This project, located in the port of Antwerp, had an investment of more than 3 billion euros, making it the largest investment project in the European chemical sector in recent decades. INEOS Project ONE ethylene cracker plant will be able to produce more than 1.5 million tons of ethylene per year once operational in 2026.
The plant will create more than 3,000 jobs in its development phase, more than 450 permanent positions and more than 2,200 indirect workers will be involved in its operation once commissioned.
By the close of 2025, Sarens will have completed the transport and installation of all major modules, including furnace modules, the C2 and C3 splitters, and nearly 80 additional modules. These operations required careful cranes, SPMTs, barges, and auxiliary equipment coordination , along with detailed planning for logistics, safety, and site access.
INEOS Project ONE ethylene cracker plant will be able to produce more than 1.5 million tons of ethylene per year once operational in 2026. This project, located in the port of Antwerp, had an investment of more than 3 billion euros, making it the largest investment project in the European chemical sector in recent decades, and the first cracker plant to be built in Europe in the last 20 years. The production of this new plant will provide a major boost to employment in the region, with more than 3,000 jobs required for its construction, 450 permanent positions and more than 2,200 indirect workers will be involved in its operation once commissioned.
Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, has been directly involved in this project since July 2023, representing one of its largest operations on Belgian soil, having mobilised more than 400 workers of 28 different nationalities and an extensive fleet of cranes and equipment on site. Sarens has continued working on the project throughout 2024 and 2025, carrying out various transport tasks and installing some of the largest industrial modules in Europe, bringing the mechanical completion of the ethane cracking plant ever closer.
The year began with the load-in and transport of furnace modules over 60 meters high and 32 metres wide, weighing over 7,700 tons. Using its 224-axle SPMTs, Sarens carefully moved the modules from the Zhi Yuan Kou heavy-lift vessel over a distance of more than one kilometre to their installation locations. Subsequently, using the LR12500-1.0 crawler crane together with auxiliary cranes, Sarens lifted and positioned all major modules - marking one of the largest module transports ever carried out in Belgium. A combination of maritime transport, SPMTs and precise on-site manoeuvres was used to move the modules from the dock to their respective locations, meeting the project's tight schedule and paving the way for the upcoming installation of the large columns.
In July, Sarens' engineering team achieved one of the project's most significant milestones by installing the C2 splitter, a vital component in the construction of the ethane cracking plant. This 700-tonne, 60-metre-high module was lifted and placed on its foundations using the LR12500-1.0, requiring meticulous planning, precise calculations and exact execution to ensure correct alignment. This operation showcases Sarens’ expertise in handling complex heavy lifts.
Finally, in September, the C3 splitter, the tallest and heaviest column in the project, weighing 800 tons and measuring 100 meters long, was installed. To undertake this work, Sarens moved the column from the dock to the site using SPMTs and support of Sarens' fleet of specialised cranes and barges. The installation of this equipment required millimetre precision, making it the largest and most technically complex lift of the year. Looking at the rest of the year, Sarens is now preparing for the final phases of module assembly and commissioning.
INEOS Project ONE will have a significant impact on the European industry. The products manufactured there will be used in the production of wind turbines, solar panels, medical equipment such as magnetic resonance scanners and sterile packaging, construction materials such as water and gas pipes, and lightweight vehicle components.
This is not Sarens' first collaboration with INEOS. Already in 2017 they worked together on dismantling the 76m High Flair Stack at the INEOS Geel plant 45km from Antwerp. More recently, Sarens worked at the Grangemouth plant in Scotland, where it was responsible for the transport of three 950T boiler units using SPMTs and bespoke bridging arrangements.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 65 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/