Future-forward. Future-focused. ADPO is committed to accelerating the energy transition by decarbonizing the supply chain for its customers.
“If you want to begin to reduce your environmental footprint, the quickest way to start is to find those suppliers who’ve already reduced theirs,” says Filip De Dijcker, Managing Director at ADPO. “We decarbonize our customer’s supply chain.
Innovating for 35 Years and Counting
There’s no ‘greenwashing’ at ADPO. The Antwerp Distribution and Product Operations (ADPO) company was first established in 1988 at the Port of Antwerp and has grown through innovation, bold leadership, and motivated employees aligned with the company’s vision. It aims to be the leader in the chemical logistics sector in Europe and contribute to the climate challenge by using clean energy to minimize CO2 emissions and comply with international social and environmental standards, such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We could have planted a tree in front of our terminal and said, ‘we offer green logistics,’ shares De Dijcker. “But that would be too easy for ADPO. We use solar panels, solar mirrors, LNG/CNG fuel, vapor incinerator, barge handling container quay, by the EU supported Marco Polo rail loading station, pipeline connections, and Think Tank programs with our customers to enhance sustainability for their equipment and their supply chain.”
Since its inception 35 years ago, ADPO’s vision has been to offer integrated product flow in accordance with environmental, safety, and health regulations without compromises. It strives to contribute to a high quality standard of living today and for future generations. To this end, its mission’s goals are pursued and achieved by its 350 employees, who make a difference every day
LNG Blue Corridors Project
ADPO pursues various projects to accelerate its sustainability efforts. For CNG/LNG logistics, it created the LNG Blue Corridors in 2014. These offer LNG as a real medium- and long distance transport alternative, initially as a complementary fuel and later as an adequate substitute for diesel fuels. Total Energies operates this project with support from the European Commission (Blue Corridor), and it was the first LNG/NCG fuel station in Belgium.
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In fact, ADPO’s transport division, AFC, operates a green fleet of dual-fuel trucks (diesel and LNG), 100% LNG trucks, and a large fleet of CNG vans. It continues to invest in gas-fuelled vehicles.
Concentrated Solar Thermal Project
“We can proudly state that our customer storage tanks and ISO tanks are partly heated with pure and emission-free solar energy!” smiled De Dijcker. Besides its 5,000 classic solar photovoltaic solar panels that produce 15% of ADPO’s annual electricity consumption, the Belgian company partnered with Azteq to construct a CST (Concentrated Solar Thermal) energy platform. The CST platform, consisting of 1,100 m² parabolic mirrors, delivers around 500 MHWh of thermal heat in the form of steam at 10 bar pressure and will continue for the next 20 years – with zero emissions.
Innovation is central to ADPO’s future sustainability. While the surface area is scarce at the port, the company’s solar park was integrated into its rail network, where rail traffic can pass under it unhindered. The solar panels generate steam via solar heat to keep chemical products at the correct temperature.
Aiming for Zero-Emissions Transport
All ADPO’s company vehicles are hybrid cars or electric cars, and it also uses electric forklifts where possible. Of course, the company’s solar energy project produces all the power for the electric equipment. It provides a bicycle-leasing program and promotes classic and electric bicycles as ideal transport for employees to commute to and from work.
Future Energies
The circular economy is of paramount importance at ADPO. Part of its sustainability goals is contributing to the circular economy by collecting, storing, and distributing waste streams as feedstock for the chemical industry. It also stores liquid waste, which it reprocesses via distillation into new products, such as automotive antifreeze.
12,000 ISO Tanks Delivered by Water instead of Road Transport
ADPO recently invested in a barge quay access so that ISO and box containers can be delivered by water. In 2022, this resulted in 12,000 containers being delivered or collected by barge via water instead of road transport. It is probably one of the best decarbonization examples and significantly reduces road traffic impact on the Antwerp Port Area and Antwerp ring road system.
Full-Spectrum Services
It offers a full range of logistics services for liquid bulk products. Tank storage is ADPO’s core business, but filling services, warehousing, full ISO container logistics, and transport are operated by its integrated terminal model. All these services are provided at one physical location for a genuine ‘one-stop shop’ logistics model.
With ADPO and via the Port of Antwerp, customers can reach 70% of European consumers within a radius of 750 kilometres. Its terminals link well with Belgium’s excellent transport network via road, rail, and sea to access the European hinterland for 35 years.
And many more decades to come.
