Alkagesta Secures Multi-Year Biofuel Storage Capacity in Antwerp

Global commodity trading firm Alkagesta has entered into a multi-year arrangement for biofuel storage facilities at the Pantank terminal in Antwerp, Belgium. This development extends the company's operational reach for biofuels within Europe, as detailed by Ship & Bunker and Oils & Fats International.

This storage deal is anticipated to facilitate increased movement of both feedstock and biodiesel into the European market, Alkagesta communicated via email, as reported by Ship & Bunker. The firm, established in Malta in 2018, specialises in petroleum products, fertilisers, and biofuels, according to Oils & Fats International. Alkagesta currently manages an approximate 700,000 cubic metres of storage capacity across Europe, with a significant concentration of these assets located in the Mediterranean area, Ship & Bunker noted. Oils & Fats International further clarified that this capacity extends across Europe and Asia.

The new capacity in Antwerp is expected to provide greater flexibility and liquidity to the biofuels sector, a market that has been navigating considerable volatility in global fuel markets, Oils & Fats International reported. Anthony Guida, a biofuels trader, suggested that this additional capacity would assist smaller producers in connecting with European biodiesel markets and support compliance with regional sustainability and blending regulations, according to Oils & Fats International. The company's biofuels trading desk handles used cooking oil (UCO), oils derived from food waste, soapstock acid oils, and various types of biodiesel, Oils & Fats International added.

Alkagesta's latest move follows its recent entry into the jet fuel supply market in Northwest Europe, utilising the NATO pipeline system, Ship & Bunker stated. Although it remains unconfirmed if the Antwerp site will directly serve the marine biofuel sector, Alkagesta is already involved in bunkering activities, Ship & Bunker observed. In 2025, the company announced its intentions to supply ultra-low sulphur fuel oil (ULSFO) across the Central and Eastern Mediterranean in anticipation of new emission control area (ECA) regulations for that region, Ship & Bunker reported.

Beyond Europe, Alkagesta has also set up a dedicated biofuel trading desk in Geneva and secured storage space at the Horizon terminal in Singapore, according to Ship & Bunker. The company indicated that the Antwerp agreement would involve handling biofuel products transported by vessel, truck, and container, thereby improving Alkagesta's capability to manage and deliver across the supply chain, Ship & Bunker concluded.

The strategic importance of storage and adaptable supply chains has been heightened by recent disruptions, which market participants have noted have impacted logistics and feedstock spreads more than underlying demand, according to Oils & Fats International. While geopolitical tensions have driven sharp fluctuations in crude and refined product prices, the biofuels market has shown comparative stability, a phenomenon attributed by analysts to diversified feedstock supply chains and the support of European blending mandates, Oils & Fats International reported. This stability, coupled with the increasing global emphasis on decarbonisation, underscores the value of investments in biofuel infrastructure, particularly in key logistical hubs like Antwerp, which serves as a critical gateway for bulk trade across Europe.