Announcement

Management and Employees of:

• Vopak Vegoil Barging BV
• Vopak Vegoil Barging Germany GmbH
• Vopak Mineral Oil Barging Hamburg GmbH

are pleased to announce that Fluvia Holding bv of Rotterdam has purchased a hundred per cent of the shares of their respective companies, from Koninklijke Vopak NV.

The companies will be renamed as follows:

• Fluvia Vegoil for Vopak Vegoil Barging BV and Barging Germany GmbH
• Fluvia Tankrode for Vopak Mineral Oil Barging Hamburg GmbH

We consider this a great opportunity as it will allow Fluvia Vegoil and Fluvia Tankrode to cater for its customers in an even better way. Dedication to customer demand and a personal approach as well as quality performance are the hallmarks of Fluvia’s overall strategy.

The central office for Fluvia Vegoil will be based in Rotterdam, but the company’s representation in Hamburg will remain. The offices of Fluvia Tankrode (former Mineral Oil Barging Hamburg) will not undergo any changes.

Commercial management of Fluvia Vegoil will be in the capable hands of Messrs Arjan Jansen, Udo Harms and Leo Schot and for operations Ruud Verdam remains in charge.
Carsten Wünning and Andreas Halm will continue to manage the day to day commercial and operational activities for Fluvia Tankrode.
The combined marketing of the fleet of Fluvia AG (existing of 5 mineral oil inland tankers) and the Fluvia Tankrode fleet will be coordinated by Quirijn Bol, commercial manager Fluvia AG, Basel. Rick van Westenbrugge, managing partner of Fluvia Holding, is the general manager of both companies.

All personnel on board of the vessels now owned by Fluvia Vegoil and Fluvia Tankrode will continue to ascertain a safe and reliable transportation of all our customers’ cargoes, be it vegoils, oleo chemicals or mineral oils.

To maintain the existing marketing and operations cooperation between Vopak Terminal Vlaardingen and Fluvia Vegoil, as well as the same between Vopak Terminal Hamburg and Fluvia Tankrode, a strategic alliance between the respective barge and storage companies has been concluded.

Fluvia Vegoil (with 11 owned and at least 3 chartered motor tankers) offers reliable and customised quality transportation of edible oils, fats and oleo chemicals on the inland waterways of north-west Europe.

Fluvia Tankrode (3 owned and 10 chartered motor tankers) offers reliable and customised quality transportation of gas oil, gasoline, fuel oil and other mineral oil products in the port of Hamburg and on the north-western German waterways.

Fluvia Tanker Chartering
Furthermore, Fluvia Holding and the management of formerly Vopak Tanker Chartering Belgium NV (Antwerp), wish to inform you of a new joint venture, named Fluvia Tanker Chartering. This joint venture was founded after the MBO of Vopak Tanker Chartering Belgium NV. Its offices will remain, unchanged, in the competent hands of Messrs Frits Frank, Jean Beels and Philippe Verbunt.

Fluvia Tanker Chartering provides a customised service by an independent team of tanker brokers. It trades worldwide - any quantity of any liquid bulk cargo, be it chemicals, oleo chemicals, vegetable- or mineral oils.

Fluvia is a young, internationally operating logistics company, dedicated to offering and developing transport over water and storage of bulk goods.
Early 2004 its first move was to establish Fluvia AG in Basel, owning 5 inland tankers (2500-3000 dwt), transporting mineral oil products over the river Rhine to Basel in the ARA-realm. As a result of recent takeovers Fluvia now owns and operates a fleet of 19 inland tankers, operates 13 chartered tankers, with altogether almost 100 employees and with offices in Basel, Rotterdam, Hamburg and Antwerp.
It is Fluvia’s aim to develop activities in existing niches of European markets. Since its founding transportation of mineral oil products, edible oils, fats, and chemicals has been the company’s main focus.
Fluvia strives to take over ships and companies with impeccable reputation. To hold and further build this position is of utmost importance to this young company, as well as retaining the highest standards in environmental care, quality control, and safety. The basis of Fluvia’s dedication to quality performance is the link between its highly motivated staff and the company’s drive to continuously improve its results.
Central in these efforts are our customers’ demands. Fluvia customers want their service on time, with safe and reliable loading and delivery, transportation and storage of their products at favourable rates. This is our company’s goal: to serve our customers to their full satisfaction.
Therefore Fluvia organisation is efficient, flat and functional, geared towards result and market demand.

Fluvia Holding bv

Rick C. van Westenbrugge
Managing partner
Tel: +31624993914
Email r.vanwestenbrugge@fluvia.ch

For further information about this announcement or for any details on the other activities of Fluvia please contact us at:

Fluvia AG     fluvia@fluvia.ch     Tel. +41 – 61 – 638 20 61
Fluvia Vegoil     fluvia@fluvia.nl     Tel. +31 – 10 – 460 8649
Fluvia Tankrode     fluvia@fluvia.de     Tel. +49 – 40 – 75 16 39
Fluvia Tanker Chartering     fluvia@fluvia.be     Tel. +32 – 3 - 221 44 44