BWC Terminals operates 22 bulk liquid storage sites with over 20 million barrels of capacity across the United States and Canada, making it one of the largest independent terminal operators in North America. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, BWC Terminals serves refiners, manufacturers and distributors across the petroleum, chemicals, renewable fuels and agricultural sectors — and is currently investing $316 million in a new greenfield terminal at Pascagoula, Mississippi, in partnership with Chevron.
From Westway to Contanda to BWC Terminals
BWC Terminals traces its operating history back over 60 years, through several ownership and brand transitions. The business operated as Westway Group before rebranding as Contanda, which was taken private by EQT Infrastructure in 2013. At that point, the company held 15 terminals and approximately 7 million barrels of capacity, with a core focus on agricultural liquids, chemicals and refined products along the Gulf Coast and East Coast.
In December 2019, institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management acquired Contanda from EQT. The following February, Contanda and BW Terminals — which had come under common ownership simultaneously — announced a merger. The combined entity formally launched as BWC Terminals in July 2020, bringing together 18 sites and approximately 13 million barrels of storage capacity. Since then, BWC has grown steadily through acquisition: the purchase of NuStar’s Texas City facility in 2020, followed by the acquisition of Vopak’s Savannah terminal in 2023, added key Gulf Coast and Southeast capacity to the network.
Terminal Network and Key Assets
BWC Terminals’ 22 sites are concentrated along the US Gulf Coast and East Coast, with additional presence in the Pacific Northwest. The Gulf Coast cluster is the operational core: facilities in Houston (multiple sites), Texas City, Westwego and Harvey in Louisiana, and Pascagoula in Mississippi provide access to deep-water shipping lanes, the Colonial Pipeline system, and the dense refinery and petrochemical corridor running from Beaumont to New Orleans.
The Savannah, Georgia terminal — acquired from Vopak in 2023 — consists of 56 tanks and approximately 1.6 million barrels of capacity, handling vegetable oils, specialty chemicals and asphalt at the Port of Savannah, the fourth-largest US port by volume. On the Pacific Northwest coast, BWC’s Port of Grays Harbor terminal in Hoquiam, Washington — which earned OSHA Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star certification in June 2025 — handles renewable fuels and agricultural liquids for the West Coast market.
Products stored across the network span petroleum-based products, renewable fuels, agricultural liquids (vegetable oils, molasses), specialty chemicals, food-grade materials and asphalt. This product diversity reflects BWC’s positioning across multiple commodity cycles, reducing exposure to any single market. Among the broader field of independent tank terminal operators in North America, BWC’s multi-product capability and geographic spread distinguish it from more focused single-commodity operators. A comparable Gulf Coast independent is IMTT New Orleans, which anchors the lower Mississippi River corridor.
Pascagoula Expansion and 2026 Growth Strategy
BWC Terminals’ most significant active project is the new terminal at Pascagoula, Mississippi, which broke ground in December 2025. The $316 million facility is being developed on the former Mississippi Phosphates Corporation site and is purpose-built to support Chevron’s adjacent Pascagoula refinery — one of the largest refineries on the US Gulf Coast. The first phase, targeting up to 5 million barrels of capacity, is expected to be operational by late 2026. Infrastructure will include seven above-ground storage tanks, direct pipeline connectivity to the refinery, unit train unloading and marine dock facilities.
DC Advisory acted as financial adviser on the construction financing of the Pascagoula terminal, following its role on BWC’s 2024 corporate platform refinancing. The project adds a strategically important asset to BWC’s Gulf Coast network and deepens an established commercial relationship with Chevron that had previously included the Texas City terminal. CEO Adam Smith has framed Pascagoula as a supply chain optimisation play — reducing logistics complexity for refinery customers who need flexible third-party storage adjacent to their processing assets.
BWC Terminals in the North American Market
BWC Terminals competes in the independent bulk liquid storage segment alongside operators including Oiltanking, Zenith Energy and Kinder Morgan’s terminals division. Its competitive differentiation is built on multi-modal access (marine, rail, pipeline and truck at most sites), multi-product capability, and a track record of acquiring and integrating assets from larger operators — including the Vopak Savannah and NuStar Texas City transactions — at commercially attractive terms.
The company has received ILTA Safety Excellence Awards for two consecutive years (2024 and 2025) and holds VPP Star certification at Grays Harbor, reflecting the safety culture that terminal operators and their customers require. For a broader view of the global tank terminal landscape in 2026, independent operators like BWC are benefiting from majors and refiners preferring third-party storage arrangements over owned terminal infrastructure — a structural shift that continues to drive contract volumes across the sector.
Company Snapshot
| Formerly Known As | Contanda (formerly Westway Group) |
|---|---|
| Rebranded | July 2020 (Contanda + BW Terminals merger) |
| Headquarters | Houston, Texas, USA |
| CEO | Adam Smith |
| Ownership | Private — backed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management |
| Terminal Sites | 22 (US and Canada) |
| Storage Capacity | 20+ million barrels |
| Key Markets | Petroleum, chemicals, renewable fuels, agricultural liquids, food grade |
| Active Project | Pascagoula, MS — $316M greenfield terminal (Phase 1 target: late 2026) |
| Website | bwcterminals.com |
What is BWC Terminals and what does it do?
BWC Terminals is an independent bulk liquid storage and logistics provider headquartered in Houston, Texas. The company operates 22 terminal sites across the US and Canada with over 20 million barrels of combined storage capacity, serving refiners, manufacturers and distributors of petroleum products, chemicals, renewable fuels and agricultural liquids.
Is BWC Terminals the same company as Contanda?
Yes. BWC Terminals was formed in July 2020 through the merger of Contanda LLC and BW Terminals, which had come under common ownership in late 2019. The Contanda business itself was previously known as Westway Group and has a 60-year operating history. The BWC brand replaced both legacy names following completion of the merger.
Where are BWC Terminals’ key facilities located?
BWC Terminals’ network is concentrated along the US Gulf Coast — with sites in Houston, Texas City, Pascagoula, Westwego and Harvey — plus the Port of Savannah in Georgia and Port of Grays Harbor in Washington State. The company’s Gulf Coast presence provides access to major shipping lanes, pipeline infrastructure and the US refining corridor.
What is BWC Terminals building at Pascagoula?
BWC Terminals broke ground in December 2025 on a new $316 million terminal at Pascagoula, Mississippi, on the former Mississippi Phosphates site. The facility is being developed to provide storage and logistics support for the adjacent Chevron Pascagoula Refinery. Phase 1 targets up to 5 million barrels of capacity and is expected to be operational by late 2026.
Who owns BWC Terminals?
BWC Terminals is a privately held company backed by institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management, which acquired the business from EQT Infrastructure in December 2019. The company has raised $155 million in disclosed financing and remains headquartered in Houston.