Blue Circle Olefins and Chane have recently signed an agreement to locate the planned 200,000-tonne olefins production facility at Chane's Nieuwe Maas terminal in the Port of Rotterdam.

According to the agreement, Blue Circle Olefins' Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) plant will secure a prime co-location within the heart of Europe's largest port complex. By leveraging Chane's logistics network and storage facilities, including renewable methanol feedstock handling capabilities, the project will accelerate the engineering integration process.

Ralph Koekkoek, CEO of Blue Circle Olefins, stated: "We are pleased to partner with Chane and have identified an ideal location for the ProjectNL initiative in Rotterdam. Following a comprehensive assessment, we believe this site offers optimal conditions for the development and operation of the MTO plant."

"We are excited about the site synergies and the convenience of proximity to port-based customers. This partnership is a significant milestone that will drive site-specific engineering design work."

The circular methanol-to-olefins project focuses on converting renewable methanol into key chemical feedstocks required for plastics and materials manufacturing. This agreement marks a crucial step forward for the project.

Fabian Ziegler, CEO of Chane, said: "This agreement demonstrates how Chane's terminal infrastructure can support new industrial projects. By hosting Blue Circle Olefins at the Port of Rotterdam, we are providing a well-connected site with logistics, storage, and operational services capable of efficiently integrating methanol-based feedstocks. We look forward to continuing our support in the subsequent phases of the project."

Against the backdrop of space constraints and decarbonization pressures within the Rotterdam industrial cluster, this announcement reflects the growing momentum in the circular economy sector.

Boudewijn Siemons, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, commented: "The Port of Rotterdam faces unique challenges in its transition to a sustainable port, with increasingly scarce available space. Blue Circle Olefins finding a suitable site at Chane's location to develop a circular methanol-to-olefins plant highlights the high level of integration within the port's industrial cluster, where companies can collaborate closely to achieve optimal benefits."