Rotterdam operators business under pressure
Independent storage operators at the Dutch port are facing a squeeze while Antwerp has seen growth in volumes
Long-term, Europe’s Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) gateways are benefiting from structural changes in world oil flows – but 2013 saw a downturn in business conditions, particularly for the Rotterdam operators. Continuing headwinds are forecast for the coming year. The downturn in Rotterdam storage tracks back to the EU upping the pressure against Iran’s nuclear plans in July 2012, when it banned the import and handling of Iranian oil. The move resulted in empty tanks in Rotterdam, at a time when price backwardation – futures prices lower than prompt – was trimming demand for storage capacity. The drive to re-let the empty space, in a flat market, led to downward pressures on fees. Vopak,
Also in this section
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation
