Raízen North America Awarded Biofuel Sustainability Certification at Vopak Terminal Deer Park, by Intertek
17 Apr 2012
Houston – Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world, has awarded Raízen North America Inc. with an International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) for biofuels, indicating Raízen meets European Union Renewable Energy Directive requirements.
The Vopak Terminal Deer Park operation, as the bulk storage supply-chain services provider for Raízen, played a key role in the successful awarding of the ISCC certificate. Vopak Terminal, located at Deer Park, Texas, is one of the leading storage and trading hubs in the Gulf Coast for biofuels. The Vopak facility is a Distilled Spirits Permit (DSP) facility and currently stores multiple grades of both un-denatured and denatured ethanol. Additionally, this biofuels hub also stores a large volume of various grades of Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel.
In order for biofuel importers to access European markets, specific sustainability requirements must be met by the companies involved in the biofuel supply chain. To reach compliance, certification under at least one EU Commission approved certification standard is obligatory, allowing a biofuel company to import, trade, and sell biofuel products in the European Union. Vopak is leading an initiative to attain ISCC recognition for its major biofuels hub terminals.
Intertek auditing experts provide certification services for sustainable biofuel standards that are recognized in the industry on a global level. Additional biofuel sustainability services include training, Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS), and other sustainability regulatory support. Intertek additionally supports the world’s biofuel and petroleum-refined fuels industries with significant fuel quality testing, research, cargo inspection, asset integrity management, and much more.
Dan van Zijll, Commercial Director for Raízen North America, said “We are very pleased to have a partner on board with such an extensive knowledge of sustainable biofuel certification and related topics. Intertek’s technical know-how, expertise, and their ability to provide quick results with respect to compliance verification do help us ensure a level playing field for all competitors. We take our responsibilities with respect to sustainable biofuels seriously, and promote the use of biofuels certified as sustainable with the well-known ISCC standard worldwide.”
Recelle Nitschke, Quality Program Manager for Safety, Health, Environment, Quality (SHEQ), and Kim Furrh, Gulf Coast Regional Sales Manager, for Vopak Terminal Deer Park, said:
“ISCC certification opens up a great opportunity to strengthen our business partnership with our biofuel clients and, at the same time, be an advocate for promoting a healthy environment. We are very happy teaming up with Raízen and Intertek and achieving this important milestone. We will take this experience as our commitment to strive for effective means to support our biofuel clients worldwide to meet the EU Renewable Energy Directive.”
“Dan Van Zijll and his team in Houston recognized that Vopak Terminal Deer Park has the infrastructure and expertise to handle multiple grades of ethanol while maintaining the integrity of each and therefore took an early lead in the export of multiple grades of ethanol to various global markets."
Martin Grass, Intertek’s Project Manager Sustainability Certification, said:
“Sustainability regulations for bio-based products emerged in Europe but are being adopted in other countries and in the food, feed and chemical industries. We are aware that meeting these new regulations is challenging for most companies. Therefore, we are pleased that we could accompany Raízen through the certification process, and proud that we could award Raízen its ISCC certificate. Our service provides client-based solutions in an area subject to changing conditions, in a dynamic environment.”
Learn more about Intertek biofuel services:
Contacts:
Dan van Zijll
Commercial Director, Raízen North America, Inc.
Tel: 1 281 445 2111
Email: Dan.VanZijll@raizentrading-na.com
Martin Grass
Project Manager for Biofuel Sustainability
Tel: +49 711 27311 447
Email: martin.grass@intertek.com
Angel Fontenot
Director of Business Development, Americas
Tel : +1 713 407 3525
Email: angel.fontenot@intertek.com
Kim Furrh
Vopak North America
Gulf Coast Regional Sales Manager
T: 281 604-6028
M: 713 208-9773
E: kim.furrh@vopak.com
Media Contacts:
Erik Holladay
Global Marketing Director, Commodities
Tel: +1 713 407 3533
Email: erik.holladay@intertek.com
Natascha Nunes da Cunha
External Affairs Manager, Raízen
Tel : +55 11 2344 6256
Email : natascha.cunha@raizen.com
About Intertek:
Intertek is a leading provider of quality, safety, and sustainability solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world, including auditing, fuel testing, inspection and certification. Intertek people add value to customers' products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace. Intertek supports customers through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices, and over 30,000 people in more than 100 countries.
About Raízen:
Raízen, a Joint Venture formed between Royal Dutch Shell and Cosan S.A. in April 2011 and currently one of the top five Brazilian companies in terms of revenues, is responsible for producing over 2 billion liters of ethanol annually to supply the domestic and international markets, as well as 4 million tons of sugar and with 900 MW of installed capacity to produce electric power from sugarcane bagasse. Raízen has over 4,700 fuel service stations for retail distribution, more than 750 convenience stores, 53 fuel distribution depots, and aviation fuel business in 52 airports throughout Brazil. www.raizen.com
About Vopak:
Royal Vopak is the world's largest independent tank storage service provider, specialized in the storage and handling of liquid chemicals, gasses and oil products. The company operates 84 terminals with a combined storage capacity of more than 27 million cubic meters in 31 countries. The terminals are strategically located for users along the major shipping routes. The majority of its customers are companies operating in the chemical and oil industries, for which Vopak stores a large variety of products destined for a wide range of industries. www.vopak.com
