February 17, 2015 [OPIS] - Dutch Varo Energy, the Vitol-Carlyle midstream joint venture, has sold its 87,000-cbm storage terminal at Nordenham-Blexen, near Bremerhaven, to disposal and bunker service company Graue Entsorgungs-und Bunkergesellschaft, spokesman Fabian Gmuender said Monday.
The 21-unit tank farm, which had been the sole coastal facility of Varo‘s German storage affiliate Petrotank Neutrale Tanklagergesellschaft, is being used for the transhipment of bitumen, heavy fuel oil, gasoil, recycling products and other liquid transhipment goods via tank trucks, ocean-going vessels and barges, according to the buyer. Graue operates its own oil and water treatment plants on the tank farm premises.
The deal, which took effect in early January, includes the tank farm business property, technical facilities, storage, transhipment and other contracts, plus personnel, Graue said.
The existing transhipment business with third parties “will continue and is set to expand in the long term” on the basis of service agreements, operated by Graue-subsidiary Unabhaengige Tanklagergesellschaft.
While Graue said it sought “to secure the facility for its own disposal business over the long term,” Varo remained silent on the reason for selling the asset.