The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Euroports increases capacity in Spain and Belgium

(Posted on 27/06/18)

Euroports has increased its paper and pulp storage capacity in the port of Tarragona, Spain by 25%, bringing its total pulp and paper storage capacity at this terminal to 30,000 square meters. Euroports’ bonded terminal has a dust-free area, a terminal length of about 300 meters and 16.5 meters draft.

With its 10 forest products terminals in 5 different countries, Euroports is considered a major player in providing maritime supply chain solutions to the pulp and paper industry. One of the company’s focus areas for growth in this industry is its forest products terminal in the port of Tarragona, Spain.

The company is one of the largest port-infrastructure companies in Europe, and the only dry bulk and break-bulk specialist with a multi-regional footprint, develops, operates and manages global maritime supply chain solutions for international customers in various industries, handling over 60 million tons of bulk, break-bulk, liquid and containerized goods per year.

The Port of Tarragona has become one of the fastest growing ports for paper and pulp, not just in Spain but in the entire Mediterranean area — and Euroports is supporting this growth.

With its warehousing and value-added services specialised in handling pulp and paper reels, Euroports not only plays an important role in managing the flows from South America and Northern Europe destined for domestic consumption but also for transshipment to other countries in the Mediterranean area, such as Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Romania and North Africa. With this extended storage capacity, Euroports is expected to handle nearly 700kt of pulp and paper in 2018.

Due to its long-term expertise, the company has built strong relationships with many of the largest pulp and paper producers and shipping lines in the world, and is determined to continue to serve them by delivering best in class maritime supply chain solutions.

The increase in Spain follows on from Euroports recent announcement of investment in Belgium. The company recently opened a new fertilizers and minerals warehousing facility as the centrepiece of its 10 million euro investment program at terminal T850 in North Sea Port, port area Ghent.

This innovative investment is Euroports’ response to an increasing customer demand, and includes a new, state-of-the-art bulk warehouse with a storage capacity of more than 120,000 tonnes.

“The footprint has been doubled to approximately 20,000 m² of concrete floors and consists of 6 adjacent warehousing boxes,” says Terminal Manager Peter Van den Broeck. “The warehouses are supported by a significant investment in additional new equipment: a 100 tonnes, 20 m³ grab mobile harbor crane and a second all-purpose equilibrium crane of 25 tonnes with 15 m³ grab, allowing for a higher loading/unloading rate.”

Euroports Terminals Ghent, T850, is one of the biggest bulk terminals in the Euroports network, handling around 2 million tonnes of bulk, mainly fertilizers and minerals. The quay at terminal T850 is 550 meters long with a fresh water draft of 12,0 meters, which allows for vessels of various capacities, Panamax like, to come in.

Euroports has two main terminals in Ghent, T280 and the newly rebuilt T850. Customers know they can rely on Euroports Terminals Ghent for its quality, knowledge and service to screen the most complex and difficult product. Over the years, Euroports Terminals Ghent has built up extensive experience, knowhow, and expertise, and is today a well-known quality player in fertilizer screening. This expertise was also acknowledged several times with the International Bulk Journal Award for Best Specialist Dry Bulk Terminal.

The unique location of the Port of Ghent with its strong hinterland connection to the Benelux and Northern France is a strong asset as it enables customers to lower their supply chain cost.

With this investment, Euroports continues to prove its dedication to offering strong supply chain solutions to its customers not just in fertilizer and minerals industry, but also in other industries the company serves: pulp and paper, metals and steel, specialized cargo, sugar, fruit, coil, fossil fuels and more.