Distinguished visitors at Porthos on the Maasvlakte

Breda, 10 June 2026

The Porthos site on Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte welcomed distinguished visitors: German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and King Willem-Alexander. The visit took place as part of the Federal President’s three-day state visit to the Netherlands, with the Port of Rotterdam taking centre stage on the second day.

The delegation comprised representatives from both the Dutch and German governments and industry. Among them were Carola Schouten, Mayor of Rotterdam, and Stientje van Veldhoven, Minister for Climate and Green Growth. During the visit, the focus was on the Port of Rotterdam’s role as an economic driver and energy hub for Europe, as well as on cooperation between the Netherlands and Germany in the fields of sustainability and energy.

Understanding the Porthos infrastructure

During the visit, the King and his party were given a tour of the Porthos compressor station construction site, where experts from the Porthos organisation and representatives of the shareholders Gasunie, Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN) and the Port of Rotterdam Authority provided an explanation of the project. Those present gained an insight into the operation of the infrastructure currently being built for the transport and storage of CO₂.

Porthos plays a key role in reducing industrial CO₂ emissions in the Port of Rotterdam by capturing, transporting and storing them in depleted gas fields beneath the North Sea. As such, the project represents a significant step in the development of a European CO₂ infrastructure and serves as a basis for future international CCS projects.

During the visit, it became clear how the various components of the Porthos infrastructure come together to form a single integrated system. Attention was also paid to the future compressor station, which plays a central role in the CO₂ transport process.

Contribution from ZÜBLIN Nederland

As joint-venture partners on this project, ZÜBLIN Nederland and Van Boekel Bouw & Infra are working together, on behalf of the main contractor Bonatti, to construct the architectural and civil engineering structures for several buildings on the site of the compressor station at the Maasvlakte. These buildings form the basis for the advanced installations at the compressor station, the technical heart of Porthos.

Through its contribution to the Porthos compressor station, ZÜBLIN Nederland is playing a part in the large-scale CCS project that is essential to the energy transition. The project underlines the need for close cooperation between government, industry and infrastructure partners to achieve climate targets.

Significance for Europe

The visit by the King and the Federal President highlights the strategic importance of the Porthos project, both nationally and internationally. The Port of Rotterdam serves as a gateway to the European energy market and plays a crucial role in making industry more sustainable. Furthermore, the visit underlines the strong economic and political cooperation between the Netherlands and Germany.

Within the European Union, Porthos is seen as an important first step towards a large-scale CO₂ hub in north-western Europe. The project demonstrates how cross-border cooperation can contribute to a sustainable and future-proof energy supply.

For ZÜBLIN Nederland, it is a special honour to be part of a project that receives recognition at this level and contributes to a sustainable future.

Discover the full report and photos on the Porthos website.