Antwerp port developing ambitious shipping carbon capture project

With the climate target of getting Belgian CO2 emissions 35% lower by 2030 in mind Antwerp Port Authority and gas infrastructure operator Fluxys are teaming up on a shipping carbon capture project.

In the first phase, Antwerp Port Authority and Fluxys are studying the feasibility of solutions for capturing CO2 from industry in the port, transporting it by pipeline or ship and finally re-using or storing it. If the results of the feasibility study are positive then the aim is to jointly promote practical projects.

“Industry in the port of Antwerp is a central engine of the Belgian economy and in the past few years it has put great efforts into becoming more sustainable. When it comes to CO2 emissions, however, a port-wide approach is needed. We are particularly pleased at being able to team up with a partner such as Fluxys to make our port platform and its many industrial players ready for a low-carbon future,” said Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Antwerp Port Authority.

“To counter the effects of global warming we need to have a mix of solutions. We have to deal not only with CO2 emissions from energy consumption but also from a large number of industrial processes that also release CO2. Fluxys is therefore following a multi-track approach that includes CO2 capture, re-use and storage, the switch from carbon-intensive fuels to natural gas, inflow of green gas and the introduction of innovative, low-energy gas technology. Our collaboration with Antwerp Port Authority is an excellent opportunity to develop concrete solutions for a low-carbon economy based on our combined expertise,” commented Fluxys managing director Pascal De Buck.