Blue Circle Olefins Chooses Rotterdam To Build 100% Circular Olefins Plant

Blue Circle Olefins has selected Rotterdam as the site to develop a commercial Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) production plant.

The electrified 200-kilotonne-capacity plant will convert renewable methanol into 100% circular ethylene and propylene, the basic building blocks for about 60% of all products manufactured by the chemical industry in Europe. When the facility becomes operational in 2030, it will reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from plastics (PP, PE and PVC) by more than 80% compared to current fossil-based production processes.

Nico van Dooren, Director of New Business at the Port of Rotterdam Authority: ‘We warmly welcome Blue Circle Olefins to the port of Rotterdam and look forward to facilitating their selection of the final location. The production of fully circular chemical feedstock fits perfectly with our strategy to become a climate-neutral and circular port that contributes to resilience, security of supply and strategic autonomy.’

Ralph Koekkoek, CEO of Blue Circle Olefins: ‘As the largest methanol hub in Europe, the port of Rotterdam is the ideal location to realise our production facility.’

Blue Circle Olefins is a scale-up aimed at building a future-proof chemical industry in Europe by producing and selling circular olefins as drop-in replacements for fossil equivalents. The use of green methanol, produced from mixed plastic waste, agricultural and forestry residues, offers the Netherlands and Europe a commercially viable route for producing fossil-free plastics and chemicals. The production facility will also contribute to the industry's strategic autonomy and help reduce dependence on oil and gas imports in Europe.