Hamburg-based bitumen supply and trading firm NordBit will end its operations at the Dunkirk bitumen terminal in northeast France at the end of this year, a source familiar with the firm's operations said.
NordBit — a bitumen joint venture between German firms Mabanol and H&R — has been operating the 11,000-12,000t capacity terminal since 2019. The bitumen facility is part of a wider oil products and chemicals complex at Dunkirk.
According to vessel tracking data, the bitumen terminal at Dunkirk has received 25,900t this year, although no cargoes have been discharged since August. Market participants said the terminal is in need of upgrading and will probably need the work done ahead of renting.
The imminent halt to NordBit's operations at Dunkirk comes as French building conglomerate Vinci's Eurovia subsidiary nears completion of its own new and separate 16,000t capacity bitumen terminal in Dunkirk which is scheduled to start operating from March or April next year.
