Port of Amsterdam to build zero-carbon cement plant

EMC Cement (EMC) and HES International (HES) are to fully exploit industrially-proven EMC Technology, which uses a unique form of 'mechanical activation’ to enable abundant all-natural volcanic ash (EMC Volcanics) to substitute 70 per cent of the Portland cement used in concrete.

The intended 1.2Mta cement capacity facility will also process end-of-life concrete fines and other minerals towards a sustainable circular economy.

The plant is expected to become operational in the 4Q25-1Q26 period. Located at HES' Bulk Terminal at the Port of Amsterdam, with direct access to rail, truck, sea and canal systems, the plant will be strategically located for a broad national and wider international reach to Belgium, the UK, France, Germany and Scandinavia. To accelerate market roll-out, a smaller EMC facility will be placed on the HES site during plant construction. This will expand the successful customer-testing already undertaken in the Dutch market, further preparing the construction sector for the full-scale use of EMC Volcanics once the plant comes online.

Atle Lygren, EMC Cement’s CEO, said: “In 2022, the United Nations' IPCC stated in its pivotal Sixth Assessment Report, 'Until a very low GHG emissions alternative binder to Portland cement is commercialised, CCS will be essential for eliminating the limestone calcination process emissions'. By replacing 70 per cent of the Portland cement in concrete, low-energy EMC Technology will power the deep and significant Climate Action that the UNFCCC, the IPCC and the World so clearly demand. This cutting-edge project will serve as a scalable blueprint for real and worldwide Climate Action without needing subsidies, with a product that will deliver undisputable concrete durability while always at a market-competitive price. There is no need for costly CCS — because there are simply no emissions in the first place."