Royal Vopak (Vopak), a tank terminal operator, has taken the final investment decision to build and operate a new storage terminal for oil products in the Port of Amsterdam.

The new terminal will provide additional storage capacity to meet the growing demand in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region.

The Port of Amsterdam is a logistical hub in the ARA for facilitating oil flow between Europe, North America and Asia.

As a result of the growing geographical imbalances between supply and demand, the new Vopak terminal will offer existing and new customers an opportunity to strengthen their positions.

The new terminal will store, blend and handle gasoline, other clean oil products and their components.

The terminal, with a total potential capacity of more than 1.1 million cubic metres, will have two jetties for the handling of seagoing vessels with maximum capacity of up to 120,000DWT and eight berths for the handling of seagoing vessels, coasters and inland barges with a capacity of up to 20,000DWT.

Vopak and the Amsterdam Port Authority previously signed a lease contract for a 35-hectare site in the Africa harbour in Amsterdam-Westpoort, the western port area.

Vopak has awarded the construction of the terminal to BAM Leidingen & Industries, an operating company of Royal BAM Group. The phased construction is planned to start as soon as possible and the terminal is planned to be taken into operation, in stages, in the second half of 2011.