On March 12, 2025, the completion ceremony for the BASF (Guangdong) Integrated Project liquid bulk cargo terminal at Zhanjiang Port East Sea Island Port Area was held.
The liquid bulk cargo terminal of the BASF (Guangdong) Integrated Project, located on Donghai Island in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, has a total berth length of 1469 meters, featuring a high-pile pier structure. It includes 1 berth for 120,000 tons of oil and chemical products, 2 berths for 80,000 tons of liquefied hydrocarbons, and 1 berth for 50,000 tons of oil and chemical products. The project began construction on December 8, 2022, and officially passed the completion inspection on March 7, 2025. As a key component of the BASF (Guangdong) Integrated Project, the liquid bulk cargo terminal plays a vital role in linking sea transport with land-based production.
The total investment for the BASF (Guangdong) Integrated Project is expected to reach €10 billion. Upon completion, this site will become BASF's third-largest integrated production base globally.
Ma Chengke, Senior Vice President of BASF’s New Integrated Base in China and General Manager of BASF Integrated Base (Guangdong) Co., Ltd., stated that the liquid bulk cargo terminal is a crucial measure to ensure the on-time commissioning of the integrated project, which will play a key role in the smooth operation of the base.
The BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base is a comprehensive chemical production base and BASF’s largest overseas investment project to date, with a total investment of €10 billion. It will be independently constructed and operated by BASF. Once completed, it will become BASF's third-largest integrated production base globally, following the Ludwigshafen site in Germany and the Antwerp site in Belgium. Construction of the base began in 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2030.
On February 5, 2025, Haryono Lim, President of BASF Group’s Large Projects in Asia, mentioned at the Guangdong Provincial High-Quality Development Conference Subforum that the core units of the BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base are steadily progressing, with plans to begin production by the end of 2025. This marks a significant milestone in BASF's investment in China and is another example of the "Guangdong speed."
The core units of the BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base include a steam cracking unit with an annual capacity of 1 million tons of ethylene, along with several downstream units. The products involve industries such as automotive, construction, high-speed rail, electronics, food packaging, home and personal care, aerospace, and pharmaceuticals.
Additional construction includes 660,000/830,000/200,000 tons/year ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol/purified ethylene oxide units, 215,000 tons/year nonionic surfactant unit, 500,000 tons/year polyethylene unit, 2×190,000 tons/year isopropyl alcohol unit, 375,000 tons/year butyl acrylate unit, 100,000 tons/year isooctyl acrylate unit, 500,000 tons/year butanol unit, 50,000 standard cubic meters per hour syngas unit, 80,000 tons/year (converted) neopentyl glycol unit, 110,000 tons/year formaldehyde unit, and 40,000 tons/year citronellal unit, along with supporting public utilities and auxiliary facilities. The project uses raw materials such as naphtha and normal butane to produce ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylene, pyrolysis fuel oil, isobutene, and downstream products.
The Zhanjiang Integrated Base project is BASF's largest single investment project to date, with a total investment of €10 billion. It will be independently constructed and operated by BASF. Once completed, it will become BASF's third-largest production base globally, following the Ludwigshafen and Antwerp sites. The entire integrated base project is expected to be completed around 2030.
The first set of units was announced to be in production in September 2022, and the second set of thermoplastic polyurethane production units officially began operation in January 2024, meeting the demands of several growing industries in South China and the wider Asian market.
In July 2018, BASF signed the first memorandum of understanding with the Guangdong Provincial Government, and a framework agreement was signed in January 2019 to define the planning details.
The project officially started in November 2019, with the first set of units beginning construction.
On September 6, 2022, the first unit was officially commissioned. From then on, BASF will increase modified engineering plastic production by 60,000 tons annually for the Chinese market.
On June 19, 2023, the construction of the 500,000 tons/year polyethylene (PE) unit began, with production planned for 2025.
In September 2023, the construction of the syngas unit began.
On January 18, 2024, the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) unit's completion ceremony was held, marking BASF's largest single TPU production line globally.
In March 2024, the construction of the diol monoether unit began, designed for an annual capacity of 46,000 tons, to meet the growing demand for brake fluids in the Asia-Pacific region, expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
In April 2024, BASF signed a 15-year natural gas purchase contract with XinAo Energy, providing natural gas for the integrated base, which will further enhance clean energy supply on Donghai Island.
In April 2024, BASF signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with China Energy Construction Group Guangdong Provincial Power Design Institute Co., Ltd., purchasing renewable energy for the integrated base. This agreement further deepens cooperation on renewable energy following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in September 2023.
The upcoming production of core units at the BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base is just the tip of the iceberg in BASF's increased investment in China. As the Chinese market continues to develop and open, BASF's confidence in investing in China has grown significantly.
Dr. Lou Jianfeng, Chairman and President of BASF Greater China, pointed out that China is not only the world’s largest chemical market but also stands out with its rapid growth. To meet the fast-growing demand of the Chinese market, BASF is increasing its investments, expanding existing factories, and actively building new production bases and R&D centers in China.
In addition to the Zhanjiang Integrated Base, BASF has also made several significant investments in other regions of China. For example, BASF plans to invest in expanding its advanced additives unit in Nanjing, with the expansion project set to be operational by the end of 2025. The project will include a cutting-edge production line focusing on high-performance dispersing agents, based on BASF’s unique controlled free-radical polymerization (CFRP) technology, aimed at meeting the rapidly growing market demand in Asia and other regions.
Additionally, BASF is exploring collaboration opportunities with Chinese companies in areas such as new energy vehicles and sustainability. For example, BASF is collaborating with Southeast Asia's leading recycled plastic manufacturer, Teamplas Group, leveraging BASF's IrgaCycle? technology to efficiently convert post-consumer waste into high-quality recycled plastics. These recycled plastics are then widely used in the production of office equipment and automotive interior parts, demonstrating BASF's practical contributions to plastic recycling and the circular economy.
The upcoming production of core units at the BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Base not only marks the deepening of BASF’s investment in China but also injects new vitality into China’s chemical industry development. As a global leader in the chemical industry, BASF’s advanced technology, rich experience, and strong innovation capabilities will provide strong support for the transformation, upgrading, and sustainable development of China’s chemical industry.
