September 25, 2014 [Algemeen Dagblad/TankTerminals.com] – The company has informed its staff that the construction of a new cracker, vital for the continuity of the refinery, has been shelved. Instead of that the company investigates the option to sell the plant.
Another alternative, converting the refinery into a tank storage facility, is also being investigated. “Closure of the plant is not in discussion”, Alex Meeusen of Kuwait Petroleum assured.
More clarity on this matter is expected in 6 to 9 months time. KPE has 375 employees on its payroll and hundreds of others are indirectly dependent on the company, like construction and maintenance workers.
The refinery is under threat for many years already. Investments have been delayed time and again, despite the pleas of the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Henk Kamp and the Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb with the Kuwait government.
According to Meeusen, there is no concrete indication of a take-over candidate.
