With a group company of Royal Vopak, Biopetrol Industries AG agreed to construct its third production facility in Rotterdam at the Vopak Terminal Botlek Noord. This third plant is slated to produce 400,000 tons of biodiesel and 60,000 tons of pharma-glycerine per year, helping Biopetrol grow its annual capacity to 750,000 tons of biodiesel by 2008 -- sooner than originally anticipated. The plant is scheduled to start up operation in Q3 2007.

"In Rotterdam we have found the ideal location for our company in Europe, which offers us a clear competitive edge: First, we will be present in Europe's largest refinery center and therefore close to our clients," said Klaus Henschel, Chief Operation Officer of Biopetrol. "Second, Rotterdam offers a large tank storage capacity. In addition, Rotterdam is the center of the European vegetable oil market. Due to the connections to the sea and the Rhine as well as the pipeline network, our logistics costs will also be significantly lower than at any other location." From Rotterdam, Biopetrol aims to access sales regions in Northern, Western and Central Europe, broadening its client base. The Rotterdam facility will be technically identical to the one in Rostock, Germany, which will be started up in Q4 2006. At present, Biopetrol produces biodiesel in Schwarzheide, Germany. "We are very pleased to host and be connected to the largest biodiesel plant in the Netherlands. Biofuels are becoming increasingly important, also for Vopak," said Rob Nijst, Division President Vopak Oil Europe, Middle East and Africa. "We have vast experience with storage of biodiesel in, for example, Hamburg and London, furthermore we have co-site projects for biodiesel plants in Houston, USA, and Darwin, Australia." Biopetrol Industries AG produces and distributes biodiesel and pharmaceutical-grade glycerine through its German subsidiaries. The company says it currently produces around 150,000 tons of biodiesel and 30,000 tons of pharmaceutical glycerine per year in Schwarzheide. With a new facility in the works, the company anticipates that by the end of 2007, annual capacity should have increased by a factor of five to 750,000 tons of biodiesel. Royal Vopak is an independent tank terminal operator specialized in the storage and handling of liquid and gaseous chemical and oil products. It operates 73 terminals in 29 countries with a total storage capacity of more than 20.4 million cbm [cubic meters]. Biopetrol Industries AG http://www.biopetrol-ind.com Koninklijke Vopak N.V. (Royal Vopak) http://www.vopak.com
"Rotterdam is the center of the European vegetable oil market. Due to the connections to the sea and the Rhine as well as the pipeline network, our logistics costs will also be significantly lower than at any other location." -- Klaus Henschel, Biopetrol Industires AG, COO