Showing confidence in the port of Antwerp with an investment in its refine
ExxonMobil is going to build a plant in the Antwerp port area for converting heavy, high-sulphur oil residues into cleaner oil products and transport fuels such as diesel and fuel oil for shipping.
With this investment ExxonMobil will extend its product range in Antwerp and boost its competitive position worldwide. Over the past decade the American concern has already invested more than 2 billion dollars in Antwerp to meet the European demand for fuels and other products. ExxonMobil already has a solid presence in Belgium, with a refinery (320 thousand barrels per day) and three chemical plants (one for hydrocarbon solvents and two for polyethylene) plus its European R&D centre.
The ExxonMobil investments are only the latest in a series of impressive capital projects by the oil and chemical sector in the port of Antwerp over the past few years. As a major integrated petrochemical cluster the port of Antwerp has many advantages when it comes to developing industrial activities into profitable investments.
In order to encourage this trend the Port Authority has set up a special unit to support the oil and chemical cluster in Antwerp by among other things carrying out marketing activities aimed at existing companies and promoting the operation of the supply chain. In addition the Port Authority will stimulate the physical renewal of infrastructure and offer state-of-the-art capacity. The ultimate aim of these efforts is to enable the oil and chemical sector in Antwerp to grow more rapidly than its direct European competitors.
Source: Port of Antwerp
