Multi-purpose carbon dioxide (CO2) terminals are likely to play an important role in Europe’s plans to scale up carbon capture and storage (CCS), potentially serving as central hubs for receiving, storing and distributing captured CO2.
Nick van den Boogaart, Business Developer for Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage at Dutch energy operator Gasunie, presented the company’s vision at gasworld’s European CO2 Summit 2025 in Rotterdam.
The energy firm’s idea for an independent, open-access terminal for CO2 is taking form through a joint venture named CO2next.The project also involves Koole Terminals, Vopak, Shell, and Delta Energy and has been designated as a Project of Common Interest by the European Union.
“This terminal has more potential than just a receiving point,” van den Boogaart said. “We are designing the terminal in such a way that CO2 cannot only be unloaded, but also reloaded onto larger ships for transshipment to other CCS value chains or [for] utilisation elsewhere”.
Construction of the CO2next terminal should begin in 2028 in the Maasvlakte area of Rotterdam. It will initially be designed to accommodate both inland barges and larger coastal ships. Potential future expansions include rail connections and additional storage to accommodate growing demand.
Van den Boogaart spelled out the advantages of terminal-based logistics compared with pipeline transport.
Terminal-based logistics offers more flexibility and adaptability than pipelines, allowing CO2 to be received and redistributed by ship, barge, truck, or rail. Ships and terminal assets can also be redeployed or scaled incrementally, unlike pipelines, which represent fixed, long-term investments.
However, he acknowledged flexibility brings specific operational challenges, and particularly corrosion. Van den Boogaart described corrosion as “quite a hot topic right now within our market.”
He added, “There is no silver bullet for this challenge, because you can think in different ways. One approach could be imposing tighter specifications on emitters, requiring capture installations to be more accurate. Another solution could be that we as a value chain invest in a purification system.”
Risk management across the CCS value chain is also crucial. Van den Boogaart said effective risk allocation across multiple stakeholders is essential. But he highlighted recent progress, noting, “Insurance firms are … stepping up slowly as well…something that was not even out there three years ago, when we started developing this project”.
Financial viability is another challenge. Current carbon pricing schemes mean many CCS projects rely heavily on subsidies and public funding.
“The business case for CCS is still quite challenging,” van den Boogaart said. “Central European funding has been essential to making our project viable”.
Once operational, the CO2next terminal will temporarily store captured CO2 at medium pressure in large spherical tanks, each one capable of holding 8,000 cubic metres, before the CO2 is compressed and transported offshore via pipeline.
The Porthos example
Adding context to the discussion, Mark Driessen, Manager of Public Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement, and Communications at CO2 transport and storage project Porthos detailed how his nearby project’s pipeline infrastructure complements terminal facilities such as CO2next.
Porthos is building pipelines and offshore facilities designed to transport captured CO2 from Rotterdam’s industrial areas to depleted gas reservoirs beneath the North Sea. Initially planned to handle 2.5 million tonnes per year, the offshore pipeline capacity was later increased to 10 million tonnes annually – a decision initially viewed by many as overly ambitious.
“When we first proposed expanding capacity to 10 million tonnes, people said to us, “You’re crazy”. Two and a half million tonnes was already [seen as] too big. But … now we’re very happy we made this decision because we’re … sure we can fill this pipeline”.
Porthos’ offshore pipeline is already fully booked, indicating strong industry demand for CO2 storage. Its infrastructure includes a high-pressure pipeline extending approximately 20 kilometres offshore, linking to existing gas platforms currently being repurposed for CO2 storage.
Yet Porthos has also faced considerable hurdles. Regulatory delays, a lengthy court case related to nitrogen emissions, and sharp cost increases have complicated the project’s timeline and finances.
“Our return rates plummeted because costs doubled due to delays and the energy crisis,” Driessen said. “No single private company would have said yes to this project. Thankfully, the Dutch government and the Rotterdam government said this project was too important. We need to do this.”
Cross-border regulatory barriers persist
Both CO2next and Porthos highlighted regulatory issues surrounding cross-border CO2 transport, particularly relating to differences in carbon pricing schemes between the EU and UK following the UK’s exit from the EU.
Van den Boogaart pointed out, “With two different types of ETS [Emissions Trading Systems], it’s really not possible to … transport your CO2 to [the UK], store it there, and get it recognised. Solutions exist on paper, but, given the political dynamics around Brexit, it’s one of a thousand agenda topics at a political level as well”.
This reality reinforces the importance of regulatory alignment for streamlined CCS logistics, especially as cross-border projects grow in scale.
Van den Boogaart said that industry decisions today would shape Europe’s CCS capabilities for decades. “In the end, there are different regimes out there, and the choices that are made now might actually also determine the whole future of the CCS value chain – standardisation, streamlining, all these things”.
Driessen agreed, stressing the need for close collaboration between government, industry, and infrastructure providers.
“You cannot do this without it,” he said, referring to cross-sector cooperation. “We have three groups, industry, infrastructure, and government. All must move forward together.”
