On 15 December, a symbolic sheet pile went into the ground in the port of Antwerp to mark the beginning of the Project One construction phase. INEOS is investing €4 billion building the most sustainable ethane cracker in Europe, with the largest investment in European chemistry in 25 years.
The cracker will be commissioned in 2026 and will convert ethane into ethylene. Ethylene is one of the most widely used basic chemicals in the world, with uses including medical applications, lightweight car and wind turbine components, durable water and gas pipes, packaging to preserve food longer, smartphones and textiles with technical properties.