Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter. We’ll take you through some key milestones, inspiring stories, and impressive visuals from our construction site.

A lot has happened since the first furnaces arrived in Antwerp in January. All six cracking furnaces are now in place on their foundations, and the steam boilers — essential for starting up the cracker — have also arrived on site. The underground and civil engineering works are almost complete, and work on connecting the utilities is in full swing. Two of our three overseas yards have already been phased out now that work on our factory modules is almost complete.

With construction well underway, preparations for commissioning the installation are also in full swing. All parts of the factory are being thoroughly tested for functionality, in accordance with strict quality and safety requirements. Soon the site will be supplied with power for the first time with the electrification of the Power Intake Station. This 'main electrical cabinet' of Project ONE will be the first part of the project to be commissioned in this phase.

Recently the site has also received visits from the Belgian Prime Minister, the Minister-President of Flanders, as well as Sir Jim Ratcliffe. They were all impressed by the level of activity and the site's scope.

This makes for a very full edition!
I hope you enjoy reading it and have a pleasant summer holiday.

John McNally, CEO Project ONE 

On Tuesday 10 June, INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe welcomed Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to our construction site in the port of Antwerp. INEOS co-owners Andy Currie and John Reece were also present.

Both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Bart De Wever were impressed by the work and progress they saw during their visit to the site. They also shared a clear message during the visit.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe: “The business plan that we’ve put together for Project ONE is still very sound. But the costs of building have been much more expensive because of permitting issues we had to endure. Europe is a tough place for permitting and obviously, competitively speaking, for chemicals it’s a tough place. If you look at the top ten manufacturers of chemicals in Europe, eight of them are closing down and leaving Europe. And if I look at the top ten manufacturers of chemicals in America they’re all investing in America."

Prime Minister Bart De Wever: “I am grateful that INEOS has persevered with Project ONE. If the new plant opens within two years, I will be a very happy man. To all those protesting, I would ask them to think carefully about what they are doing. They certainly won't save the planet by forcing European industry to move to countries with no environmental regulations.”

Watch the aftermovie or the Flows video report on the Project ONE website

In the latest episode of Voices of the Industry, a mini-series by Cefic – the European Chemical Industry Council – Project ONE takes centre stage. The film crew visited our site in the Port of Antwerp and spoke with CEO John McNally, Technology Manager Ralf Wilhelm Gesthuisen, and spokesperson Nathalie Meert. Together, they paint a clear picture of the innovative strength and impact of our ethane cracker on the European chemical sector.

We were proud to welcome Cefic and offer them a behind-the-scenes look. The video not only highlights the scale and ambition of the project, but also the people who are building it every day. A must-watch for anyone wanting to experience Project ONE up close.

Anyone passing by the site can’t miss them: the towering cranes of Sarens. The largest of these giants was recently christened ‘Strong Sofie’ on the Project ONE site, in the presence of Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele. With its impressive reach and lifting capacity, this powerhouse plays a key role in assembling our installations.

Watch the aftermovie of the christening or discover more about Sarens’ work on site in our video report

With the positioning of the C3 splitter, Project ONE has gained a new eye-catcher. The column, which at 100 metres is the tallest on site, was recently hoisted onto its foundation. This marks another step forward in the construction of our installation. The C3 splitter is not only a new feature in the Project ONE skyline, but also an impressive feat of engineering.

Homeward bound: the incredible journey of our furnaces

From Thailand to Antwerp: the furnaces – the beating heart of our ethane cracker – made an impressive journey. Watch the video 

Radio Project ONE – relive the day

The live broadcast of Radio Project ONE was a great success! Did you miss it, or would you like to relive the atmosphere, interviews, and music?
Watch the Radio Project ONE YouTube playlist

Project ONE in the Port of Antwerp is running at full speed, and we’re still looking for many new team members! Use your expertise to contribute to this unique project.