Terminals & Storage

Terminals & Storage

Antwerp wants to feel the chemistry

Belgium ’ s Port of Antwerp is home to the largest and most varied integrated maritime chemical cluster in Europe . That much most people already know . Now the port has launched a new international campaign . ‘ Feel the Chemistry ’ is designed to showcase the logistics , storage and transhipment functions of the port and to attract further investment in the cluster . Antwerp Port Authority hopes the campaign will set the port even more firmly on the world map as a prime investment location , where the chemistry between city , people and companies can be felt strongly , thanks to its logistical , maritime and industrial platform developed over the past few decades . The list of chemical production and tank storage companies with recent big investments in Antwerp is impressive , including Air Liquide , BASF , ExxonMobil , Nippon Shokubai , Total , ADPO , Vopak and Oiltanking Stolthaven . The Energy & Chemicals unit of Antwerp Port Authority carried out a survey of 40 producer and tank storage companies in the cluster between September 2015 and January 2016 , in order to gain fresh insights into why companies continue to invest in the port . In this the authority is looking to strengthen further its competitiveness . On the plus side the availability of raw materials , a highly efficient logistics platform , high productivity and multilingual capability of Antwerp employees , and trimodal connections with the hinterland were all cited as significant advantages for the port . Companies surveyed also spoke highly of Antwerp because of its competitive peripheral conditions . For example , practical measures have recently been taken to overcome cost disadvantages in terms of electricity prices , although there is still a gap to be made up with neighbouring countries . The cluster itself still has plenty of scope for development , according to the companies . Many synergies have already been achieved , but there are lots more opportunities for further cluster integration and collaboration between all concerned . Possible examples are further reprocessing of by-products , or setting up shared services for companies in the cluster .

Sammons steps down from Inter Terminals

After more than 30 years of service , Richard Sammons has stepped down from his role as executive chairman of Inter Terminals . Sammons started with Simon Storage as finance director in April 1986 before progressing to chief executive from 2006 to 2014 . He commented : “ It has always been a pleasure working in the bulk liquid storage industry . I am delighted in the progress achieved within Inter Terminals from its beginnings as a UK terminal operator to becoming one of the largest terminal networks in Europe , with subsidiaries in Germany , Denmark , Sweden and Ireland . I wish CEO Martyn Lyons and his executive team and workforce every success for the future .” In addition to its operations in the UK and Western Europe , Inter Terminals is the largest independent bulk liquid storage provider in Scandinavia .