HollySys Enables SIL3-Level Safety at BASF Zhanjiang Verbund Site Aligned with the World's Highest Safety Standards

As a long-term strategic partner of BASF, HollySys has successfully supported the full completion and start-up of BASF Zhanjiang Verbund Site in China—one of the world's most advanced and sustainability-driven chemical complexes. The project represents a global benchmark in green manufacturing and demonstrates HollySys' capability to deliver SIL3-compliant safety and control systems under the most stringent international standards, further reinforcing its position as a trusted partner within the core supply chain of leading global chemical enterprises.

Project Background

Located in the Zhanjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone, Guangdong Province, the site is BASF's largest overseas investment to date and its seventh Verbund site worldwide, following Ludwigshafen in Germany and Antwerp in Belgium. With a total investment of approximately €8.7 billion and a footprint of around 4 km², the complex has commenced operations across 18 plants and 32 production lines, producing more than 70 products, including petrochemicals, intermediates, and advanced materials.

At its core is the world’s first steam cracker powered entirely by renewable electricity (eDrives), with an annual ethylene capacity of 1 million metric tons and flexible feedstock options such as naphtha and butane. Designed as a flagship for low-carbon transformation, the site is planned to operate on 100% renewable electricity.

HollySys' Integrated Safety & Control Solution

Facing highly complex processes, hazardous media, and stringent operational requirements, the Gas Detection System (GDS) is required to comply with IEC 61508/61511 SIL3—the highest level of functional safety integrity. HollySys' self-developed HiaGuard SIL3 Safety Instrumented System (SIS) serves as one of the core solutions for the GDS across all production units.

• Maximum Safety Assurance: TÜV Rheinland certified, with hardware MTBF exceeding 1 million hours; core hardware and software are fully compliant with BASF's global safety standards.

• Comprehensive Protection: Covering all units with a monitoring network of over 10,000 signals, enabling rapid detection, precise localization, and interlock shutdown for combustible and toxic gases, ensuring zero spurious trips and zero failure on demand.

• Efficient Integration: Compatible with mainstream international industrial protocols, enabling seamless integration with existing control systems for unified safety and production management.

• End-to-End Delivery: From project initiation in 2022 to full start-up, HollySys worked closely with the owner, MGDSV Draeger, EPC contractors, and design institutes, delivering customized solutions, simulation validation, commissioning, and operation and maintenance training. With 24×7 support, the project achieved high-quality delivery and a fault-free start-up.

This project represents a significant milestone for HollySys in industrial functional safety and the global high-end chemical market. Looking ahead, HollySys will continue to advance its safety control technologies and further strengthen its commitment to delivering reliable, future-ready solutions—empowering global customers to build safer, cleaner, and more sustainable industrial operations.