities, as well as approval by the supervisory boards within the RWE Group. This major investment initiative is a reflection of RWE’s strategy to grow further in its core markets. The Netherlands, in which RWE has already been active for over five years, represents a key growth market for RWE. Extension bulk quay startedApril the 5th, 2006 In the Eemshaven building contractor N. Kraaijeveld from Sliedrecht has started activities to extend the bulk quay with another 350 metres. The dike has already been digged off and the sheet-pile walls have been placed. At the moment Kraaijeveld is doing the piling-work of the quay. The bulk quay is being extended to meet the increasing demand of quay sites in the bulk sector. Next to that the site behind the bulk quay, on which the new biodiesel plant of Biovalue will be built, are heightened by 60,000 m3 of sand. Pride of Hawaii to HamburgApril the 5th, 2006 Sunday 2nd April last the cruiseship Pride of Hawaii has left the Eemshaven to go to Hamburg. The underwatership had to be checked and that is why it was needed to go in the dock of Blohm and Voss in Hamburg. The ship is expected to return in the Eemshaven on Saturday 8 April next. Pride of Hawaii to EemshavenMarch the 10th, 2006 From Tuesday 14th March next a new cruiseship will call at the Eemshaven. The ‘Pride of Hawaii’, which is owned by the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), has been built by Meyer Werft in Papenburg and will leave Papenburg on Saturday 11th March next. The 294,13 metres long vessel will have 1,188 cabins offering space for a total of 2,376 passengers. Next to that the cruiseship has a draught of 7.30 metres and has a breadth of 32.20 metres. You will find the programm below:
Essent and ConocoPhillips in new stage of Eemshaven LNG terminal projectMarch the 3rd, 2006 ARNHEM, Netherlands – March 3, 2006 – Essent and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) have completed a feasibility study for a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal at the Port of Eemshaven in the North Groningen municipality of Eemsmond and have submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment Starting Memorandum to the Province of Groningen, officially starting the permitting process. Detailed joint studies continue on the terminal which could be in operation by 2010. If approved, the regasification terminal will include a jetty for ships and storage facilities. In addition to supplying more natural gas to the Netherlands and the surrounding region, the proposed project will reduce dependence on limited gas imports from existing pipelines. The LNG terminal project at Eemshaven is consistent with the Dutch government’s energy policy that supports additional LNG imports. Results of a feasibility study indicate that the construction of an LNG terminal at Eemshaven is technically feasible. The nautical study shows that deepening of the channel in the (Wester) Eems will ensure safe passage of LNG ships calling at the terminal. The Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and Groningen Seaports have agreed to perform any necessary dredging work within the legal framework of the environmentally sensitive Waddenzee region. LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 161 degrees Celsius). This condenses the gas to a liquid that occupies only 1/600 of the space required for the same weight of gas and allows the LNG to be transported by ships to viable markets to meet the growing demand for clean burning energy. Groningen Seaports obtains Ecoports-certificateJanuary the 26th, 2006 Groningen Seaports obtained the Ecoports-certificate, which was announced during the new year’s reception of Groningen Seaports. Good year for Groningen SeaportsJanuary the 26th, 2006 The cargo throughput in Delfzijl and Eemshaven has been increased to 7,101,000 tonnes in 2005 ( over +7 percent compared with 2004). This means an all-time high record for Groningen Seaports. Next to that Groningen Seaports has sold 19,1 hectares of industrial sites, which is much more than the yearly target of 11 hectares. Next to that Groningen Seaports made a net result of about € 2 million. In 2006 Groningen Seaports will try to continue these excellent results by executing two enormous investments in the Eemshaven: extension of the deepsea bulk quay (350 m.), and a new harbour dedicated for shortsea traffic. The year 2006 has already been started succesfully for Groningen Seaports by selling 1.5 hectares of industrial sites in Delfzijl to the company Borg (storage and transshipment of various goods). Holland Malt ships 20,000 tonnes malt to VenezuelaJanuary the 26th, 2006 At the moment the bulkcarrier Isadora moored at the bulkquay in the Eemshaven next to Holland Malt to load over 20,000 tonnes of malt. This 200 metres long bulkcarrier will be fully loaded and after that the vessel will go to Venezuela. The bulkcarrier has a breadth of almost 24 metres and has a draught of over 10 metres. The Isadora will stay for another few days in the Eemshaven to load this enormous quantity of malt.
Evelop to develop bio-energy plants in Delfzijl (25 January 2006)January the 25th, 2006 Beginning 2008, Evelop wishes to have two bio-energy plants in operation at the Metal Park industrial zone in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. On 21 september 2005 the first step has been taken with the start of the environmental impact assessment. The bio-energy plants will produce 800 GWh per year, covering 35% of the Metal Park’s electricity demand. Generate sustainable energy |
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Leading Dutch utility company Nuon has chosen Eemshaven in the Dutch province of Groningen as the location for its big new power plant (1,200 megawatts). Understandings have been reached with the authorities in Groningen and with the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. Nuon has also obtained from Royal Dutch Shell plc the licence to use that company’s state-of-the-art coal gasification technology. ‘Eemshaven is a superb, spacious location with a modern sea port, good infrastructure and excellent facilities for connection to the high-voltage grid,’ says Øystein Løseth, a member of Nuon’s Management Board. ‘In addition, the Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, Karla Peijs, has stated her intention to have the channel leading to Eemshaven deepened after a number of statutory conditions have been met. This means that deep-drafted vessels carrying fuel would be able to enter the port, an essential factor in ensuring the continuity of the new power plant.’Nuon has also obtained from Shell the licence to use that company’s state-of-the-art coal gasification technology. This technology is regarded throughout the world as the standard for clean coal processing for electricity production. Coal gasification leads to a sharp reduction in the emission of harmful substances and enables more CO2 to be captured in comparison with conventional coal-fired plants. Coal gasification is also very well suited to co-firing biomass, as has been proved at Nuon’s power plant in Buggenum in the Dutch province of Limburg.As well as coal and biomass Nuon wants to use gas in the new power plant, to be able to react flexibly to new developments in the fuel market. Nuon expects the necessary permits for the Eemshaven location to be issued in the spring of 2007. A definitive investment decision can then be made in mid-2007, after which construction can start. The first production of electricity is scheduled for 2011.
This certificate is granted to ports that are continually working on environmental issues and on a good cohesion with the natural environment. Ultimate goal of the non-profit EcoPorts Foundation is to create a level playing field in Europe, concerning port related environmental issues. “We are very proud of this certificate”, says managing director Harm Post of Groningen Seaports. “But we are going further. Some obligations also belongs to this certificate to work on improvement of environmental issues in our ports. We are very motivated to start working with it.”