March 31, 2026 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- HES International B.V. has announced the launch of an Open Season for liquid CO₂ handling at two major deepwater terminals in Europe, marking a significant step forward in the development of the continent’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure.

The initiative covers facilities at Wilhelmshaven, through HES Wilhelmshaven Tank Terminal GmbH (also known as the CO2nnectNow project), and the Rotterdam-based HES Bulk Terminal Rotterdam. Both terminals are designed to play a key role in linking industrial emitters to offshore CO₂ storage sites beneath the North Sea.

The projects aim to address a critical gap in Europe’s carbon value chain by enabling the transport of captured CO₂ from onshore industries to permanent storage locations. Operations at both terminals are currently targeted to begin in 2029.

Once fully developed, the combined infrastructure is expected to scale up to a handling capacity of approximately 20 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. The facilities are being designed with flexibility in mind, allowing customers to begin with smaller volumes and expand capacity over time as decarbonisation requirements increase.

In addition, the terminals will provide access to certified storage sites across multiple countries, including Norway, United Kingdom, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany, supporting a pan-European approach to carbon management.

Otto Waterlander, director new energies at HES International, highlighted the strategic importance of the development, noting that the projects are expected to accelerate the permanent decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries while enabling early CO₂ reductions, even where alternative low-carbon fuels are not yet widely available.

The Open Season process is now underway, with HES International inviting interested parties to submit expressions of interest as it works to establish long-term partnerships and support industrial decarbonisation across Europe.

The development builds on HES International’s long-standing experience in terminal operations and reflects the growing momentum behind CCS solutions as a key component of the global energy transition.