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First mention of Amsterdam Carriers
The oldest weigh house was built in the fourteenth century, but the one pictured in this painting opened its doors in 1565.
Establishment of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), the world's first multinational
The storehouses were first mentioned in a guild letter dated March 26. This date will later be taken as the date on which Blauwhoedenveem was founded
Oldest known mention of Blauwhoedenveem by Dutch playwright Bredero appeared in his comedy The Spanish Brabander
In January 1850, they surprised their colleagues in Rotterdam with their intention to establish a new company: “Pakhuismeesteren van de Rijst” (Rice Warehouse Keepers).
Officially, they established a second company besides “Pakhuismeesteren van de Thee” that stored all other goods, but in practice they did not distinguish between the two.
Salomon Jean René (1824-1917), who was warehouse keeper from 1851 to 1906.
Phs. van Ommeren brings first sailing ship into service.
Dutch Central Bank accredited their receipts in 1856.
Blaauwhoedenveem becomes a general partnership. Start of professionalization.
Led by directors B. Lusink, H.J. Klyn, and C.H.L. Klyn, the storehouse was called “Blaauwhoedenveem in partnership with Lusink, Klyn & Co.” from January 1, 1857.
Blaauwhoedenveem, as the leading party in a consortium with other storehouses, signed a contract with the Netherlands Trading Society (NHM) for the storage of coffee, which was previously done by “Pakhuismeesteren van de Koffij”.
Pakhuismeesteren van de Koffij (Coffee Warehouse Keepers) is dissolved
First delivery of turpentine in Rotterdam is stored by Pakhuismeesteren
Vriesseveem, which became a general partnership in 1861, went through a similar development.
On June 30, 1862 an American ship entered the port of Rotterdam. This wasn’t an unusual occurrence, however this ship had a special cargo: barrels of petroleum. This very first crude oil cargo, which was introduced in Rotterdam, was stored by Vopak precursor Pakhuismeesteren.
The first sheds, designed specifically for the storage of oil, were erected here in 1865 and they would develop into Vopak’s core business in the next 150 years.
Pakhuismeesteren commissions first petroleum complex in Feyenoord, Rotterdam
Vriesseveem buys its first warehouses
Opening of the Suez Canal
The system of forced farming (in the Dutch East Indies) is abolished. Trade is liberalized
Vriesseveem comes to Rotterdam
Opening of the New Waterway, making the port of Rotterdam more accessible
Ousted by steamships
Pakhuismeesteren commissions the first petroleum storage in Charlois, Rotterdam
Pakhuismeesteren commissions its first petroleum storage on Sluisjesdijk, Rotterdam.
Opening of Noordzeekanaal (North Sea Canal)
Blaauwhoedenveem completes its first acquisition by taking over Roodhoedenveem (Red Hats Storehouse)
Rotterdam, the port of the future
Blaauwhoedenveem followed its example. It opened a small office at Scheepmakershaven in 1878.
J.C.A. Hol was given the responsibility for the daily management of Blaauwhoedenveem’s Rotterdam branch.
By 1883 Blaauwhoedenveem had already moved to larger premises at Feyenoord.
The Amsterdam and Rotterdam offices of Blaauwhoedenveem merge into Blaauwhoedenveem Inc.
Pakhuismeesteren Rotterdam builds its first oil tank in Charlois, Rotterdam
The Chester is the first tank steamer that moors at Pakhuismeesteren’s petroleum tank in Rotterdam, completed that year
A friendly English shipowner introduced Philippus van Ommeren’s grandson to the concept of a single ship company in 1889.
Handelskade Inc. in Amsterdam is completely taken over by Blaauwhoedenveem
In 1891 this led to the founding of the Maatschappij Stoomschip Dordrecht (Steamship Dordrecht Company Inc.), in which he placed one ship based on the English model, which was unique in the Netherlands.
The formal difference between Pakhuismeesteren’s storage of tea and of other goods in Rotterdam disappears
Establishment of Nederlandsche Veem (Dutch Storehouse)
The first share in Stoomvaart-Maatschappij De Maas
In 1898 he asked and received permission from his shareholders to convert the Steamship Dordrecht Company into Stoomvaart Maatschappij De Maas (Steamship Company The Meuse).
Philippus van Ommeren establishes shipping company Stoomvaart-Maatschappij De Maas
Spurred on by Henri Deterding, chairman of Royal Dutch Petroleum, the forerunner of Royal Dutch Shell, Philippus van Ommeren entered into tank storage in 1910.
From 1919, Blaauwhoedenveem-Vriesseveem operated a subsidiary in the United States, called Bluefries.
First foreign terminal of Van Ommeren: Zeematex in Zeebrugge, Belgium
Van Ommeren sells Matex to the Batavian Petroleum Company.
In December of that year, he founds the New Matex, based in Vlaardingen.
The VT Group (Verenigde Tankrederijen) is founded.
Pakhuismeesteren establishes itself in Pernis, Rotterdam.
Start of the Second World War. Rotterdam is bombed on May 14 and the Netherlands surrenders.
Philippus van Ommeren’s private companies are sold to Van Ommeren Inc. These include VT, Imatex, Zeematex, and Amatex.
In 1942, when Van Ommeren was eighty years old, he sold his tank storage company to Van Ommeren's Scheepvaartbedrijf (Van Ommeren Shipping).
Destructive occupation.
In September 1944, the Allies recaptured the port of Antwerp from the Germans.
Starting from late September 1944, the German occupying forces detonated a vast quantity of bombs in the Rotterdam port and burned down many buildings.
On October 1, Pakhuismeesteren had only three undamaged tanks left.
On October 2, the installations of Shell and Matex underwent the same fate.
The end of the Second World War. Blaauwhoedenveem-Vriesseveem, Pakhuismeesteren and Van Ommeren have suffered an enormous damage. Installations have been destroyed and the substantial fleet of Stoomvaart-Maatschappij De Maas has largely been lost. There were also many casualties among the employees of these companies
Merger between Stoomvaart-Maatschappij De Maas and Phs. Van Ommeren Scheepvaartbedrijf
Blaauwhoedenveem-Vriesseveem continues as Blaauwhoed and starts to diversify. Alongside storage activities, the company also ventures into real estate
Blaauwhoed takes over a cold store for hides in Rotterdam
Pakhuismeesteren starts using a new terminal in the Rotterdam Botlek area. Two years later, Van Ommeren follows suit with the opening of Matex Botlek.
In 1958 alone, the lease of the properties yielded 195,000 guilders.
Blaauwhoed becomes a holding company. The separation between Amsterdam and Rotterdam lapses
In 1964, Van Ommeren opens its new headquarters: Westerlaantoren in Rotterdam.
The De Monchy's remained involved until the merger with Blaauwhoed in 1967.
Pakhuismeesteren and Blaauwhoed (which had recently changed its name to Blauwhoed) merge into Pakhoed.
Pakhoed begins operating new terminals in Europoort. This doubles its tank capacity
P.J. van Ommeren is the last Van Ommeren to leave the company
Pakhoed increases its share in French road transport company ONATRA to 100 percent. It becomes part of Paktrans
Pakhoed opens a terminal on Bonaire in the Caribbean: BOPEC. It is sold in 1989
Pakhoed takes over Robertson Distribution Systems (RDS) and acquires the Galena Park and Deer Park terminals in Houston, U.S.A.
In 1980, Van Ommeren started to investigate the possibility of opening a terminal in Singapore, which, with its growing port and strategic location, looked very promising.
Pakhoed takes over Pandair. This component is divested again in 1987
On August 31, 1983 Van Ommeren opened the first independent oil terminal in Singapore, which at that time had a volume of 484,000 cubic meters.
Pakhoed divests real estate branch Blauwhoed
Pakhoed acquired a 35 percent stake in American company Univar.
Van Ommeren merges with Ceteco. For a while, the company is called VOC
Pakhoed acquires Gebr. Broere
Van Ommeren, which at that time was merged into VOC with Ceteco, celebrated its 150th anniversary. As a highlight of a gala performance at the Rotterdam Theatre, VOC received the designation 'Royal'.
Pakhoed takes over Furness.
Completion of Pakhoed terminals on Pulau Busing in Singapore.
Two years later, Pahoed was also allowed to call itself a “Royal” company. On the occasion of the celebration of its 375th anniversary, Chairman of the Board H.P. Crijns received the official certificate from the hands of Rotterdam Mayor Bram Peper.
Van Ommeren sells Ceteco.
Van Ommeren sold its trading activities in June 1992.
Pakhoed sells container terminal Unitcentre to Europe Combined Terminals (ECT).
Pakhoed opens Tallinn terminal in former Warsaw Pact member Estonia.
First Van Ommeren terminal in China: Ningbo.
Pakhoed extends its share in trading firm Univar to 100 percent. When the takeover was completed in 1996, Pakhoed became the world's largest chemical distributor overnight.
Before Van Ommeren and Pakhoed finally merged in 1999, several previous merger talks had amounted to nothing. Although they agreed that it would be a logical move to have the two Rotterdam companies reinforce each other worldwide rather than compete with each other, they failed to reach an agreement.
They came particularly close to a merger in 1998. However, because executives Van den Driest and Westdijk could not agree on which terminal they would hive off to meet Brussels’ competition rules, the talks halted.
After the merger of the competitors into Vopak in 1999, the Pakhoed terminal, the smaller of the two, was sold and Vopak retained the original Van Ommeren terminal.
When Pakhoed and Van Ommeren merged to become Vopak in 1999, they decided to focus on tank storage and divest all other activities. Although merger companies are normally not allowed to claim previously granted Royal designations, Vopak was allowed to keep on calling itself “Royal” after 1999.
Van Ommeren and Pakhoed put aside their differences and joined forces. The result is Royal Vopak, the world's leading independent tank storage company.
Opening ceremony in Fujairah on January 20, 1999.
For this reason, they took leave of Univar in 2002, which became independent and is still successful.
Demerger of Univar. Vopak focuses on tank storage
The construction of the terminal on the Maasvlakte started in 2009.
The terminal was openend by Queen Beatrix on September 23, 2011.
Commissioning of Pengerang Independent Terminals in Malaysia
400th anniversary of Vopak
Partnership between Vopak Aegis. The joint venture became the largest independent tank storage company for LPG and chemicals in India.
Repurposing infrastructure for the energy transition
Vopak reported Q3 2026 net profit of EUR 142 million, including exceptional items, and YTD proportional operating free cash flow of EUR 671 million. It raised its 2026 outlook to proportional EBITDA of EUR 1,200–1,220 million and proportional operating free cash flow of around EUR 840 million. The company also distributed an interim dividend of EUR 0.72 per share and had completed 75% of the first EUR 100 million share buyback tranche by 30 October.
Vopak Terminals Australia says the New South Wales Government has endorsed its proposed aviation fuel infrastructure expansion at Port Botany. The approximately 120,000-cbm expansion, including new storage tanks and pipeline connections, is intended to strengthen fuel supply resilience and sustainable aviation fuel security.
Vopak reported Q2 2026 net profit of EUR 101 million and HY1 proportional operating free cash flow of EUR 444 million. It raised its 2026 outlook for proportional EBITDA to EUR 1,180–1,220 million and operating free cash flow to around EUR 820 million, and announced an interim dividend of EUR 0.72, moving to semi-annual dividend payments.
At its Extraordinary General Meeting on 29 July 2026, Koninklijke Vopak N.V. appointed Helle Kristoffersen and Roeland Baan to its Supervisory Board, each for a four-year term.