Braskem Idesa (BI) announces the signing of an investment agreement with Advario for a joint 50% stake in the construction and operation of an ethane import terminal in Mexico, called "Puerto Mexico Chemical Terminal" (Terminal Química Puerto México or TQPM, in Spanish).

The project's total investment will be approximately US$400 million, construction should begin in July 2022, and it is planned to be completed by the end of 2024. The Terminal will be developed in the municipalities of Coatzacoalcos and Nanchital, in the state of Veracruz. The 10-hectare site is in the northern part of the Pajaritos lagoon and will be connected to Braskem Idesa's complex via an 11-kilometer pipeline. A new jetty will also be built in the Pajaritos lagoon with an exclusive area for operations with cryogenic ethane This important infrastructure project will be part of the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, one of the Mexican government's main development initiatives.

Advario, a recent carve-out from Oiltanking, is a Dutch company specialized in designing, building, financing, and operating storage and logistic infrastructure for bulk liquid products, including cryogenic gases. Its history and experience span over 50 years.

"This partnership allows Braskem Idesa to work with one of the most distinguished companies in the sector, adding technology, experience, and recognized safety excellence to TQPM's operations. We are delighted with the announcement of this joint venture," commented Stefan Lepecki, CEO of Braskem Idesa.

Bas Verkooijen, CEO of Advario, commented regarding the partnership with BI that "Advario is proud to partner with Braskem Idesa on this project. The development of the Puerto Mexico Chemical Terminal is another important example of Advario's commitment to partnering with leaders in the industry and focusing on growth opportunities within chemicals, gases, and new energies. We look forward to a long and successful collaboration and to bringing our depth of expertise to this exciting project."

Braskem Idesa highlights that Advario will add value and bring extensive experience to ensure the success of this world-class project. The ethane import terminal will be a major infrastructure for cryogenic ethane to be supplied to Mexico and will provide the additional raw material that Braskem Idesa needs to operate at full capacity, thereby increasing the availability of this hydrocarbon and the competitiveness of the entire Mexican petrochemical and plastics industry.

The Terminal is expected to generate approximately 2,000 jobs during construction, and the increased availability of ethane will also support other important production chains in the country's petrochemical industry.