The EU Commission announced it will grant Air Liquide, Fluxys Belgium and Port of Antwerp-Bruges US$152.35 million under the Connecting Europe Facility for Energy (CEF-E) funding programme.
The funding is earmarked for the construction of shared CO2 transport and export facilities on the Antwerp port platform. The grant award is a major step towards the final investment decision, expected in 2023.
According to Port of Antwerp Bruges, the project, named ‘Antwerp@C CO2 Export Hub’, is set up as an open-access infrastructure to transport, liquefy and load CO2 onto ships for onward permanent offshore storage.
CO2 captured on industrial players sites on the Antwerp port platform will be collected and transported via an intra-port open-access pipeline network. A shared liquefaction and export terminal will be built, including a CO2 liquefaction unit, buffer storages and marine loading facilities for cross-border shipping.
As the port says, according to the project, Air Liquide and Fluxys intend to form a joint venture for the construction and operation of the CO2 liquefaction and export terminal. The joint venture will benefit from Air Liquide’s expertise in CO2 liquefaction and handling and from Fluxys’ experience in terminalling activities. Air Liquide will provide its proprietary technology for the CO2 liquefaction plant.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges reserved a plot of land for the terminal in a strategic location inside the port and will build new quay infrastructures for the mooring of CO2 ships.
Pascal Vinet, senior vice president and a member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee, commented, “Alongside the use of renewable energy, carbon capture technology is essential to achieve in a short time frame massive CO2 reductions and carbon neutrality objectives namely for hard-to-abate sectors. This initiative illustrates Air Liquide’s expertise and ambition to actively contribute to the emergence of a low-carbon society and to support its industrial customers in their decarbonization strategies.”
