Shaphargroup selects Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ technology for Rotterdam SAF refinery
- Shaphargroup
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Shaphargroup, the developer behind what it said is “one of Europe’s most advanced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects,” announced in April its plans to deploy Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining™ process technology for its flagship SAF facility at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
The facility will be designed to produce 200,000 metric tons of SAF per year via the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) pathway.
Structured as a special-purpose vehicle (SPV) and strategically positioned at the largest seaport in Europe and a critical hub for global energy logistics, the project is designed to meet the rapidly growing demand for SAF driven by the EU’s ReFuelEU aviation regulation and other international decarbonization mandates.
“The signing of this award agreement with Honeywell is a landmark moment for Shaphargroup and for sustainable aviation more broadly,” said David Chijioke Arinze, the managing director of Shaphargroup’s global office. “We are aiming to combine world-class technology with an unrivalled location and a robust feedstock-supply chain to deliver a project that will make a material difference to Europe’s SAF production capacity. Rotterdam is the right home for this facility and Honeywell’s process technology is the solution to help us realize it.”
The award agreement formalizes the engagement of Honeywell as the process-technology licensor for the project, providing a proven, commercially validated pathway for converting used cooking oil (UCO) and other waste-based feedstocks into SAF and renewable diesel.
Honeywell UOP’s Ecofining process technology, developed in collaboration with Eni S.p.A., is widely recognized as the industry benchmark for SAF and renewable diesel production, offering high yields, regulatory compliance and feedstock flexibility.
“Honeywell’s SAF process-technology portfolio continues to advance innovation in SAF production by providing flexible feedstock options and reliable performance at a commercial scale,” said Paul Allan, Honeywell UOP’s general manager for Europe. “Our Ecofining process technology will help Shaphargroup produce lower-carbon aviation fuels in-line with European mandates.”
A ceremony to formalize the selection was held at Honeywell’s offices in Bracknell, U.K., and was attended by senior representatives of both organizations.
This marks a pivotal step in the project’s development, following the completion of pre-front-end engineering design (pre-FEED) activities and the advancement toward FEED.
