EU supports Antwerp@C innovative CO₂ reduction project by granting CEF funding

Port of Antwerp brought seven leading chemical and energy companies together at the end of 2019 to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of building CO₂ infrastructure in the port of Antwerp. The consortium consists of Air Liquide, BASF, Borealis, ExxonMobil, INEOS, Fluxys, Port of Antwerp and Total. With the project entitled Antwerp@C the partners aim to keep CO₂ out of the atmosphere and as such to make a significant contribution towards the climate objectives, thanks to applications for capturing and utilizing or storing CO₂, all within a relatively short time span and at reasonable costs.

The consortium is happy to announce that two applications for EU funding, submitted by Air Liquide, Fluxys, Total and Port of Antwerp to carry out studies for a liquid CO₂ Export Terminal, a CO₂ backbone within the Port of Antwerp and a CO₂ cross border pipeline to connect to the Netherlands, were approved. With this financial support, Antwerp@C reaches a new milestone and can engage one step further. The consortium is strengthened in its ambition to reduce the CO₂ emissions within the port (18.65 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2017) potentially by half between now and 2030.

The partners of Antwerp@C are delighted that a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grant is awarded to the project to pursue detailed studies, since broad support – especially financial support – by the EU, the Belgian Federal Government and the Flemish Government is essential to ensure the success of the project. Antwerp@C is pursuing two pathways for cross-border CO₂ transport infrastructure, one for transport via an onshore pipeline to Rotterdam and one for transport by ship to North West Europe. Two subsidies for detailed studies – concerning amounts of € 5.785.000 and € 3.187.500 - are now granted under the European funding program for Trans-European Energy Networks, CEF.