WPU, the plastics recycling division of the energy and commodities group Vitol, has announced plans to build a new chemical recycling plant at the Port of Rotterdam. The facility will process end of life plastics and will be strategically located next to Vitol’s existing VPR refinery.
Once completed, the proposed plant will have an annual processing capacity of 80,000 tonnes of post consumer plastic. This massive scale will position it as one of the largest chemical recycling facilities in Europe.
WPU will utilise pyrolysis technology to break down the materials. The company is already operating this technology at a commercial scale at its facility in Denmark, which processes 20,000 tonnes per year and currently runs near full capacity. The Rotterdam project represents a fourfold increase in operational scale, driven by maturing technology and a growing market demand for chemically recycled plastics.
By building the plant adjacent to the VPR refinery, WPU can directly connect its recycled outputs with existing industrial infrastructure at the port. This setup supports a seamless integration into the broader petrochemical and circular economy value chains.
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For the Port of Rotterdam, this announcement further solidifies its position as a growing hub for energy transition logistics. The new WPU facility will complement the port’s ongoing investments in sustainable fuel storage, shore power, and hydrogen production infrastructure.