EDF Trading acquires coal terminal business
09 July 2007
EDF Trading has acquired Amstuw BV, a coal terminal business located in the Port of Amsterdam, from the LBH Group.
Amstuv BV operates three coal terminals with a total capacity of up to 15 million tonnes per year: the Rietlanden terminal located in the Amerikahaven, the ACP terminal located in the Westhaven and the ACT terminal in the Afrikahaven.
Owning a terminal business at the centre of European coal imports will further strengthen EDF Trading’s position in the coal sector. It also builds on its existing network of assets including long-term purchase contracts with producers from all the major coal producing regions of the world, its fleet of dry-bulk vessels and its inland barge and railcar capacity.
“Our network of assets in the coal market enables us to provide a flexible, end to end service to our customers including a wide variety of coal specifications, storage, blending options and delivery terms. Our expertise in the financial markets also gives us the ability to offer long-term fixed-price contracts to producers and consumers of coal, “said John Rittenhouse, Managing Director at EDF Trading.
With an increasing amount of coal imported through the ARA hub (Port of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp), EDF Trading sees significant growth opportunities for the terminal business in the North West European market where the phasing out of domestic coal production is being replaced with imported coal.
The management team at Amstuw BV will remain in place including Commercial Director Bert Lagendijk.
“The acquisition of Amstuw is a good fit with our existing coal activities and we are excited about with the opportunity to enhance our service to customers. We also look forward to working with Bert Lagendijk who has a great deal of experience in the stevedoring sector”, added Rittenhouse.
EDF Trading began its coal trading operations in 2000 and is now one of the largest coal traders globally. As a significant importer of coal into Europe, it also plays an important role in arranging the EDF Group’s coal supply requirements in France and the UK.
For further information, please contact:
EDF Trading
Kerry Kennedy, Head of Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7061 4232
Email: kerry.kennedy@edftrading.com
About EDF Trading’s coal business
EDF Trading is one of the largest players in the global coal market. It trades in the physical and financial markets and has a fully integrated coal and freight business. With a range of sources of coal supply worldwide and the capability to ship, store, blend and deliver coal, EDF Trading is able to offer the EDF Group and other wholesale coal consumers’ comprehensive management of the entire coal supply chain from load port to plant gate.
EDF Trading purchases 30 million tonnes of coal annually from producers in South Africa, Columbia, Indonesia, Australia, Russia and the US and imports the majority of this coal into Europe. EDF Trading is the exclusive supplier of coal to EDF in France and has long-term agreements with EDF Energy in the UK. Alongside demand from the Group, EDF Trading has a number of long-term supply contracts with major European utilities.
Through EDF Trading’s freight desk, the company controls a fleet of dry-bulk capesize and panamax vessels and uses its fleet to manage coal transportation requirements for EDF and other customers. EDF Trading Logistics, based in Paris, is responsible for all inland logistics required to unload ocean vessels and transport coal and fuel oil to EDF and third parties’ coal and oil-fired power stations. These activities include inspections, port services, storage of coal and inland transportation by barge and railcar.
EDF Trading is a leading player in the coal derivatives market offering long-term pricing arrangements to producers and consumers that enable them to lock in production or generation margins.
About Amstuw BV and LBH Group
The LBH Group (Lagendijk Brothers Holding) was established in 1984 by Jan and Bert Lagendijk in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The LBH Group originally commenced as a ship’s agent, attending vessels calling at the Port of Rotterdam to load or discharge dry-bulk cargoes. Over the years, LBH has expanded the shipping agent business globally and is now operating in almost every port around the world. In addition to the agency business, the LBH Group developed a terminal business in the Port of Amsterdam.
