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Publication
Research into the potential of the Antwerp - Ruhr pipeline street
Book - Report
This study into 'the potential of the Antwerp - Ruhr pipeline' is being carried out in collaboration with the Port of Antwerp on behalf of the Flemish Government (Department of Environment). For several years now, the Flemish Government has been working on the optimisation and renewal of the infrastructure in Belgium in order to strengthen the international connections between the gates and the metropolitan areas. In the Flanders Spatial Structure Plan, the multimodal connection between the seaports of Antwerp and Germany was selected, and the Albert Canal Economic Network (ENA) was regarded as an important economic concentration area in Flanders. As the existing space for pipelines in the MNA is currently insufficient, the growth of the chemical industry along the Albert Canal is insufficiently supported. Therefore, the Flemish Government wants to investigate the possibilities for a proactive spatial reservation ('pipeline street') for the development of a corridor between the chemical cluster in the port of Antwerp and the chemical companies in Limburg, the Netherlands and the Ruhr area in Germany. In this way, supporting increasing transport via pipelines can contribute to the further economic development of the MNA and to increasing the competitiveness of Flanders (Antea, 2016).
Several studies have already suggested the need for additional pipelines between the port of Antwerp and the Ruhr area in Germany. However, further research is necessary to obtain a more substantiated motivation for the implementation of a pipeline street between Antwerp and the Ruhr area. The government also wants to increase public support by means of extra study work. In this context, the assignment 'Research into the potential of the Antwerp-Ruhr pipeline', which can be divided into 2 separate sections (i.e: (1) the applied part and (2) the strategic part), started up and outsourced. The results of both sections will eventually serve as input for determining the social added value of the project (Antea, 2016). Furthermore, a follow-up study, namely 'Research into the local social added value of the Antwerp-Ruhr area', has also been started up in which the social support base of this project is further investigated.
This report examines in more detail the effective potential of the Antwerp - Ruhr pipeline street (e.g. by investigating traffic forecasts/loading potential, impact on sustainability, etc.). From a technical point of view, it is then considered how the expected potential of a spatial precipitation could be achieved, and how this relates to the initial assumptions in the 2016 feasibility study (Antea Group). Finally, policy recommendations are formulated regarding the anchoring of the detected opportunities in the relevant policy frameworks.
Several studies have already suggested the need for additional pipelines between the port of Antwerp and the Ruhr area in Germany. However, further research is necessary to obtain a more substantiated motivation for the implementation of a pipeline street between Antwerp and the Ruhr area. The government also wants to increase public support by means of extra study work. In this context, the assignment 'Research into the potential of the Antwerp-Ruhr pipeline', which can be divided into 2 separate sections (i.e: (1) the applied part and (2) the strategic part), started up and outsourced. The results of both sections will eventually serve as input for determining the social added value of the project (Antea, 2016). Furthermore, a follow-up study, namely 'Research into the local social added value of the Antwerp-Ruhr area', has also been started up in which the social support base of this project is further investigated.
This report examines in more detail the effective potential of the Antwerp - Ruhr pipeline street (e.g. by investigating traffic forecasts/loading potential, impact on sustainability, etc.). From a technical point of view, it is then considered how the expected potential of a spatial precipitation could be achieved, and how this relates to the initial assumptions in the 2016 feasibility study (Antea Group). Finally, policy recommendations are formulated regarding the anchoring of the detected opportunities in the relevant policy frameworks.
Publication year:2018
Accessibility:Open