German gas producer Messer secures permit to build new plant at Ghent port
The German producer of industrial and medical gases, Messer, has obtained a permit to build a new 60 million euros facility in the Ghent port area. The project involves the construction of an air separation plant. It will be located in Evergem, on the site of the former Langerbrugge power plant.
An air separation plant is a facility that separates atmospheric air into different gases. Atmospheric air consists mainly of nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. By purifying and cooling the air, these gases can be liquefied, stored in tanks, and transported to customers via tanker trucks. The various gases are then used in sectors such as the food industry, as well as in hospitals, for example.
Obtaining the permit was a long-term endeavour. A year ago, Messer had to revise its plans after the original application ran into objections, including concerns regarding the use of canal water. In the revised design, the company opted for a closed cooling system, which means no water is pumped up or discharged. That change made the project more expensive but helped to get it approved.
With this project, the group will double its size in Belgium and create thirty new jobs, reports De Tijd. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-May, and Messer hopes to have everything operational by 2028. Contracts have already been signed for 50 per cent of the capacity. In Zeebrugge, Messer is also helping to build a green hydrogen plant.
#FlandersNewsService | Logo of German industrial gases company Messer © PHOTO Timon Schneider / SOPA Images / Sipa USA
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