Vopak Gate Terminal at Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte is the Netherlands’ first LNG import and regasification facility, capable of processing up to 16 billion cubic metres of gas per year across three full-containment storage tanks with a combined net capacity of 540,000 m³. Operated as a 50/50 joint venture between Royal Vopak and N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, the terminal has served as a primary LNG gateway for North-West Europe since opening in 2011.
Vopak Gate Terminal: Company Overview
Gate Terminal B.V. is jointly owned by Royal Vopak (50%) and Nederlandse Gasunie (50%), two of Europe’s most significant energy infrastructure companies. The terminal sits on a 35-hectare site at Maasvlakte, positioned near the port entrance to maximise vessel access. Its primary function is receiving LNG cargoes from global suppliers, storing the liquefied gas, and regasifying it for delivery into the Dutch and wider European transmission network.
The terminal holds ISCC EU, ISO 9001, ISCC+, and ISCC-CORSIA certification. Contact is handled through separate commercial and technical teams at Gate Terminal B.V., with Vopak maintaining a parallel commercial relationship with the asset.
Vopak Gate Terminal Infrastructure & Operations
The terminal’s current operational footprint comprises three 180,000 m³ full-containment LNG storage tanks, three marine jetties capable of handling large LNG carriers, and three truck-loading bays for onward inland distribution. The jetty infrastructure handles both conventional LNG import vessels and smaller carriers used for LNG bunkering and small-scale distribution.
Services offered include storage for regasification, delivery into the gas transmission network, truck loading, LNG back-loading to vessels, small carrier operations, and import and export of bio-LNG. The bio-LNG capability positions the terminal inside the growing market for lower-carbon gas, a route that several European terminal operators are now treating as a commercial priority.
Throughput capacity currently stands at approximately 16 bcm per year. The Vopak Gate Terminal is one of a small number of fixed regasification assets in North-West Europe with the scale and connectivity to absorb large volumes from global LNG suppliers including the United States, Qatar, and West Africa.
2026 Projects & Developments at Vopak Gate Terminal
Two significant capital projects are underway simultaneously at the Vopak Gate Terminal in 2026. Both have received Final Investment Decisions and are in active construction.
The fourth LNG storage tank — a 180,000 m³ full-containment unit matching the three existing tanks — is targeted for completion in H2 2026. The expansion also includes additional vaporiser capacity, which will take total regasification throughput from 16 bcm to 20 bcm per year. Long-term commercial agreements covering the additional capacity have already been signed with BP and PetroChina, representing two of the largest global LNG traders.
A fourth marine jetty — at a capital cost of €88 million — reached FID in early 2026, with completion targeted for late 2028. The jetty is designed specifically to expand Rotterdam’s position in the LNG marine bunkering market, where demand from shipping operators is rising as the sector transitions away from heavy fuel oil.
Gate Terminal has also begun assessing commercial demand for alternative energy carriers. The terminal is evaluating infrastructure compatibility for future imports of renewable low-carbon gases and ammonia — a signal that the asset’s long-term roadmap extends beyond fossil LNG. For context on how European LNG infrastructure is evolving more broadly, see our overview of the top LNG receiving terminals in Europe.
Vopak Gate Terminal in the Global LNG Market
Rotterdam’s position as Europe’s largest port gives the Vopak Gate Terminal structural advantages in pricing, vessel scheduling, and onward distribution that fixed regasification terminals at smaller European ports cannot replicate. The terminal feeds directly into the Dutch TTF gas market, which functions as the primary European gas pricing benchmark.
The PetroChina capacity agreement at the fourth tank is particularly significant: it represented the first instance of a Chinese state energy company securing long-term regasification capacity at a European terminal — a transaction that reflects China’s effort to diversify gas procurement routes beyond pipeline supply. The BP agreement adds a major Western trading house to the terminal’s commercial base.
In the context of European energy security, the terminal’s throughput expansion to 20 bcm positions it alongside other large-scale European import facilities. For comparison, Shell’s global LNG terminal portfolio includes several European receiving assets, but Gate Terminal’s depth of capacity at a single location is unusual in the regional market.
Vopak Gate Terminal: Company Snapshot
| Detail | Data |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gate Terminal B.V. |
| Location | Maasvlakte, Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Ownership | Royal Vopak 50% / Nederlandse Gasunie 50% |
| Operational since | 2011 |
| Site area | 35 hectares |
| Storage tanks | 3 x 180,000 m³ (fourth under construction) |
| Total storage capacity | 540,000 m³ (net) |
| Current throughput | ~16 bcm/year |
| Throughput post-expansion | 20 bcm/year (target: H2 2026) |
| Marine jetties | 3 operational; 4th under construction (target: late 2028) |
| Truck-loading bays | 3 |
| Fourth jetty cost | €88 million |
| Key capacity customers | BP, PetroChina (20-year agreements) |
| Products handled | LNG, bio-LNG |
| Certifications | ISCC EU, ISO 9001, ISCC+, ISCC-CORSIA |
| Terminal type | LNG import, storage & regasification |
What is Vopak Gate Terminal and where is it located?
Vopak Gate Terminal is an LNG import and regasification terminal located at Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. It is operated by Gate Terminal B.V., a 50/50 joint venture between Royal Vopak and Nederlandse Gasunie, and has been in operation since 2011.
What is the storage and throughput capacity of Vopak Gate Terminal?
The terminal currently has three storage tanks of 180,000 m³ each, giving a total net capacity of 540,000 m³. Throughput stands at approximately 16 billion cubic metres per year, rising to 20 bcm per year on completion of the fourth tank expansion in H2 2026.
What expansion projects are underway at Vopak Gate Terminal in 2026?
Two projects are under construction. A fourth 180,000 m³ LNG storage tank with additional vaporiser capacity is targeted for H2 2026, expanding regasification to 20 bcm/year. A fourth marine jetty, focused on LNG bunkering, is under construction at a cost of €88 million with a completion target of late 2028.
Who are the key commercial customers at Vopak Gate Terminal?
BP and PetroChina have both signed 20-year commercial agreements covering capacity at the fourth LNG tank. The PetroChina deal was the first instance of a Chinese state energy company securing long-term regasification capacity at a European terminal.
Is Vopak Gate Terminal moving into clean energy or ammonia?
Gate Terminal has begun assessing commercial market demand for alternative energy carriers, including renewable low-carbon gases and ammonia. This feasibility work is at an early stage and forms part of Royal Vopak’s broader sustainability strategy for its LNG terminal portfolio