High on the agenda is expansion in chemical tanker terminals, and China general manager Qu Minwei is currently prospecting for suitable sites, as the company was doing 20 years ago when it first established itself here.

Terminal projects in China, unlike domestic-trade shipowning ventures, are open to 100% foreign ownership.

Stolt’s next location might be like its single current Chinese terminal, the Stolthaven Lingang Terminal joint venture, but alternatively Stolt could directly lease land and builds its own tanks and jetties.

Stolt