October 24 - The Port of Antwerp has received one of 100 huge plant modules for ExxonMobil, as well as oversize equipment for Japanese chemical giant Nippon Shokubai during the past month.
ExxonMobil is currently building a new delayed coker unit (DCU) in Antwerp, which requires the delivery of over 100 prefabricated modules from Tarragona, Spain to the Belgian port.
The heaviest module weighs in at 1,350 tonnes and stands 30 m high, with the total consignment weighing 20,000 tonnes.
Over EUR1 billion (USD1.08 billion) is being invested into the new DCU in Antwerp, which will convert high sulphur residual oils into fuel products, such as marine gas oil and diesel fuel.
Meanwhile, an oversize reactor for the Nippon Shokubai plant in Zwijndrecht was transported by road from the Antwerp's Waasland port, before being hoisted into place using a heavy-duty crane.
The reactor will form part of a new production unit being built by the Japanese company, which is expected to enter service in mid 2018.
