Groningen Seaports invests over €70 million in
bulk facilities in Eemshaven, in the northern part
of the Netherlands
 
GRONINGEN SEAPORTS PROVIDES FULL PORT SERVICES
Groningen Seaports manages two seaports in the northern part
of the Netherlands, Delfzijl and Eemshaven, and a rail port in
Veendam. It also provides full port services ranging from
(h)intermodal logistic services to high-quality industrial and
business sites in both port areas. Due to the location, the supply
of different kinds of business and industrial sites, the present
(congestion free) infrastructure, space and the attractive prices,
the industrial sites of Groningen Seaports are very well suited
for business establishments.
 
BULK AREA EEMSHAVEN
Eemshaven boasts a dedicated bulk quay as well as excellent dry
bulk storage facilities. A growing demand in the bulk sector,
together with space for related storage, has prompted
Groningen Seaports to invest in a major expansion of its dry
bulk facilities. Nearly 11 hectares are still available for
transshipment, storage or production of dry bulk materials. The
bulk area is located at the northern end of the Julianahaven in
the Eemshaven. With a depth of -15m NAP alongside the quay
and a quay height of +4.40m NAP, it can handle vessels with
operational draughts of up to 11m (14m from 2012) under
normal HW conditions (Panamax size — 35,000 tonnes max).
The bulk quay in Eemshaven is a public facility.
 
PROJECT CARGOES AND SHORT-TERM STORAGE
The northern part of the existing bulk quay storage area has
been asphalted and features walled-in and drained storage boxes
(wall height: 2.5m). These boxes are ideal for project cargoes
and short-term storage of dry bulk. Part of the asphalted area is
also used for the assembly of large offshore constructions.
Storage boxes can be leased.
 
AVAILABILITY OF LAND
Sites for permanent use can be bought or leased. Nearly 11
hectares are still available. It is also possible to build a private
terminal behind the quay. Bulk production plants, bulk storage,
industrial companies that need bulk as raw material, companies
operating in the bulk sector in general are activities that are very
welcome in the area. The exhaustion of fossil fuels means that in
2030 more than 30% of the existing energy need must come
from alternative energy sources (e.g. biomass). For that reason,
Groningen Seaports will also develop a bio port cluster at Bulk
Area Eemshaven. There is still space for building behind the bulk
quay.
 
MAJOR INVESTMENT
The current quay is 750m long and 40m wide, but this quay will
be extended by a further 350m (phase 4), so that eventually the
entire north side of the Julianahaven will be available for bulk
operations. Building activities will start this summer (2010). This
huge investment of about €14 million is a sign of Groningen
Seaports’ confidence in the future of bulk handling at Eemshaven.
 
ALREADY ESTABLISHED
BKV Nederland BV, Cement Sales North GmbH, DELTA
Biovalue Nederland BV, Holland Malt and Theo Pouw.
COALS AND BIOMASS NEEDED
Energy Park Eemshaven is an industrial site for environment,
energy, recycling and waste related industries, with the focus on
energy. Not only production of energy, but
also consumption, which means a sustainable
solution. It is a park where supply and
demand for energy meet each other. At the
moment several power plants are built on
Energy Park Eemshaven by Nuon, RWE, and
Advanced Power. Nuon constructs a
multifuel (natural gas, coal, biomass) power
plant of 1,200MWe. RWE, a German energy
supplier, constructs a pulverized coal power
plant (together with the possibility to use
biomass) with a capacity of 1,600MWe. The
third power plant is built by a Swiss-based
privately-owned company called Advanced
Power, which is developing a 1,200MW
combined-cycle gas-fired power station in
Eemshaven, called Eemsmond Energie.
 
MAJOR INVESTMENT
When operational Nuon and RWE together
need 5mt (million tonnes) of coals and 1mt of biomass, which
will be transhipped in huge bulk carriers to the Eemshaven.
Therefore Groningen Seaports is constructing about 1,300
metres of heavy bulk quay around the Wilhelminaharbour, a
major investment of about €55 million. Building has already
started.
 
WAGENBORG BULKTERMINAL, DELFZIJL
The Bulk Terminal in Delfzijl operates in the storage and
transshipment of animal feed and bulk products within a number
of import and export chains in particular. Six new warehouses
with a capacity of 7,000 tonnes were built to the highest quality
standards. The transshipment hall is fully covered, and there is a
modern conveyor system, which means that barges and coasters
can be loaded and unloaded safely and quickly in nearly all
weather conditions. The high loading and unloading capacity of
approximately 600tph (tonnes per hour) guarantees rapid and
efficient transshipment to and from sea-going vessels. The
terminal is in the outer harbour of Delfzijl and has a storage
capacity of 10,000m2, approximately 40,000 tonnes.