HCB Magazine 2024

M O N T H LY

F E B R U A R Y

2 0 2 4

GREEN RIVER REDUCING EMISSIONS ON EUROPE’S WATERWAYS SUSTAINABILITY IN INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING ADR ACCEPTS ALTERNATIVE FUELS GETTING THE TRAINS IN AND OUT

T H E

I N F O R M AT I O N

D A N G E R O U S

S O U R C E

G O O D S

F O R

T H E

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

P R O F E S S I O N A L

S I N C E

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BUILDING BETTER, FOR OUR FUTURE. Investment. In other words, you get out what you put in.

Fort Vale has always had the attitude of ‘the best product, at the best price, using the best materials’ and we apply it to our own infrastructure, as well as our future planning.

The skeleton of a building you see above may not look much at present, but when completed will play an important part in our day-to-day operations. The new building will primarily be used for final assembly and testing - we’ll also be moving R&D and despatch there - this means we can free up space in our main building to focus on the key areas of machine shop and fabrication.

This will improve efficiency and increase capacity, meaning we can keep thinking ahead, making products built to last, and doing all that on one site. It means we can be agile, resilient and above all, effective.

Not every company can do this. Not every company is Fort Vale.

FORT VALE. FOLLOW THE LEADER. Visit us at www.fortvale.com

®

UP FRONT 01

CONTENTS VOLUME 45

•

NUMBER 02

UP FRONT

All aboard

Call the doctor

Letter from the Editor

03

Digitalising rail in Rotterdam

30 Years Ago

04

Get your coating on

Learning by Training

05

APC expands production in Avon

30

Tall Tales of Hazmat

06

News bulletin – tanks and logistics

32

REGULATIONS

TANKER SHIPPING

Green for go WP15 agrees use of alternative fuels

Reap the benefits 08

Change for the better More from the Joint Meeting

28

Berg helps reduce fuel consumption

CBA appoints Responsible Care lead

49

News bulletin – chemical distribution

50

BACK PAGES Conference Diary

52

Incident Log

54

Not otherwise specified

56

36

Power of four 16

GTT works on hydrogen containment

37

Leading the way SAFETY

Japan plans for ammonia power

Through glasses darkly

Ride that wave

Koole uses VR for training

20

Passports please PDP scheme at ten years old

40

News bulletin – tanker shipping

42

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING 22

Blowing bubbles Preparing for fluorine-free foam

A great year for Stolt Tankers

21

Get with the programme OCIMF digitalises SIRE

38

23

Keep your business clean Sustainability in the packaging sector

44

NEXT MONTH

News bulletin – industrial packaging

47

Storage terminals – StocExpo preview TSA Insight magazine

TANKS & LOGISTICS

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION

Year in review Bertschi reports its plans

Managing Editor Peter Mackay, dgsa Email: peter.mackay@chemicalwatch.com Tel: +44 (0) 7769 685 085 Advertising sales Sarah Smith Email: sarah.smith@chemicalwatch.com Tel: +44 (0) 203 603 2113 Publishing Manager Sarah Thompson Email: sarah.thompson@chemicalwatch.com Tel: +44 (0) 20 3603 2103

Intermodal transport

Thumbs up 24

Brenntag bags sustainability certificate

Publishing Assistant Francesca Cotton Designer Petya Grozeva Chief Operating Officer Stuart Foxon Chief Commercial Officer Richard Butterworth

Chemical distribution in Europe 48

Gas tanker markets

CW Research Ltd Talbot House Market Street Shrewsbury SY1 1LG

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HCB Monthly is published by CW Research Ltd. While the information and articles in HCB are published in good faith and every effort is made to check accuracy, readers should verify facts and statements directly with official sources before acting upon them, as the publisher can accept no responsibility in this respect. ©2024 CW Research Ltd. All rights reserved

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02 UP FRONT

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2018

UP FRONT 03

EDITOR’S LETTER

Charles Darwin’s ideas about evolution are often summed up in the phrase ‘Survival of the fittest’. I expect there are gyms around the world where these words are posted on the wall, to encourage clients to ‘go for the burn’ or whatever it is they do these days.

But that phrase does not mean that the future belongs to those who are faster or stronger than their peers (though that may come into it). Rather, the ‘fit’ in ‘fittest’ is like the ‘fit’ in “this shirt doesn’t fit me any more”. A synonym for ‘fit’ in this sense might be ‘appropriate’ or ‘apt’.

For an organism living in a changing environment, however ‘apt’ it may have been before, it may no longer find itself fitting well with its surroundings. In this case the organism has to make itself fit for the new environment or, from the Latin, ad-apt.

So, rather than ‘Survival of the fittest’ let us say ‘Adapt or die!’

Operators in the chemical logistics field have been living in a rapidly changing environment for several years now. Even pre-Covid there was plenty of talk at industry events of being in a VUCA world – an acronym meaning ‘volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity’. Since then, conditions have become if anything more volatile and uncertain, with ad hoc restrictions at different times in different parts of the world at

world) and some aspects of the logistics business follow suit pretty closely. If chemical demand is down, so is demand for steel drums and fibreboard boxes, and there is less business for domestic and regional road and rail transport.

On the other hand, the global shipping markets tend to move according to their internal logic, generally following a fairly predictable boom/bust cycle. Even that cycle has been disrupted lately, with additional uncertainty created by future environmental legislation that has delayed the usual response to strong markets, which is to order new ships. The tank container market was given a tremendous uplift during the pandemic by a surge in demand for tanks to be used for temporary storage but at the same time was hampered by disruption to deepsea trading patterns.

Some of the more long-lasting companies in the sector have achieved their ‘fitness’ by offering assets in several different markets, with the aim of levelling out the effect of short-term trends in one or other market. Stolt-Nielsen, for example, is active in deepsea and inland tanker shipping, tank storage and tank containers. In most years, one or other of these sectors performs well and can compensate for losses elsewhere. It is, though, difficult to remember a time when the fortunes of its

the height of the pandemic to the well documented issues at choke points in international trade lanes.

It has never been the case that the entire industry moves forward (or back) in lockstep; the chemical industry’s own performance is most closely related to general economic conditions (which are currently not great in many parts of the

various activities have been quite so different.

Some companies did very well out of 2023, others less so.

Business conditions were still volatile and uncertain. This year looks likely to be the same, but volatile and uncertain in different ways. Is your organisation fit for the future, or will it need to adapt?

Peter Mackay

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04

30 YEARS AGO A LOOK BACK TO FEBRUARY 1994

IT IS TEMPTING, from the viewpoint of 2024, to see the mid-1990s as a period marked by a major shift towards the world we know today.

Francis Fukuyama’s 1992 essay The End of History? and the growing use of IT – albeit prehistoric compared to today’s digitalised and connected systems – gave a clear indication that the old order had been overturned and we were all on a golden path to the sunlit uplands of an enlightened and peaceful future.

Well, it didn’t quite work out like that, although many of the developments HCB was reporting on in 1994 do prefigure how we work today. For instance, a spate of high profile tanker accidents and oil spills at sea in the late 1980s had forced the maritime industry to take its safety obligations much more seriously and, since then, the concept of ‘sub-standard shipping’ has largely disappeared (though it has recently re-emerged in the ‘dark fleet’ operating outside of international embargoes). One of the major planks in improving tanker safety, OCIMF’s SIRE inspection programme, is this year going through an upgrade to take advantage of ‘dematerialised’ documentation, which should ensure that its effectiveness remains intact.

Back in 1994 the regulators themselves were also coming round to the new world, with WP15 in particular working very hard to, firstly, reconfigure ADR to match the UN Model Regulations and, secondly, get the ADN regulations for inland waterway transport in place. At the

world of disharmony.

Happily that was headed off, though the recent (and probably future) expansion of ADR’s adherence to countries outside Europe means that the position of EU standards and expectations that are embedded in ADR may not be able to continue.

The EU had just agreed its new directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste, which aimed to ensure that at least 50 per cent of packaging waste should be recycled in some form or another within five years. The directive was not prescriptive on specific sectoral targets and, being a directive rather than a regulation, left it up to EU member states to implement. It has taken 30 years for the European Commission to realise that the directive was insufficiently robust to achieve its aims and to draw up a regulation with strict recycling targets. That is unlikely to be good news for the industrial packaging sector, and we await the final draft later this year with some trepidation.

Another prescient feature in the February 1994 issue looked at the expansion of the tank container concept, with specific focus on Latin America. The recent entry into effect of NAFTA had already increased chemical trade between the US and Mexico and other trade agreements in the western hemisphere also hoped to open up new trade lanes. Not surprisingly, Sea Containers, Stolt Tank Containers and BMCU were already deeply involved in Latin America, although the

time, as we reported in the February 1994 issue, there was concern that the EU would, if WP15 did not get its act together quickly, take matters into its own hands, which could have resulted in a whole new

sector as a whole was still fighting against the entrenched position of drums in chemical handling in the Americas. The infrastructure needed to keep tank containers working was often lacking.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY APRIL 2022 2024

UP FRONT 05

LEARNING BY TRAINING

by Arend van Campen

DAVOS WEEK 2024

I DON’T LIKE to be a Cassandra, but analyse the information allowed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) through official news channels and compare it to the information offered by Alternative Media.

This week Ursula von der Leyen spoke about the greatest threat to the world at this moment, which is disinformation and misinformation.

Controlling information is, according to the WEF Global Risks Report 2024, the issue of concern for governments. A while ago I wrote on this page about EDMO, a Brussels based information check point with the power to decide what is fake news in order for it to be censored.

An important observation and warning for our industries is relevant.

Due to an amalgamation between big business, government, media and the WEF, a self-appointed elite is formed who thinks it can control and regulate the planet, its people, the weather and the money supply. What is disturbing is that they predict a new pandemic, in close cooperation with the World Health Organization. A new virus will have a killing rate of 20 times that of Covid-19. They even give this virus a name: X. If you have observed closely what has and is happening to society is that the outbreak of a virus in 2020 ruined many people and their businesses, while making big corporations and billionaires richer. You see, the trouble caused by a government/big business revolving door is that incompetent, large, non-flexible, authoritarian organisations are given political privileges, which derail the market by outcompeting, not

Davos? Could a small or medium business afford the exorbitant yearly WEF membership fees of about $600,000?

Friedrich Hayek: The principle that the end justifies all means is seen in individualist ethics as denying all morality. In collectivist ethics it becomes the condition of superior power, for there is literally nothing that a tenacious collectivist will not do as long as it serves the ‘good for all’, for this ‘good for all’ is the only criterion one has to do. There can be no limit to what the citizen must be prepared to do, no action that his conscience must prevent him from taking part in, if it is necessary to achieve the end which the community has planned or which the superiors have decreed.

The philosopher and writer Ayn Rand was a fervent opponent of this form of blackmail and wrote in her book Atlas Shrugged: ‘Collectivism means the subordination of the individual to a group - whether to a race, class or state is immaterial. Collectivism means that man must be chained to collective action and collective thought for the sake of what is called “the common good’’.

And that, my friends. is the goal of the World Economic Forum and the destiny for us all. Central planning causes wars, famine and genocide, because serving the common good justifies the means, whatever they may be.

This is the latest in a monthly series of articles by Arend van Campen, founder of TankTerminalTraining, who can be contacted at arendvc@

in performance, but by political favours, individual creativity and small business. Were you as a small or medium business invited to come to

tankterminaltraining.com. More information on the company’s activities can be found at www.tankterminaltraining.com.

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06

TALL TALES OF HAZMAT

By Grahame Moody

DOORSTEP DECISIONS

This has probably happened to you: A package is delivered to your doorstep containing something classed as hazardous that is packed, marked or labelled incorrectly or - more likely - not labelled at all.

Do you: a) Refuse the delivery and hand it back to the delivery driver whilst giving the driver the benefit of your knowledge in great detail, all on your doorstep. b) Rush out and accept the delivery in person, then pose for the delivery picture while pointing goofily at the item and the packaging, all the while hoping that people will make the connection and smile knowingly at the howlers. c) After the delivery, view your doorbell footage (get you) to check the condition on arrival, then video yourself with the errant packaging giving a voice-over pointing out the mistakes whilst grinning cheesily at your camera phone. d) Do nothing – ignore the mistakes, unpackage it then turn a blind eye to avoid making waves. e) Take pictures of the packaging and labelling, then email them to

misdemeanours to the relevant authorities. g) Return the item to the sender having corrected the packaging/ labelling errors, highlighting what you’ve done and demanding a refund.

Answers on a postcard addressed to Hazmat Logistics down in that there London.

the sender with written comments pointing out the problems and giving advice on what should have been done. f) Compose a written report, email it to the delivery company host site and advise that you would be available to advise on the correct methods, specifying that if they refuse your offer, you will report their

shipment details, there is an initial attempt at filtering out potentially hazardous items based on the description. But with the lure of cash blinding the ‘doing of the right thing,’ this can all too easily be fudged. In other words, a high-strength bleach can become a simple cleaning product with the nudge and clicks of a mouse.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY APRIL 2022 2024

Obviously, this package was delivered to your address as being at the end of the transport chain, therefore anything bad that had happened to anyone or anything would have already happened along the way.

After a very big however, however, it is clearly in everyone’s interest to prevent mistakes like these from happening to avoid compromising safety. Therefore, we must turn our attention to the other end of the telescope - to the beginning, i.e. the (your) initial order.

I know this will evince googly eye rolls, but we must inevitably start with the small print and in this context, these are known as Delivery Restrictions. This comprises a list of restricted items varying in degrees of danger from alcohol-based marker pens to car batteries, but these seem to exist only in these lists for reference purposes.

Staying at the order processing stage, when the sender enters the

UP FRONT 07

After that, apart from the Mark 1 eyeball of the driver collecting the shipment, that’s it. Your package has been released into the wild world of delivery to your house.

And now, let us turn our attention to customers (you?) trying to return faulty items, let us say an e-scooter with a battery that doesn’t work properly. You’ve then got a whole set of different problems.

As part of the ‘Returns Policy’ of one of the leading online delivery giants, there are instructions for packing and labelling lithium batteries (in this scenario). It is also specified that damaged, as opposed to faulty ‘hazmat’ items, including lithium batteries, are not returnable and must be disposed of in a recycling centre.

Here it is in full and for the avoidance of doubt, this is ad verbatim, albeit edited for clarity, contemporary, and in the public domain: Damaged Hazmat items, including damaged lithium batteries, aren’t returnable and should be disposed of in a recycling centre. If the item itself is a damaged lithium battery or it can’t be removed from the item, please dispose of it all in the nearest recycling centre. The right is reserved to request proof of such disposal at any time, so ensure you obtain appropriate evidence from the recycling centre you use.

Probably more than ample rear-end damage protection, but not only do you jeopardise getting your refund, but you must pay money to do the right thing.

Returning to the general principles (and snapping out of the imaginary scenario), consigning packages through any delivery

network involves a good deal of trust being bestowed upon a questionable premise. That is to say, the delivery network needs to presume that the sender is not sending undeclared hazardous goods in the first place but, if hazardous goods need to be returned, then the consumer has to be honest by declaring the contents of the package accurately.

If it is true that human beings are awfully good at making a mess of things, can anything be done to make it much harder to send hazardous items when they are not packed or labelled correctly? I am not sure how that could be done. So instead of just trying to make that harder, why not encourage and promote the ‘c’ word (no, not that one; the word that signifies the observance of the rules, i.e. ‘compliance’)?

This would require either fear of public retribution – head in the stocks being pelted with fruit (i.e. peer pressure), or punishment (fines).

It must be pointed out, however, that sometimes just the existential threat is more than enough.

Notwithstanding any of that, safety does start with compliance, driven by an individual desire for honesty or willingness to do the right thing by doing things right.

Whichever way you look at it, compliance will be a hard sell as it will not be a cheaper way to send these items.

This is part of a regular series of articles by Grahame Moody, senior analyst (technical services) of Hazmat Logistics, who can be contacted at sales@ hazmatlogistics.co.uk. More information on the company’s activities can be found at www.hazmatlogistics.co.uk.

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GREEN FOR GO ROAD • THE BIG NEWS FROM WP15’S LATEST SESSION IS THAT BROADER USE OF BATTERY ELECTRIC, HYDROGEN FUEL CELL AND HYDROGEN VEHICLES WILL BE PERMITTED UNDER ADR FROM 2025 THE UN ECONOMIC Council for Europe’s (ECE) Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP15) held its 114th session in Geneva this past 6 to 10 November with Ariane Roumier (France) as chair. It was attended by representatives from 22 contracting parties as well as from Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. The EU and Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) were also represented, as were seven non-governmental organisations and the

through the decisions taken by that body to ensure that the changed that had been agreed would be appropriate for road transport operations.

Before getting onto that, the Working Party heard a report from the 85th session of its parent body, the Inland Transport Committee (ITC), which had taken place in February 2023.

ITC had asked its subsidiary bodies to ensure that their terms of reference were in line with those of the Committee itself and the UN ECE Secretariat had checked to see if any changes

EuroMed Transport Support Project (TSP).

The main task of the Working Party’s session was to make progress on agreeing the amendments to the Annexes to the ADR Agreement that will enter into force next year.

Much of the groundwork has been done by the Joint Meeting, although WP15 read closely

were necessary. This being so, it had drafted revised terms of reference, which were agreed, with the addition of a reference to cooperation with WP24, the Working Party on Intermodal Transport and Logistics. The Secretariat was asked to pass the revision to ITC for adoption at its 86th session.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

As ever, those contracting parties – 14 of them – that have not yet deposited the required legal instruments to allow the Protocold of Amendment of 1993 to enter into force were encouraged to do so. There had been no new ADR contracting parties since the previous session, though the attendance of so many non-ADR states from the Middle East and North Africa suggests there is interest in taking advantage of a ready-made set of regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods by road.

With that in mind, WP15 had been trying to find a way to get the 2023 text of ADR translated into Arabic, which was held back largely because of the cost involved. However, the EuroMed TSP had taken the matter into its own hands and had finalised an Arabic translation [which is now available for download from the UN ECE website].

Discussions are now underway to find a permanent solution to the need for the text to be amended every two years.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES Having made changes in the 2023 edition of ADR to allow the use of battery electric vehicles as vehicle category AT, the Working Party was eager to move forward quickly with changes that would permit broader use of alternative energies for both AT and FL

REGULATIONS 09

vehicles, especially as industry is rapidly developing new and larger power trains suitable for use with freight vehicles.

The Netherlands, on behalf of the informal working group on electrified vehicles, presented proposals to extend the use of battery electric vehicles to vehicle category FL and to enable the use of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen as AT and FL vehicles. The working group pointed out that vehicle technology and safety regulations are still evolving and they should not be hindered by provisions in ADR. The paper included 22 proposals for amendment, mostly in Chapter 9.2.

After discussion and some modifications, the proposed amendments were adopted, with some points kept in square brackets pending confirmation at the next meeting. Several appear in the table for 9.2.4, the title of which is changed from ‘PREVENTION OF FIRE RISKS’ to ‘VEHICLE PROPULSION SYSTEM’.

In 9.2.2.1, second paragraph, the words “, with the exception of the electric power train in compliance with the technical provisions of UN Regulation No. 1001, as amended at least by the 03 series of amendments,” are deleted, and a new third paragraph is added: The electric power train and the high voltage components which are galvanically connected to it, which are in compliance with the technical provisions of UN Regulation No. 1001, as amended at least by the 03 series of amendments, need not to comply with the provisions of 9.2.2.2 to 9.2.2.7.

A new second paragraph is added to 9.2.3.1.1: Trailers with regenerative braking or electric power train are not allowed.

A new second paragraph is added to 9.2.4.1: Hybrid vehicles equipped with an internal combustion engine and electric power train shall comply with the relevant provisions of 9.2.4.2 to 9.2.4.5.

Three new sub-paragraphs are added after

meet the relevant requirements of UN Regulation No. 1349, as amended at least by the 02 series of amendments, or for liquid hydrogen containers the technical provisions of [Global Technical Regulation No.1310, Phase 2, part 7].

9.2.4.4 is renumbered 9.2.4.3 and amended to read: Internal combustion engine 9.2.4.3.1 The engine propelling the vehicle shall be so equipped and situated to avoid any danger to the load through heating or ignition.

The use of a fuel shall only be permitted if components are approved and installation meet the provisions of 9.2.2 and the technical requirements of: (a) UN Regulation No. 1107 for CNG or LNG. (b) UN Regulation No. 678 for LPG. (c) UN Regulation No. 1349 for compressed hydrogen [and the technical provisions of Global Technical Regulation No.1310, Phase 2] for liquid hydrogen, as relevant.

In the case of EX/II and EX/III vehicles the engine shall be of compression-ignition construction using only liquid fuels with a flashpoint above 55 °C. Gases shall not be used.

9.2.4.6 is renumbered 9.2.4.4 and amended to read: Electric power train 9.2.4.4.1 General provisions Electric power trains shall not be used for EX vehicles. Trailers with re-generative braking or electric power train are not allowed.

The electric power train shall meet the requirements of UN Regulation No. 1001, as amended at least by the 03 series of amendments.

Vehicles with an electric power train shall be equipped with an isolation resistance monitoring system.

The vehicle shall give external signals in stationary conditions, in addition to the warning to the driver receives in the driver’s cab as required by 6.15.1 of UN Regulation No.1001.

9.2.4.4.2 Rechargeable electrical energy storage system (REESS)

9.2.4.3(b): (c) Fuel tanks and cylinders for LNG and for CNG respectively shall meet the relevant requirements of UN Regulation No. 1107. (d) Fuel tanks for LPG shall meet the relevant requirements of UN Regulation No. 678. (e) Fuel tanks and cylinders for hydrogen shall

NOTE: Other acronyms for REESS are used in other documentation for similar systems (e.g. RESS).

REESS of vehicles with an electric power train shall be designed and constructed taking into account a risk evaluation according to ISO 6469-1:2019/Amd 1:2022 to establish safety for

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normal operational conditions. [A review shall be carried out by a technical service (e.g. technical service for vehicle approvals according to UN Regulation No. 1001, as amended at least by the 03 series of amendments).]

NOTE: Normal operational conditions also include malfunctioning and reasonably foreseeable accidental situations.

A new 9.2.4.4.3 reads: Measures against thermal propagation REESS containing cells for which thermal propagation cannot be guaranteed to be contained within the REESS, measures shall be taken to prevent danger to the load by heating or ignition. [The design shall consider the need for facilitation of intervention by emergency services to mitigate effects of a thermal propagation.]

A new 9.2.4.5 reads: Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles 9.2.4.5.1 Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles shall comply with the requirements for the electrical power train of 9.2.4.4.

9.2.4.5.2 Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles shall comply with UN Regulation No. 1349, as amended at least by the 02 series of amendments. For vehicles using liquid hydrogen the technical requirements of the [Global Technical Regulation No.1310, Phase 2] applies.

9.2.4.5.3 Shut-off devices of hydrogen containers shall close automatically: (a) when the vehicle is no longer in driving mode; (b) at a deceleration of [3.25 m·s-2 for 0.7 s]; (c) in case of a lateral overturning above an angle of 23°.

The shut-off devices may be re-opened by a deliberate action of the driver.

There are several other consequential and additional changes, as well as two transitional provisions in Chapter 1.6.

On a related theme, the Netherlands presented in an informal document a proposal to insert a new 9.2.3.2 with provisions for regenerative endurance braking equipment.

Special requirements recently adopted by the

 REGULATORY CHANGES WILL OPEN THE DOORS TO THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS FOR ADR TRANSPORT AS FROM 2025

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations (WP29) are based on two systems, one with a route planning system that anticipates the state of charge of the battery for future descents and the other without such a system. The Netherlands was of the opinion that ADR vehicles should be state-of-art and be equipped with such a route planning system, so as to limit the need to use the (service) friction brakes to a minimum.

A number of comments were forthcoming and the Netherlands is planning to develop a formal proposal for the next session.

JOINT MEETING CHANGES The Working Party endorsed the amendments adopted by the Joint Meeting of RID/ADR/ADN Experts at its autumn session in September 2023 (HCB December 2023, page 8; January 2024, page 6; February 2024, page 8), with some changes. There was, for instance, a slight amendment to the agreed new paragraph 1.1.3.1(a)(ii), which now reads: The carriage of dangerous goods by private individuals in the limits defined in paragraph (a) (i) intended initially for their personal or domestic use or for their leisure or sporting activities and which are carried as waste,

including the cases when these dangerous goods are no longer packaged in the original package for retail sale, provided that measures have been taken to prevent any leakage under normal carriage conditions; In the new 4.1.1.5.3, which had been left in square brackets and which deals with the carriage of waste in inner packagings of different sizes and shapes in the same outer packaging, sub-paragraph (b) will begin: By derogation from 4.1.1.5, 4.1.1.5.1, 4.1.1.5.2, 4.1.1.21, 4.1.3.1 to 4.1.3.5, 4.1.3.7, 4.1.4, 6.1.5.2.1, 6.5.6.1.2 and 6.6.5.2.1.

Other changes adopted for 4.1.1.5.3 are purely editorial in nature.

The previously agreed changed to tank code L10DH in the table in 4.3.4.1.2 contained an error: where it specified ‘packing groups II, III’, this should be ‘packing group I’.

WP15 made some changes to the text of the new 5.4.1.1.4, which will now read: Special provisions for wastes contaminated with free asbestos (UN Nos. 2212 and 2590) When special provision 678 is applied, the following statement shall be included in the transport document: “Carriage under special provision 678”.

The description of wastes carried in

REGULATIONS 11

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accordance with special provision 678 (b) shall be added to the description of dangerous goods required in 5.4.1.1.1 (a) to (d) and (k). The transport document shall also be accompanied by the following documents: (a) A copy of the technical data sheet for the type of container-bag used, on the manufacturer’s or distributor’s letterhead, giving the dimensions of the packaging and its maximum mass; (b) A copy of the unloading procedure in accordance with special provision CV38 of 7.5.11,

replacement of ‘loading compartment’ by ‘load compartment’. Some similar changes are found in the new CV38, where ‘skip’ is replaced by ‘load compartment’.

The agreed revision of 9.2.2.8, dealing with the de-energising of electrical circuits, Free DG Label poster with every order included a IDNote under the heading that had been left in square brackets. It read: ‘This feature shall only be used when the vehicle is in standstill’. This has been deleted and a new sentence has been added at the beginning of 9.2.2.8.3: Features to enable the de-energization of the electrical circuits shall be designed so that they can be operated when the vehicle is stationary.

The Working Party decided to defer discussion of some other issues to its next session. These included the inclusion of a reference to sodium ion cells and batteries in

if applicable.

In the new AP11 in 7.3.3.2.7, which deals with the carriage in bulk of molten aluminium, reference to ‘load security’ in 1.3 and 2 is changed to ‘load safety’, and there are some minor editorial changes. There are also a few changes in the new AP12, including the

2.1.5.2 and in packing instructions P006 and LP03, which is to be discussed by the UN Tel: +44 (0)870 850 50 51 Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Email: sales@labeline.com Dangerous Goods (TDG); amendments in www.labeline.com section 1.8.6 that are due to be confirmed by the Joint Meeting at its spring 2024 session; and reference to new and revised standards

VEHICLES POWERED BY HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS WILL SOON BE ALLOWED TO TRANSPORT DANGEROUS GOODS OTHER THAN EXPLOSIVES

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that had not yet been published. In regards to the last point, the Working Party did adopt the revised referenced to EN 14025:2023, as this standard had been approved by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) prior to its meeting.

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) had, at the autumn 2023 session of the Joint Meeting, attempted to revisit the newly agreed amendments to 5.4.0.1, which requires the information prescribed in Chapter 5.4 to be available during carriage “in such a way that the goods per vehicle and the vehicle which is carrying them can be identified in the documentation”. IRU contended that this meant that each part of the vehicle would have to be accompanied by two separate transport documents and that the registration or identification number of each part of the vehicle would need to be indicated. This would cause a lot of additional work for no discernible safety improvement.

At the Joint Meeting, it had been decided to follow the original intention when the change was proposed by France, and include the new text in 5.4.0.2, where it makes more sense in

light of the growing use of electronic documentation. IRU brought its same comments to the Working Party, which agreed with the Joint Meeting and shifted the revised text to 5.4.0.2; some delegations wondered whether the Working Party had a sufficient grasp of the situation to determine whether the new provisions are likely to cause problems at the point of implementation so this is perhaps not the last we have heard of this amendment.

PROPOSALS FOR AMENDMENT Russia had noticed that, while 9.7.8.2 defines the zones for FL vehicles for the purpose of applying IEC 60079, there is no indication in 9.7.8.3 that this section also applies only to FL vehicles, which could cause problems of interpretation. It offered some text to clarify the matter, which was deemed acceptable by the Working Party. One change is to specify in the heading of 9.7.8 that this section applies to FL vehicles, with the further addition of the words “on FL vehicles” after “electrical equipment” in the first sentence of 9.7.8.3.

It was noted that, bearing in mind the

ongoing work on Chapter 9.2 (see above), there may be a need to amend 9.7.8.1.

The UK proposed an amendment to 9.1.3 to allow Certificates of Approval to be issued in an electronic format as an alternative to the current requirement for paper certificates – a change referred to in UN language as ‘dematerialisation’. While there was support in principle for the change, several delegations felt that the proposal needed further work. The UK will return with a revised proposal at a later meeting.

The UK also followed up on discussions at several previous meetings of the Working Party concerning clarification of 9.7.6 in respect to rear protection of vehicles and the minimum distance required between the rear of a tank and the rear of the bumper to ensure a uniform interpretation. Specifically, given the technical changes that have taken place over the past 20 years, not least to rear under-run protection devices, the UK (in collaboration with the Netherlands) felt that there is a strong case for the rear bumper position to be based on the type of tank.

The International Association of the Body and Trailer Building Industry (CLCCR) broadly supported the work of the UK and the Netherlands but offered some alternatives, along with technical details, in an informal document. This was received late and some delegations asked for more time to consult with their experts and stakeholders.

Opinions were divided between the option of having the same minimum distance required between the tank and the bumper bar for all tanks, or having different provisions for certain types of tanks depending on materials and construction criteria. The Working Party invited the UK to consider these two options in a revised proposal and invited delegations wishing to do so to forward their comments.

Finland pointed out that, in the 2023 edition of ADR, the words “of the axle with greatest

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HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

REGULATIONS 13

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width” were inserted immediately after the fire-suppression systems installed in the text in parentheses in 9.7.5.1, which deals with engine compartment could be introduced into the stability of tank-vehicles. The same ADR as a first step, with a subsequent change, Finland said, should have been made proposal to WP29 to adapt UN Regulation Since Jan 2023, all UK consignors in 9.8.4, which deals with the stability of 1071st accordingly. must have an appointed DGSA. mobile explosives manufacturing units Germany reported a problem in the testing For a local, professional consultant (MEMUs). The Working Party agreed and and approval of EX/III and FL vehicles when DGSA, contact Labeline adopted the change as suggested. they are equipped with a camera monitor Free DG Label ID poster with every order Spain and the Netherlands, on behalf of the system. UN Regulation No 46 requires such Specialist software for creating informal working group on the reduction of systems to continue to function for at least compliant DG Documentation the risk of a boiling liquid evaporating vapour 120 seconds after the engine is switched off; explosion (BLEVE), presented the results of by contrast, ADR stipulates in 9.2.2.8.3 that work by the Research Institutes of Sweden electrical circuits must be broken within (RISE) on developing requirements for fire 10 seconds after operation of the battery suppression systems for FL and EX/III master switch. vehicles. RISE has experience in this sector, The Working Party invited Germany to draw having developed the requirements for UN the attention of WP29 to that point and invited Regulation No 107, which applies to fire delegations to inform their counterparts in suppression systems for the engine charge of vehicle construction provisions of compartments of buses, and had drafted a those problems. It may be the case that this proposal that involved a modified version of issue can be resolved simply but there may be UN Regulation No 107.

The informal working group was keen to

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goods in limited quantities in 3.4.1. IASA felt that the absence of this reference is inconsistent with Chapter 1.3, raising doubts as to whether drivers (or other personnel) only transporting dangerous goods in limited quantities are subject to the training requirements. Adding ‘8.2.3’ in 3.4.1(h) would expressly indicate the obligation to train not only employees dealing with loading, unloading, packing (and other activities), but also drivers transporting dangerous goods packed in limited quantities.

The Working Party agreed, inserting “Part 8, 8.2.3,” at the start of 3.4.1(h).

IASA fared less well with its proposal to revise the text of 5.4.1.4, which requires that transport documents must be drawn up in an official language of the country of despatch and, if that is not English, French or German, then also in English, French or German. IASA argued that the requirement to use an official

and it was withdrawn.

Russia sought to clarify the term ‘combustion heater’, which is defined in 1.2.1 of ADR with the same language that appears in UN Regulation No 122. However, that UN Regulation also states that it applies to vehicles in which a heating system is fitted, with ‘heating system’ meaning any type of device that is designed to increase the temperature of the interior of a vehicle. Russia noted that combustion heaters are also used to pre-heat diesel engines in low temperatures and, when used in this way, are not heating the interior of the vehicle. Since the definition of combustion heater in 1.2.1 does not mention its intended use, it could be interpreted as requiring compliance with 9.2.4.7.

Opinions were divided, with several delegations feeling that it would be appropriate in all cases to specify the

always readily accessible to the vehicle crew nor to inspectors, although they are in the transport unit in compliance with 8.1.2. Very often the documents are attached to the packagings of dangerous goods in the load compartment, which can be difficult to access.

This leads to inefficiencies and delays and can be unsafe, as other packagings may have to be unloaded and then reloaded. Furthermore, the Netherlands argued, in the case of an incident or accident it is important that the information on the transport document is immediately available to the emergency services. It solution was to require all the documents to be readily available in the driver’s cab.

The majority of the Working Party agreed that this was a sensible idea and a slightly amended version of the Netherlands’ proposal was adopted. In the first sentence of both 8.1.2.1 and 8.1.2.2, “on the transport unit” is replaced by “on the driver’s cab of the transport unit”. The Working Party noted that it might be necessary to clarify the text in the future to specify that all vehicle documents must be kept readily available, as already mentioned for instructions in writing, in 8.1.2.3.

In an informal document, the Netherlands also sought to clarify the definition of ‘closed vehicle’ in 1.2.1. Some dangerous goods require a closed vehicle so as to protect the load from the environment or vice versa. Is such protection offered by curtainsiders, or rigid bodies with a fabric roof? The Netherlands felt that such vehicles fall under the definition of ‘sheeted vehicle’ but this is not explicit based on the current definitions.

The UN Model Regulations, on the other hand, have a much clearer definition.

The Working Group agreed that the current definitions could lead to confusion as to the types of vehicles they covered and that the amendments proposed by the Netherlands should be discussed at the Joint Meeting, also taking into consideration the definitions of

language of the country of despatch is illogical, since it is really the country of destination that needs the information in its own language. RID’s version of the requirement does not mention the country of despatch. However, most delegations that took the floor were not in favour of the proposal

applicable provisions in Part 9, particularly in respect of the preheating of the engine compartment. Russian said it would submit a revised proposal at a next session taking into account the comments received.

The Netherlands complained that, during roadside checks, transport documents are not

closed and sheeted wagons.

Another informal document from the Netherlands sought an amendment to 7.5.7.5 and 8.3.3 that currently prohibit members of the vehicle crew from opening a package containing dangerous goods. It is often the case that vehicle crew need to open the outer

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REGULATIONS 15

packaging in order to made deliveries, especially in agricultural and road construction applications. Netherlands asked for permission for competent authorities to allow such handling practices.

Those delegations who spoke felt that the proposal ran counter to the general principle that crew members are prohibited from opening packages containing dangerous goods during operations falling within the scope of ADR and that the derogations adopted in national regulations to cover certain specific cases at the beginning and end of transport are sufficient. The Netherlands withdrew its proposal.

The Netherlands also informed the Working Party that it was planning to present a proposal at the spring 2024 Joint Meeting to exempt from the requirement to calculate holding time those portable tanks and tank-containers used for road transport only.

Depending on the outcome of those discussions, the Working Party agreed that it

would still be possible to adopt an amendment to appear in the 2025 edition of ADR at its next session.

Hungary pointed out that the reference to 6.4.22.5 in line 8 of the table in 5.1.5.5 is superfluous, since 6.4.22.5 refers to special form radioactive material and low dispersible radioactive material, whereas 5.1.5.5 covers packages for fissile material. The Working Group accepted that this was an error and adopted the change as a correction to the 2023 text of ADR. FuelsEurope came with a plea to recognise the increasing volume of E85 ‘Superethanol’ fuel being transported. This fuel contains between 50 and 85 per cent ethanol and at least 15 per cent gasoline and is normally carried under UN 3475. At present, if a tank-vehicle is carrying UN 3475 along with other products, it needs to have orangecoloured plates front and rear, and orangecoloured plates with hazard identification number (HIN) and UN number for each

substance in each compartment. For a tank-vehicle with 10 compartments, this means there need to be 22 orange-coloured plates. FuelsEurope explained that, normally, orange-coloured plates on the sides of tank trailers are affixed to the hose holder rather than the tank itself, so they do not necessarily appear in front of the compartment to which they refer, in contravention of the requirements in 5.3.2.1.2.

To simplify matters, FuelsEurope proposed adding UN 3475 to the list of the ‘family of fuels’ in 5.3.2.1.3, so long as the HIN and UN number for UN 3475 appear on the plates affixed to the front and rear of the vehicle. Some delegations said they needed time to consult with their fire and rescue services before taking a position on the proposal. A revised version will be presented at the next session.

The second part of this report on WP15’s November session in next month’s HCB will cover requests for interpretation of ADR, more on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and other business.

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THE AUTUMN 2023 session of the Joint Meeting of the RID Committee of Experts and WP15, the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), was held in Geneva this past 19 to 27 September. The session was chaired for the last time by Claude Pfauvadel (France) with Silvia García Wolfrum (Spain) as vice-chair; she will assume the chair for this year’s sessions as Claude Pfauvadel is soon to retire.

The autumn session was attended by representatives of 22 full member states, as well as a representative from Zimbabwe in a

these reflect the 23rd revised edition of the UN Model Regulations, adopted in December 2022, as well as other changes.

The first part of this three-part report on the session (HCB December 2023, page 8) covered the discussions by the Working Group on Tanks, and the changes that were agreed in plenary, as well as some new standards that are to be referenced in the regulations. The second part of the report looked at the proposals generated by the Ad Hoc Working Group on Harmonisation with the UN Model Regulations as well as some ongoing and new proposals (HCB January 2024, page 6).

of modified intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). Inspections have revealed that IBCs are sometimes adapted, which does not meet the definition of repair, routine maintenance or remanufacture.

For example, the Netherlands found some metal IBCs that had couplings welded to the top in the manhole cover to connect a pressure hose; there had been no assessment or inspection of this modification and no approval had been given relating to the materials used, the welding programme or any subsequent testing, though it seemed that the IBCs had successfully undergone periodic testing since the modification.

The Netherlands felt that a modified IBC should be regarded as a remanufactured IBC and should be subjected to a full test according to 6.5.6.3.7 and receive a new approval, certification and mark. The Joint Meeting endorsed this interpretation. The matter will be drawn to the attention of the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG).

Poland brought up a tricky question. RID/ ADR/ADN do not include the possibility of sanctions against dangerous goods safety advisers (DGSAs) who have violated the regulations or failed in their duties. In Poland, in accordance with national law, the competent authority has in some cases withdrawn certificates from DGSAs that have failed to prepare an annual report, which it sees as a particularly serious violation.

But, while DGSA certificates are to be recognised in all contracting parties, if the DGSA has earned his or her certification in another country, this sanction cannot be pursued. In such a case, should the competent authority of the country where the violation has occurred notify the competent authority of the country that issued the certification and, if so, what action should that competent authority take?

There was feedback from other contracting

consultative capacity. Also attending were the EU, the European Agency for Railways (ERA) and 14 international non-governmental organisations.

The Joint Meeting is currently well on the way to finalising the amendments that will enter into force in RID, ADR and ADN in 2025;

WHAT DOES IT MEAN? There was, though, plenty more to get through before the session could be wound up. There were several papers asking for help in interpreting RID, ADR and ADN, starting with a query from the Netherlands on the approval

states/parties on the withdrawal of DGSA certificates, while some also stressed the need for harmonisation of the training of DGSAs. Poland welcomed the information and invited more feedback by email so that an official document and proposal could be put together for the next session.

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER MULTIMODAL • AS A SUBSIDIARY BODY OF A UN AGENCY, THE JOINT MEETING IS HAVING TO ADDRESS THE UN’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. HAPPILY, THAT IS MOSTLY IN HAND

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REGULATIONS 17

The European Federation of Waste Management and Environmental Services (FEAD), noting the proposal by Ireland to extend the scope of 5.4.1.1.3.2 to larger quantities of UN 3291 medical and clinical waste, opened a discussion about the transport of waste in tanks, other than vacuum-operated tanks. When the paragraph was added to ADR in 2023, it was felt that the volume of waste in a tank could easily be estimated by the use of gauges and transport of waste in tanks was therefore excluded from its scope. In practice, though, waste operators cannot meet the degree of accuracy required.

Most delegates who took the floor agreed on the need to review the provisions in 5.4.1.1.3.2 to allow an indication of estimated quantities in the transport document also in the case of carriage of waste in tanks. FEAD volunteered to prepare an official document and to work together with Ireland to come up with a joint paper.

INFORMAL WORKING GROUPS The Informal working group on measures to prevent boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions (BLEVEs) reported on its ongoing discussions on fire extinguishing systems for the engine compartment of trucks. The group is expecting that a possible draft regulation for inclusion in ADR would be submitted by a

testing institute in the near future and the working group planned to meet again before the end of 2023. If that draft is not available, further consideration should be given to other ways forward and to a re-evaluation of the current transitional measures for these systems in the ADR. The informal working group on e-learning

18

had held its second meeting in May 2023, with wide representation from contracting parties and non-governmental organisations. Two presentations to the meeting explained the advantages and disadvantages of e-learning and different representatives shared their experiences of e-learning in their countries.

Overall, it was felt that e-learning should be limited to refresher courses, though some felt it could also be suitable for initial training.

It was agreed that the existing national rules on the certification of e-learning would be collated and circulated. It was also suggested that the Joint Meeting give a further mandate for the group to evaluate which of those formats presented are already covered by national approvals and what the core elements are for such approvals. This would inform the need for amendments to ADR and ADN to give a common and clear basis for e-learning for all contracting parties.

Proposals could then be drafted to come into

The informal working group on references to the competent authorities had met twice since the spring 2023 session of the Joint Meeting. An early decision was made that it seems more appropriate to amend a reference in RID/ADR/ADN than to publish an interpretation online, which will ensure harmonised application across the three sets of regulations.

The group felt that, in some countries, a single authority is competent to provide approvals for multimodal transport operations, which is the ideal situation; in other countries, two or even three authorities need to be involved. There has been no discussion thus far as to how this issue might be addressed. Another meeting had been pencilled in for mid-January.

The Joint Meeting noted the report on the good progress made so far and urged all delegates to take place in the next meeting.

force in the 2025 editions of ADR and ADN. The Joint Meeting welcomed the group’s proposals and invited all delegations to participate in its next meeting, which was expected to be in mid-November, with the aim of resuming discussions at the spring 2024 session of the Joint Meeting.

OTHER BUSINESS The UN ECE Secretariat provided two informal documents relating to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda, which loomed large at the 85th session of the Inland Transport Committee (ITC) in February 2023. At that session, ITC urged relevant subsidiary bodies

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

– which includes the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP15), the ADN Safety Committee and the RID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting – to take part in work to “develop an ambitious strategy document for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in inland transport”.

Those three dangerous goods bodies were invited to identify which of their current and future activities could be listed in the ITC Climate Action Plan, and propose milestones.

The Secretariat suggested a brief list of current projects, including: • Establishing provisions to enable the use of alternative fuels and electrified vehicles (ADR), and the use of hydrogen and methanol for the propulsion of vessels (ADN); • Adoption of provisions for the classification, transport and packaging of lithium and sodium ion batteries for automotive use, as well as completed vehicles, damaged batteries or vehicles, biofuels and other alternative energy sources; • Adoption of a rationalised classification system for batteries; • Work to allow a wider use of recycled plastics materials in packagings for the transport of dangerous goods; • Work to allow electronic versions of transport documents; • Harmonisation of the modal regulations for land transport of dangerous goods to as to foster the broader use of intermodal transport; and • Ongoing efforts to allow e-learning.

Future work may well include finding sustainable solutions to safely move hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide. From an administrative point of view, consideration might also be given to allowing meetings of the regulatory bodies to be held in a hybrid format, so as to reduce emissions related to travelling to Geneva.

On a proposal of the UK, Silvia García Wolfrum (Spain) was elected as chair of the Joint Meeting for 2024 with Soedesh Mahesh (Netherlands) elected as vice-chair.

The next session of the Joint Meeting will be held in Bern, Switzerland, from 25 to 28 March.

In search of the energy transition 27-29 February 2024 The Intercontinental London Park Lane Convened by the Energy Institute’s sector experts and informed by the EI Statistical Review of World Energy, International Energy Week 2024 will be the biggest global energy meeting following the first UN Global Stocktake and other outcomes from COP28 in Dubai.

It will focus on identifying and overcoming the barriers standing in the way of accelerating the global energy transition – from policy and regulation to finance and accountability, from energy efficiency and shifting demand, to human behaviour and workforce challenges.

Building on the renowned legacy of IP Week, the conference brings together senior figures from across the energy industry, investors, government, academia and NGOs. It’s where the latest strategic thinking, intelligence, and opportunities are shared, and collaboration happens.

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20

THROUGH GLASSES DARKLY TRAINING • USING VIRTUAL REALITY TO TRAIN TERMINAL OPERATORS MEANS PROTECTING THEM FROM POTENTIAL HAZARDS. KOOLE TERMINALS IS ALREADY SEEING A BENEFIT THERE ARE PLENTY of things that can go wrong in a bulk liquids storage terminal and, as we have seen plenty of times in the past, when they do they can be very dangerous.

That means it can be hazardous to train people to deal with those mishaps – things like an overfilled tank, leaking pipework, fire in a warehouse. Training can cover the operational side and can include the procedures put in place to deal with accidents.

But how can an operator make sure its personnel are ready for the worst?

Koole Terminals has addressed this issue by using virtual reality (VR), allowing its personnel to experience a dangerous accident without putting themselves at risk. “Koole has shown gumption and is the first in the market to start and invest in this,” says Juriaan Steenland, Koole’s COO. The company embarked on the development of a VR training application a year ago, tailoring it to improve safety awareness and reporting of incidents within the company. It will initially be used mainly to train operators in the company. By simulating unsafe situations, operators can practice endlessly and build experience.

Should an unsafe situation actually occur, they will be trained and experienced enough to act and report appropriately.

Geeske Steeneken, as Learning and Development Lead at Koole Terminals, has been closely involved in the development of the VR application and has ensured that it is rolled out within a year. “Through 360 degree photography, we have been able to virtually replicate our terminals,” she explains. “This allows us to put operators in a visual setting exactly like our terminals and mimic what can

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

actually happen. It makes it realistic for our colleagues and provides recognition if it ever happens in real life.”

Think of incidents like a leaking pump that starts making increasingly loud noises, spotting a truck speeding or a driver not wearing a seat belt. Timely recognition, reporting, correct assessment and correct action are of great importance. Steenland adds: “Watching situations with the VR glasses requires a different way of noticing. We teach operators to see instead of just look.”

ONE STEP PROGRAM “We are a learning organisation and want to train our people both horizontally and vertically,” says Steensland. “This is also important to see for new employees. We take

safety very seriously. We explore the boundaries of learning development and do not settle for mediocrity.”

The initial findings of the VR training application are positive: the number of incidents is decreasing and employees at the terminal feel empowered by performing the actions themselves during training. “You see them change, gain more confidence,” Steeneken reports. “This also changes the dynamics between colleagues, resulting in better cooperation.” Ultimately, Koole expects the use of VR will lower the barrier to learning new skills.

Koole Terminals has been growing rapidly in recent years and a safety training tool that can make a difference has been an increasing need. “The momentum is there, the technology is ready and so is this generation of colleagues.” Steenland adds. ”The energy transition and working more cost-efficiently also play a distinct role in this.”

Koole has already implemented the VR application in its terminals in the Netherlands and plans to roll it out in other territories over the course of this year. It will be made multilingual and adapted for additional job roles. Further development may see it incorporate work instructions and to be able to fine-tune the application to reflect specific operating conditions at different terminals. koole.com

SAFETY 21

demonstrating to terminal operators, hauliers, customers and the wider public that they have been trained to the same consistently high and externally verified standard in all aspects of tanker driving from pre-vehicle checks to loading, driving and discharging.

2024 MARKS THE tenth anniversary of the Petroleum Driver Passport (PDP) scheme, an industry initiative backed by government that was designed to ensure that all tanker drivers in the UK are trained and assessed to a consistent standard in loading, transporting and offloading petroleum fuel products from road tankers.

The PDP Scheme was developed by the

the PDP Manual of Practice only in April 2023.

Peter Oakford, DFDF chair, says: “We are delighted to be marking the 10th anniversary of the PDP scheme this year. Since the beginning, our core focus has been centred around the promotion of high levels of safety and competency across the fuel distribution sector, and this is still very much our ethos today. This significant milestone is also

MORE TO COME The scheme is, though, not standing still.

Oakford explains what to expect: “Over the next ten years, DFDF looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively on issues relating to health and safety and training in the downstream fuel distribution sector, while also reaching out to other areas of growth within its network.”

Jenny Clucas, DFDF facilitator, adds: “Marking this milestone provides an important opportunity to recognise the growth of the scheme and positive achievements over the last ten years while also strengthening and extending multi-stakeholder dialogue and co-operation as the sector continues to evolve.

To celebrate ten years of the PDP Scheme, the DFDF will make available a number of resources for those wishing to join our digital celebration throughout 2024.”

The PDP scheme was one of the early initiatives developed by DFDF after its formation in 2012 with a remit to provide an on-going forum for the discussion and resolution of issues relating to health and safety and training in the downstream fuel industry. The DFDF membership is made up of the major hauliers, trade associations, government departments (the Department for Transport and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) and unions connected with the fuel product distribution industry.

“For a decade now, we have been working with the DFDF to promote the benefits of the PD Passport and encourage drivers and employers to adopt nationally recognised safety standards,” says Gary Stewart, head of contract operations at SQA. “To date, we have awarded

Downstream Fuel Distribution Forum (DFDF), a partnership of employers, industry bodies and trade unions, and it is managed by Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in conjunction with the PDP Management Group.

SQA has been instrumental in moving the scheme forward, publishing a 17th edition of

testament to the continued commitment and dedication of all DFDF members. I would therefore like to say a huge thank you to everyone who worked towards this important achievement.”

Currently, more than 11,000 road tanker drivers in the UK hold a PDP card

over 11,000 PDP card holders who demonstrate every day that they meet and exceed these rigorous safety standards. We look forward to continuing our work with DFDF and contributing to the ongoing success of the PD Passport scheme.” www.pdpassport.com

PASSPORTS PLEASE ROAD TANKERS • THE PETROLEUM DRIVER PASSPORT IS NOW TEN YEARS OLD. HAS IT DELIVERED ON ITS REMIT TO IMPROVE STANDARDS IN THE UK FUEL DISTRIBUTION SECTOR?

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GET WITH THE PROGRAMME TANKERS • THE DIGITALISED VERSION OF THE SIRE INSPECTION PROGRAMME IS NOW IN BETA TESTING MODE. OCIMF IS KEEN FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE BUSINESS TO TRY IT OUT OCIMF, THE OIL Companies International Marine Forum, has started the third phase of the transition to its digitalised Ship Inspection Report Programme, SIRE 2.0. OCIMF has been rolling out SIRE 2.0 in a phased approach over the past year; this third phase will allow all vessel operators, programme recipients and submitting companies to get involved in beta testing and to fully familiarise themselves with the new inspection process.

“SIRE 2.0 represents a seismic shift in the way tanker inspections will be conducted, which is why we have taken a gradual approach to rolling out the new programme,” says Aaron Cooper, programmes director at OCIMF. “Having successfully completed end-to-end trial inspections with a sample group, we’ve now reached a critical milestone; giving all programme users the opportunity to trial SIRE 2.0 inspections in Phase 3 of the roll-out.

“Programme users have been working exceptionally hard to familiarise themselves with all the resources and training materials developed to support the new inspection regime, and for that we are very grateful,” Cooper adds. “This trial inspection period coupled with the anonymisation of reports allows all users to put theory into practice with no commercial implications. We strongly encourage all programme users to participate.”

TRY IT FIRST SIRE 2.0 inspections will be conducted in digital format, in real-time, with inspectors completing a Compiled Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (CVIQ) using a tablet device. The move to a digital solution means that every

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

tanker inspection will be bespoke, with questions drawn from the SIRE 2.0 Question Library using an algorithm to select questions based on the type of vessel, its outfitting and operational history to create a one-time CVIQ. As the CVIQ generated will be bespoke and specific for each inspection for each individual vessel, users of SIRE 2.0 should be prepared to respond to all questions within the SIRE 2.0 Question Library applicable to a particular vessel. Every question will require the inspector to give a response in relation to Hardware, Processes and Human Factors, and observations can be supported with photographs, where allowed.

OCIMF advises industry to use all the documentation and training resources made available on the OCIMF website to ensure that personnel at sea and onshore are fully prepared for SIRE 2.0 inspections. Once the third phase is completed to the satisfaction of programme participants, which is expected to take around four months, the current VIQ7 will be withdrawn and all inspections will be carried out digitally. Existing inspection reports will remain available for consultation for 12 months following the changeover.

Development of SIRE 2.0 is underpinned by OCIMF’s mission to lead the global marine industry in the promotion of the safe and environmentally responsible transport of crude oil, oil products, petrochemicals and gases, by developing best practices in the design, construction and safe operation of tankers, barges and offshore vessels and their interfaces with terminals.

OCIMF has developed a dedicated area on its website that includes an animation to explain how the new system will operate, as well as training videos covering all aspects of the questionnaire and several factsheets for different participants in the business. This can all be found at www.ocimf.org/programmes/ sire-2-0.

SAFETY 23

REGULATORS AROUND THE world are taking aim at ‘forever chemicals’ – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – which are going to be increasingly restricted and, before long, banned from use. This will have a significant impact on some unexpected industrial applications, one of which will be firefighting foams.

In marine firefighting systems, fluorinated foams are very common, though the use of perfluoro-octane sulfonic acid (POFS) foams has been restricted in many countries under the Stockholm Convention for the past 15 years. Vessel managers moving away from PFOS have, though, often adopted other foams containing FPAS. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has in recent years taken some steps to

date. IMO is also preparing regulatory changes that will apply to other PFAS foams.

“Shipowners need to understand the implications of the rule changes for existing ships and to consider how best to comply with the impending and future rules as there are some pitfalls to avoid,” says Mikael Laszlo, sales director at Scanunit, a Sweden-based marine specialist that offers PFOS and PFAS decontamination as one of its suite of services.

In other words, a proactive replacement strategy should be put into effect now.

MAKE THE CHANGE For existing ships affected by the IMO rule changes, replacing the foaming agent is not simply a matter of emptying the tank and exchanging the agent with one that does not

process need not be done in drydock and can be arranged to suit the vessel’s schedule.

The process involves removing the old foam and then refilling the whole system with Sani A, a cleaning fluid developed by LifeClean, that remains in the system for around four hours.

The system is then emptied and the process repeated. A sample is then taken from the hoses and tested to ensure that the level of PFOS is at or below 1 ppm. Ragnar Krefting, founder of Lifeclean, explains that the process is perfectly safe and produces less wastewater than other methods. Importantly, independent tests have shown that 99.97 per cent of all PFAS substances in the tanks and foam system are removed.

Occasionally, a system may need to be upgraded for use with the replacement fluorine-free foam or for operational reasons.

In such cases, Scanunit will design and source any necessary new components to adapt the current system. This is done in conjunction with the ship’s classification society to ensure that necessary approvals are granted. After obtaining approval, installation is arranged at a convenient place and date with Scanunit supplying materials and personnel to carry out the fitting.

finalise the transition away from PFOS foams for both portable and fixed systems; regulatory changes will come into effect for new ships on 1 January 2026 and any PFOS foams on existing ships will have to be removed and disposed of safely ashore no later than the first special survey after that

contain PFOS. To ensure that no restricted substances are released during testing or deployment the whole system will need to be decontaminated. Scanunit, in partnership with compatriot company LifeClean, is offering a turnkey solution for decontaminating and replacing the foam onboard vessels. The

“We have the experience and ability to help owners meet all their obligations under the new IMO rules and we would urge them to go the extra mile and meet the PFAS standards now rather than wait or carry on with a time-compromised system,” says Laszlo. scanunit.se

BLOWING BUBBLES FIREFIGHTING • INCOMING PFAS RESTRICTIONS MEAN SHIP OPERATORS WILL NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR ONBOARD FIREFIGHTING SYSTEMS. SCANUNIT STANDS READY TO HELP

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YEAR IN REVIEW BUSINESS • BERTSCHI HAS CONTINUED TO PROSPER, DESPITE MARKET VOLATILITY AND GEOPOLITICAL UNCERTAINTY. FURTHER INVESTMENTS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS YEAR

BERTSCHI HAS REPORTED revenues of CFr 960m for 2023, a 15 per cent decrease on the 2022 figure, on the back of continued declines in transport volumes. The chemical industry, which is Bertschi’s main customer sector, continues to suffer from high energy costs and generally weak sales in Europe. In its overseas transport business, Bertschi notes that the sharp rise in ocean shipping costs during the Covid pandemic has now normalised but, with supply chains regaining smooth operations in 2023, some over-capacities have become apparent. These factors are putting pressure

despite these economic headwinds,” says Hans-Jörg Bertschi, executive chairman of Bertschi Group.

Despite this, Bertschi was able to make some significant headway with its strategic investments in sustainability and digitalisation. Several pilot projects across Europe achieved near CO2-neutral door-todoor movements though the use of intermodal transport combined with first- and last-mile road transport using trucks fuelled by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). Following the success of these pilots, the concept is to

on margins and, for Switzerland-based Bertschi, the strong Swiss franc has attenuated the situation.

“Following a record year in 2022, we faced a more challenging economic environment last year. Nevertheless, we are satisfied that we were able to achieve a positive business result

be extended further this year and is, the company states, an important step on its route to achieve CO2 neutrality by 2050.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

INVESTMENT IN 2023 In mid-2023 Bertschi officially opened its new chemical logistics centre in Zhangjiagang,

China after several years of planning, approval and construction. The storage and filling centre has a capacity of 25,000 tonnes of liquid products stored in tank containers and 25,000 tonnes of packaged goods; in addition, it is equipped with automated filling systems.

It is strategically located in the Yangtze River Delta, close to Shanghai. “The new hub enables us to support our customers locally with their expansion plans in China and further develop the import market for liquid speciality chemicals. It also ideally complements Bertschi’s global logistics network and enables worldwide door-to-door supply chain solutions,” says Jan Arnet, CEO of Bertschi Group.

Zhangjiagang, pictured overleaf, represents the largest single investment in the company’s history but 2023 also saw Bertschi moving ahead with various logistical infrastructure projects in Europe and further investment in its container fleet, which grew by 7 per cent over the year to reach 44,000 units.

Major progress was also made in the company’s digital transformation. This has enabled Bertschi to consolidate its leading market position in terms of visibility and connectivity in chemical logistics chains. In European transport, for example, customers are informed of deviations from planned data

SECTION SLUG 25

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TANKS & LOGISTICS 27

in real time via the automated transmission of scheduled arrival dates and therefore have full transparency regarding the delivery status of their products. Another milestone is about to be reached with the planned replacement of the previous systems for global transport planning and processing with a fully integrated, innovative in-house development in 2024.

WORK TO BE DONE Further investment is planned for this year.

Following initial trials in Scandinavia and Germany last year, the first electrically powered heavy 40-tonne trucks will now also be used at the Birrfeld intermodal rail terminal in Switzerland, where electric charging stations will be installed. The aim is to develop and implement further NetZero concepts on the road towards 2050 targets.

Bertschi is also investing heavily in the expansion of the European rail and intermodal infrastructure for road, rail and water. A large trimodal transhipment terminal with container storage infrastructure - including dangerous goods - is currently under construction in Antwerp, and will begin operations in the second half of 2024.

Handling and storage capacities at the Bertschi trimodal terminal in Rotterdam will be significantly expanded with the installation of a second gantry crane. Due to the ongoing geographical diversification of global supply chains, Bertschi expects demand for these new capacities to increase over the next few years.

In addition to investing in the expansion of the container fleet, the main focus in global business is on the successful implementation of door-to-door logistics concepts. With the new hub in Zhangjiagang and the existing chemical hubs in Singapore and Europe, Bertschi offers its customers a first-class network to optimise the costs and customer benefits of global supply chains and increase

contribute to the expansion of this global network, Bertschi says. The joint venture with the major family-owned chemical logistics and trading company will commence operations this year and enable further growth in the Japanese market for tank container services.

BUSINESS OUTLOOK The global economic situation is likely to remain challenging this year, influenced by geopolitical uncertainties, Bertschi says. Its global business in particular is therefore proving to be increasingly volatile and challenging as the new year begins. In contrast, the decline in transport volumes caused by the recession in European industry is expected to have bottomed out in the second half of 2023, although demand in Bertschi’s European business is likely to stabilise at relatively low levels in 2024.

“The renewed increase in global supply chain disruptions at the start of 2024, the major geopolitical uncertainties, and the volatility in the markets make it difficult for us and our customers to provide an outlook. One positive effect should be that customers are increasingly setting up containerised safety stocks with us so that they can access their

products flexibly and promptly,” comments Jan Arnet.

Bertschi’s achievements in navigating the disruption of the pandemic years and ongoing volatility, together with its contribution to employment and economic activity in northern Switzerland, were recognised this past November with the award of the Prix SVC Nordschweiz for outstanding entrepreneurship. “The Bertschi Group has distinguished itself over the last 60 years through tremendous pioneering achievements. What impressed the jury particularly is that despite its successes, Bertschi has always remained true to itself and has never forgotten its roots,” said Robin Wasser, member of the jury and organising committee, at the awards ceremony.

“We remain committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation, sustainability, safety and digital transformation in the chemical logistics industry,” said Hans-Jörg Bertschi, accepting the award “This achievement would not have been possible without the exceptional effort and hard work of the employees at Bertschi. They are the driving force behind our success, and we share this award with each and every one of them.” www.bertschi.com

their efficiency. Bertschi’s close-knit infrastructure in Europe creates exciting opportunities to integrate the storage and distribution of products on the continent into global flows.

The partnership with Tokyo-based Uyeno Group, which was launched in 2023, will

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28 TANKS & LOGISTICS

ALL ABOARD DIGITALISATION • IF RAIL TRANSPORT IS TO BE ATTRACTIVE TO CARGO OWNERS, IT HAS TO BE RELIABLE AND TRANSPARENT. PORT OF ROTTERDAM’S DIGITAL PROJECT AIMS TO MAKE IT SO PORTS IN NORTHERN Europe rely to a great extent on rail transport to move goods in and out of their terminals, whatever the cargo.

Improving efficiency in that sector can, therefore, generate significant benefits all round.

The rail freight sector in Rotterdam has developed a programme to streamline information sharing between carriers, rail operators and terminals, Rail Connected, which this year is to be further enhanced with greater visibility in real time on the location and composition of trains. Most of the players in the local sector have now joined the programme and have decided to extend it for a further two years.

The ‘Rail Connected’ growth programme arose from the Rail-freight Transport Package of Measures drawn up to promote freight transport by rail. The programme is funded by the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, which also coordinates the programme. The aim is to use digitalisation to reduce manual operations.

In the first phase, all participants submit a digital report at the start of the week, detailing which trains are planned for the next seven days. Final testing of the second phase ended last month; this provides greater clarity in a digital environment on the composition of freight trains arriving and departing Rotterdam in terms of locomotive, wagons and containers.

These are important steps, according to Rémon Kerkhof, deputy director of Optimodal, a logistics services provider that focuses on European container transport over water, rail and road. “Although this doesn’t represent a

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

great deal of added value for us as operators, it is essential to the rail sector as a whole.

We’ve started. The momentum is there, across the entire sector. It would be a shame to stop now, especially if you look at the reported growth forecasts.”

GET CONNECTED “We have reached the critical mass necessary to take some fundamental steps,” says Suzanne Smit, programme manager for the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “Pre-reporting is up and running. Train composition is almost ready for launch. In 2024, we will also be initiating the implementation of ‘estimated time of arrival’ (ETA). We have now devised how to do that but execution is going to be quite complicated.

“But that does not actually mean we’re there yet,” Smit adds. “In 2024, we want to draw up an integrated plan of how we could use the digitised processes, and the data

derived as a result, to optimise loading, train paths and terminal utilisation. All in the spirit of Nextlogic, the integrated planning platform for processing inland shipping containers in the port of Rotterdam.”

“That would of course be a great step,” says Arno van Rijn, commercial executive of Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam. “To improve the competitive position of railfreight transport, our clients consider reliability to be top priority. And we support everything that contributes to the timely deployment and removal of trains. It is currently the case that inefficiencies in the chain tend to be borne by one party, with other parties benefiting from greater flexibility and efficiency. We need to redress that imbalance. It needs to be more streamlined and reliable. A more integrated approach would certainly help.”

“We now have to coordinate everything one-to-one with each terminal and other parties separately. That often leads to compromises that can be suboptimal,” says Kerkhof. “Ultimately we want the system to optimise the process. This should in principle be easier to do with the rail network than for inland shipping - there are after all fewer parameters to factor in. Railways are by definition less flexible. I’m not downplaying this. The launch will demand quite a lot from people, but that was no different with Nextlogic in regard to inland shipping. And it is now working increasingly better in that regard. And we’ll make it work for the railway, too!” www.portofrotterdam.com

SECTION SLUG 29

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GET YOUR COATING ON COATINGS • ADVANCED POLYMER COATINGS IS TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN OHIO, THE BETTER TO SERVE ITS GROWING LIST OF CLIENTS AROUND THE WORLD ADVANCED POLYMER COATINGS (APC), the Avon, Ohio-based protective tank coatings manufacturer, has embarked on a major expansion of its factory as part of bold new plans to increase its market share in the chemical tanker, rail, tank container and industrial markets.

The work, due for completion later this year, will almost double the size of the facility to some 42,000 ft2 (3,900 m2) and add a new automated manufacturing system, which will permit a 400 per cent increase in output capcacity for its MarineLINE tanker coating and ChemLINE products for rail, tank container and industrial clients.

“This investment in our factory is the biggest in our company’s 27-year history,” says president David Keehan. “We are seizing the baton from my late father, Don, inspired by his vision to ‘Give up the good to go for the great’. The new factory sends a message that we believe MarineLINE and ChemLINE are the best chemical-resistant coatings in the world and we aim to meet the growing demand for both. That means putting our money where our mouth is and investing cash drawn from reserves so the company remains debt-free.

We aim to use our new facility to catapult our market share year over year.”

The investment will also protect existing jobs and support plans to recruit more positions in R&D, lab, and sales domestically and sales, technical and customer care globally.

LET’S GET TECHNICAL Development of the Avon complex will also expand R&D facilities with an expanded laboratory and testing facilities, a pilot plant and a new spray booth for product testing.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

“Our chemists are undertaking terrific research on finding solutions for our customers,” Keehan says. “As a result, we expect to unveil some great new product innovations, currently undergoing land and sea trials, which can really disrupt several industries.” APC has partnered with fellow Ohio company UWL, the global freight forwarding and distribution house, to support this development.

“The new partnership with UWL gives our customers greater efficiency and visibility of product delivery times so they can plan their operations better,” Keehan explains.

“Customers can now, for example, track a shipment so they know exactly what ship is carrying their MarineLINE consignment and when it will arrive. We believe UWL, with its network of people, is the best partner to get

shipments of MarineLINE into countries at speed.”

Around 75 per cent of APC’s sales are exports and this will remain a pivotal component in its growth strategy. “We want to expand more into various markets globally,” Keehan adds. “We have a strong presence in China but see a lot of growth potential for MarineLINE and ChemLINE in many other parts of the world. For instance, Japanese owners and yards have preferred stainless steel tanks, but we believe MarineLINE’s powerful advantages will attract more business. Moreover, being a family-run second-generation business gives us an edge as we pride ourselves on knowing our customers personally and giving them the best customer experience possible. We want them to feel like our business partner instead of just a customer.”

A critical factor in APC’s growth will be raising awareness of MarineLINE and ChemLINE’s outstanding performance, which the company believes positions them as the most robust and versatile coatings in the world. And the desire to get the word out is also part of the expansion at Avon, as Keehan explains: “The more we invest in our facilities, product development, people and customer care, the more we can get these positive messages out there.” www.adv-polymer.com

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NEWS BULLETIN

TANKS & LOGISTICS

VERVAEKE GOES CRYO

Vervaeke has won its first major cryogenic gases distribution deal, signing a partnership deal with Messer, which produces and supplies oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, welding protection gases, specialty gases, medical gases and a wide range of gas mixtures. The contract will involve distribution of cryogenic gases (argon, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide) as well as helium and hydrogen, building in volume through the course of this year to full implementation in 2025.

“This contract is an absolute milestone for Vervaeke as a group,” says managing director Serge de Wolf. “It will allow us to play an important role in this demanding speciality.

Our goal has long been to become a leading player in gas distribution alongside our chemical activities and our Belux fuel distribution. We are therefore delighted to enter into this partnership with Messer.” www.vervaeke.com

VAN DEN BOSCH COUNTS CARBON

Van den Bosch reports that it is the first independent transport firm in the world to have been verified for CO2 emission calculations and reporting in accordance with the ISO 14083:2023 standard, which confirms that its calculations and reporting comply with European legislation. Van den Bosch achieved the result following an independent review

by LRQA. Van den Bosch was part of a pilot group set up by Topsector Logistiek, a tripartite partnership between the business community, science and government. The pilot group was set up in order to translate the ISO standard into a practical guide that also included a self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) for assessing ISO 14083 within the organisation.

“The verified CO2 calculation means that we can meet customer requirements by being able to allocate CO2 emissions to specific shipments, modalities and suppliers, for example, in accordance with the standard,” says Brecht den

Otter (below), sustainability specialist at Van den Bosch. “Besides this being a milestone in terms of our CO2 calculation, it also represents a step forward on our route to 2030 where sustainability is a major focus. We can be proud of this achievement, which fits in precisely with our sustainability concept from that strategy.

We are now able to set realistic CO2 reduction targets for 2030.” www.vandenbosch.com SAMAT SAVES FUEL

Samat has completed a one-year test of the Life Ecotravid system, which aims to reduce truck mileage and therefore fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Life Ecotravid is an algorithmic tool, developed by CLS and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM), co-funded by the EU’s LIFE initiative. Groupe Samat has also played a part in the development of the system, which it trialled on 20 trucks and 20 trailers at its Aquitaine branch.

Life Ecotravid uses a ‘virtual drive engine’ to allow the collection of fuel consumption and emissions data based on such elements as air resistance, rolling resistance and gradient. This helps in transport planning by optimising routing to reduce fuel consumption. Samat reports that, using the system, it has reduced fuel consumption at its Lacq branch by some 4.7 per cent.

The four-year Life Ecotravid project was completed at the end of the year and Fraunhofer has decided to pursue commercial exploitation of the software using extended web services. www.samat.com NEW TANK HEAD AT LESCHACO

Leschaco has appointed David Williams as its new Global Head of Tank Container, where he will be responsible for overseeing and driving

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

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the strategic initiatives of Leschaco’s tank container operations worldwide. His role will involve collaborating with key stakeholders, managing global teams, and further driving innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Williams arrives from AP Møller-Maersk, where he was vice-president and managing director of the Africa Region.

“We are delighted to welcome David Williams to our leadership team,” says Leschaco CEO Constantin Conrad. “With him at the helm, we are setting the stage for the successful continuation of our tank container story. His global vision, interpersonal skills, and dedication to excellence align perfectly with our values and goals. We believe that this new and complementary addition to our Group is an exciting step forward in our journey toward ambitious growth, sustainable success and operational excellence.”

Williams takes over from Maximilian Nause, who has moved to become Global Head of Sales. In his new role he will not only lead the global sales organisation of the Leschaco Group but will also drive the global

implementation and investments of the new sales strategy aimed at enhancing the sales structure further for the benefit of customers worldwide. www.leschaco.com TWO MORE JOIN HAZCHEM

The Hazchem Network has added two more haulage firms to its UK membership. Oldburybased Hinks Haulage will cover Wolverhampton postcodes, while WT Transport will handle the Northampton area.

The Hazchem Network is the only specialised ADR pallet network in the UK, with more than 60 members around the country, feeding pallets into the group’s hub at Hinckley and picking up pallets for their own region. hazchemnetwork.co.uk PEACOCK PICKS SAUDI AGENT

Peacock Container has appointed Hizam Shipping Agencies as its agent in Saudi Arabia, underscoring its commitment to the fast growing market in the Middle East. Hizam, headquartered in Dammam, covers all major ports in the country, including Riyadh, Jeddah

and Yanbu. It offers ship, port and NVOCC agency, freight forwarding and transport services.

“Peacock looks forward to continued growth and success in the coming years, maintaining its leadership in the ISO tank leasing market with a fleet size of 23,000 tanks. We remain committed to providing top-notch service to our valued clients,” the company states. peacockcontainer.com ROTTERDAM OFFERS CHARGING

Port of Rotterdam, in collaboration with Truckparkings Rotterdam Exploitatie (TRE), has opened the first charging station for electric trucks in the port. The facility, at the Bodaanweg truck park in the Waalhaven, can charge up to eight trucks simultaneously. The project was realised in cooperation with ABB E-mobility, Batenburg Techniek, KWS Infra, Stedin and Varo Energy, which manages the charging infrastructure for TRE. “Sustainable logistics is a key pillar of our strategy for a future-proof port with net zero CO2 emissions,” says Boudewijn Siemons, interim CEO and COO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority. “Providing charging infrastructure for trucks can make the transport sector more sustainable. Electric cargo transport also contributes directly to better air quality in the port.”

Among the carriers attending the opening ceremony was Den Hartogh, which charged two of its electric trucks. Den Hartogh says it recognises its role to provide its customers with a sustainable and environmentally friendly supply chain, adding: “The introduction of this charging station represent a stride towards reaching these objectives.”

Ton Barten, director of TRE, adds: “Carriers can schedule smart combinations by, for example, charging their trucks while drivers stay in the truck park for mandatory rest. A comfortable, safe and easy switch to sustainable transport without any loss of time. This paves the way for carriers to become more sustainable and invest in an electric fleet.” www.portofrotterdam.com

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REAP THE BENEFITS PROPULSION • REDUCING FUEL CONSUMPTION MEANS REDUCING EMISSIONS – AS WELL AS SAVING MONEY. CHEMFLEET IS CONVINCED THAT BERG’S CONTROL SYSTEM CAN DELIVER ALL THAT CHEMFLEET HAS CONCLUDED a trial using Berg Propulsion’s MPC800M control system aboard its 12,900-dwt IMO II chemical tanker YM Miranda. The upgrade to the installed control system delivered fuel savings of some 10 per cent, Berg says. As a result, Chemfleet has decided to install Berg systems, which will include its Dynamic Drive software, on three 6,970-dwt sisterships and is reviewing similar systems for six other tankers under its management.

When upgraded to include Dynamic Drive, Berg Propulsion’s MPC800M system is enabled to set upper limits for vessel speed or fuel consumption by optimising the pitch and rpm of the control pitch propeller. If the speed limit is exceeded, Dynamic Drive automatically reduces thrust until the limit is met. If fuel is the priority, the algorithm selects the rpm/ pitch to optimise engine performance.

“Data from the initial trials showed MPC 800 control system achieving around 10 per cent fuel reduction and our expectation is that there is more to come as the system beds into operations,” says Ersen Uçakhan, technical manager at Chemfleet. “We will upgrade YM Neptune, YM Pluto and YM Uranus later this year, continuing our successful collaboration with Berg Propulsion on this exciting project.”

MORE TO COME The upgrade process was not complicated.

The replacement of the existing control system on YM Miranda with the Berg MPC800N system was completed in three days and, as Emre Özkul, product support manager at Berg Propulsion says, the system verified that the upgrade had helped Chemfleet crews to reduce fuel consumption

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

in everyday operations. That will now be taken a step further.

“Chemfleet is a high-quality chemical tanker manager which takes a proactive approach to enhancing ship performance – looking beyond the requirements of CII and EEXI, for example,” says Özgür Bartınlı, service manager at Berg Propulsion. “Adding Dynamic Drive delivers not only a significant competitive edge, but also the performance to anticipate emissions requirements well ahead of regulation.”

Dynamic Drive software is one of several class-approved options devised by Berg Propulsion to help ships rise to their efficiency challenges. In cooperation with owners and operators, Berg uses 3D scanning and

modelling tools to develop retrofit options that offer cost-based gains, factoring in drydocking work. Its solutions minimise mechanical and hydrodynamical losses, combining the best equipment for specific applications to boost energy efficiency without compromising vessel reliability.

“Our analysis involves a thorough evaluation of product efficiency, encompassing the propeller, gearbox, shaft alternator, generators and engines,” Özkul explains.

“There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so we dig deep in analysing the current system’s efficiency, configuration and performance to establish the crucial areas for improvement and formulate next steps. Berg Propulsion works closely with shipowners to deliver on their energy efficiency needs, whether they are working through the EEXI and CII transition, focusing on fuel efficiency or leading the way on decarbonisation.”

Sweden-based Berg Propulsion specialises in providing propulsion technologies, electrical integration and energy efficiency optimisation solutions for commercial and naval vessels. It has direct sales and service offices in China, Singapore, Turkey and the UAE as well as a global dealer and service network. www.bergpropulsion.com

TANKER SHIPPING 37

system; and Bureau Veritas carried out a risk assessment, reviewed the designs in line with the latest regulatory requirements, and ensured that they met Bureau Veritas rules.

hydrogen supply chain and, therefore, to enable an energy transition towards a carbon-free future. The four parties to the project have each brought their expertise into play to overcome those challenges.

TotalEnergies specified the design codes, the vessel’s limits in terms of dimensions and capacity, the requirements for the propulsion mode and the associated CO2 emissions on the shipping routes envisaged; GTT designed

PLAYING THEIR PART Speaking about the collaboration, Karine Boissy-Rousseau, director of green gases at TotalEnergies, says: “This joint development project has enabled us to gain a better understanding of the liquefied hydrogen supply chain and the associated challenges. We have reached a major milestone in the development of this sector.”

“This project illustrates the ability of French industry to play a leading role in the transformation of the maritime world and energy supply,” adds Vincent Rudelle, managing director of LMG Marin France. “With the emergence of previously unexplored energy vectors, a whole global supply chain needs to be built, and the conclusions of this project provide an initial outline of the maritime aspect. With the development of this innovative vessel of almost 290 m, transporting 150,000 m3 of cargo at -253°C in a carbon-free way, LMG Marin France confirms its ability to address the most innovative issues, and thus reinforces its position as a leader in the decarbonisation of the maritime sector.”

“GTT’s ability to design a disruptive technology adapted to large-scale vessels is a major step forward for the development of the hydrogen sector,” says Philippe Berterottière. “This partnership and the associated R&D efforts are part of the GTT Group’s ambition to develop technologies to help build a sustainable world.

We are proud to have met this ambitious technological and environmental challenge.”

This is not the first time that GTT has used its LNG technology to expand into alternative cargoes; in 2021, Bureau Veritas awarded AiP to the company for the use of GTT’s Mark III LNG containment system for the transport of ammonia, without any major design changes.

the membrane containment system and the cargo management system, taking into account the constraints associated with liquefied hydrogen; LMG Marin developed the 150,000-m3 vessel design, adapted to the specifications, operational profile and incorporating the membrane containment

More changes are likely to be needed for the system to be able to handle deeply cryogenic hydrogen. www.bureauveritas.com www.gtt.fr www.lmgmarine.no www.totalenergies.com

POWER OF FOUR HYDROGEN • THE ENERGY TRANSITION WILL BE BASED ON HYDROGEN BUT SO FAR SHIPPING LIQUEFIED HYDROGEN HAS PROVED DIFFICULT. GTT IS GIVING IT A GO, BASED ON ITS LNG EXPERTISE GTT, THE FRANCE-BASED specialist in LNG containment design, has announced the success of a joint development project, undertaken with TotalEnergies, LMG Marin and Bureau Veritas, to establish the viability of moving liquefied hydrogen in bulk by sea.

Bureau Veritas has now granted approval in principle (AiP) for the design of a cryogenic membrane containment system for liquefied hydrogen (LH2) developed by GTT and for the preliminary design of a 150,000-m3 largescale LH2 carrier equipped with the GTT containment system.

The ability to transport very large volumes of hydrogen in liquefied form at -253°C is one of the technological challenges to be met to establish a reliable, efficient and competitive

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LEADING THE WAY AMMONIA • JAPAN IS TO GET ITS FIRST AMMONIA-POWERED GAS CARRIER AS IT SEEKS TO LEAD THE MARITIME WORLD INTO A NET ZERO EMISSIONS FUTURE

main engine is expected to use up to 95 per cent ammonia, to allow an overall greenhouse gas reduction of 80 per cent or more.

IN OCTOBER 2021 , Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) selected four companies under its ¥2tn Green Innovation Fund to develop an ammonia-fuelled medium gas carrier, to be equipped with Japanese made engines, in order to make a significant step towards decarbonising the maritime sector.

The four chosen companies, NYK Line, Japan Engine Corp, IHI Power Systems and Nihon Shipyard, have been joined by ClassNK in a consortium that is now ready to start building the vessel.

As part of the energy transition, ammonia,

grow rapidly in Japan and elsewhere, with a similar increase in demand for ammonia production and marine transport. Being an island nation, Japan will be especially reliant on marine transport for its ammonia imports and will also be looking to decarbonise shipping through the use of alternative fuels, which will of course include ammonia.

The participants in the consortium are now bringing their respective expertise to bear on the development of a 40,000-m3 ammoniafuelled ammonia carrier, with planned delivery of the first vessel from Japan Marine United’s shipyard in Ariake in November 2026. Japan

FACING THE CHALLENGES The main challenges in the design of ammonia-fuelled vessels relate to the physical and chemical properties of ammonia.

Firstly, it is a flame retardant, so engines have to be able to ensure stable combustion, which requires some advanced technologies.

Secondly, the combustion of ammonia (NH3) can generate nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a very powerful greenhouse gas; technology is therefore needed to reduce and treat nitrous oxide emissions. And finally, ammonia is toxic and a lot of attention has been paid to protecting crew against the potential for accidental leakage.

The four companies designed a prototype vessel that overcame these challenges, which obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) in September 2022 after a safety verification

which has traditionally been chiefly used for fertiliser and other chemical raw material applications, is expected to be used for co-firing in thermal power plants and as a hydrogen carrier, as it is very much easier to liquefy and transport than hydrogen. As a result, demand for ammonia is expected to

Engine Corp is working on a two-stroke dual-fuel main engine, and IHI Power Systems is developing a four-stroke dual-fuel auxiliary engine. These engines will need to use fuel oil as pilot fuel but a high ammonia co-firing ratio is needed to achieve the largest possible reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The

process that included confirmation of the safety concept and risk assessment by ClassNK. After further research and development, the consortium determined that the prototype ship had reached a level sufficient for social implementation, particularly in safety and environmental

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friendliness, and decided to build the ship.

To overcome toxicity, the biggest challenge for marine fuels, the consortium conducted a risk assessment review by ClassNK and a risk assessment and safety measures proposal from the user’s point of view led by NYK’s engineers. The consortium reflected safety measures based on these risk assessments in the ship’s specifications to improve the ship’s safety further. Based on the findings, ClassNK published safety guidelines for ammoniafuelled ships. The draft safety requirements, a world-leading initiative, were presented to the IMO as a basis for further international efforts.

The toxicity issue has also played a part in the vessel design; the hull form has been optimised for ammonia transport, to allow the

The world looks to you to make it a sustainable place.

full cargo capacity to be utilised. Elsewhere, the machinery arrangement within the hull has been designed with the aim of keeping the potential for accidental releases in an occupied space to a minimum.

In May 2023, IHI Power Systems achieved the world’s first stable combustion of fuel ammonia at an 80 per cent co-firing rate with fuel oil in a four-stroke engine. This confirmed that emissions of nitrous oxide and unburned ammonia from the engine were virtually zero and that there was no ammonia leakage during operation and after shutdown. Japan Engine Corp also began firing operations on the two-stroke main engine, with initial demonstrations providing sufficient confidence to allow the project to move

towards vessel construction. Further research will continue.

Toward the completion of the vessel in November 2026, the consortium will manufacture the main and auxiliary engines, begin detailed studies for the vessel’s construction, and prepare an operation manual for actual operation. After the ship is completed, the consortium will continue to operate the vessel for demonstration purposes to confirm the vessel’s performance, including environmental friendliness and the practicality of the operation manual, and to provide user feedback to shipbuilders and marine equipment manufacturers for further improvements. www.classnk.com www.nyk.com

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RIDE THAT WAVE

STOLT-NIELSEN HAS REPORTED revenues of $2.82 bn for the year to end November 2023, up from $2.77 bn a year earlier. Operating profit fell by 6.2 per cent to $419.6m but net profit was up 5.9 per cent at $296.7m. The fall in operating profit largely reflects a $155m loss provision related to the MSC Flaminia claim.

“In a very challenging year, our team has performed exceptionally to deliver great value for our customers and shareholders,” says Udo Lange, reporting on the results for the first time as CEO. “The fourth quarter produced another strong set of results,

continued high utilisation supported an increase in storage and throughput rates and ancillary charges, resulting in Stolthaven’s best year to date. At Stolt Tank Containers volumes continued to increase; however, during the fourth quarter the predicted reduction in margins and demurrage revenue impacted results.”

SHIPPING ON A HIGH The stand-out performer in Stolt-Nielsen’s portfolio was Stolt Tankers, which rode a wave of rising freight rates to finish the financial

2022/23 renewal period, as spot rates actually fell in the fourth quarter quite strongly and volumes were also down slightly. Stolt Tankers also gained from the expansion of the SNAPS pool in the Asia-Pacific region, which helped revenues from regional fleets to increase by $18.6m against the 2022 figure.

The Stolt Tankers fleet contracted during the fourth quarter, with the sale of two ships for a gain of $3.7m. The company is now preparing to return to new ship construction for the first time since taking delivery of five newbuildings in 2018, and has booked six stainless steel fuel-efficient tankers at Wuhu Shipyard for delivery beginning in 2026. “Yard capacity remains very tight, and we are pleased that we secured these newbuildings with a favourable delivery window that means they will be delivered in time for the retirement of older tonnage,” Lange says.

Stolt-Nielsen is confident that the market will support investment in new ships. “The effective closure of both the Panama and Suez

culminating in another strong year for our company. During the year Stolt Tankers experienced particularly robust market conditions. Following a fall in spot rates during the third quarter, the firming trend resumed as we headed into the contract renewal season. At Stolthaven Terminals

year with an operating profit of $371.1m, up 81 per cent year-on-year. The fourth quarter was very strong, with revenue up 7 per cent compared to the previous year at $441.3m and operating profit ahead by 27.6 per cent at $99.8m. This reflected improved returns from contracts renewed at higher rates in the

canals has added further tonne-miles to the tanker segment,” the company notes. “From a logistics perspective this creates several challenges; however, by working closely with our customers we aim to minimise any negative impact on their supply chains.

Together with a firm product tanker market,

RESULTS • A FIRM CHEMICAL TANKER MARKET BOOSTED STOLT-NIELSEN’S PERFORMANCE LAST YEAR, THOUGH THE NORMALISATION IN TANK CONTAINER MARKETS SAW A DROP IN REVENUES

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TANKER SHIPPING 41

which is keeping swing tonnage out of our segment, the low orderbook provides a good foundation for the favourable chemical tanker markets to continue for the foreseeable future. We are confident that the firm rate environment will be maintained as we renew existing and acquire new contracts.”

TERMINALS AND TANKS Stolthaven Terminals also performed better than in 2022, with 12-month operating profit of $105.0m representing an 18 per cent increase over the earlier year’s $89.2m. Storage and throughput revenue increased throughout the year on the back of rate increases while throughput volumes remained flat. A continued tight storage market in several locations enabled the firming of storage rates.

Utilisation slipped slightly in the last quarter, though it remained comparatively strong at 95.5 per cent.

Stolt-Nielsen remains confident in the underlying fundamentals for tank storage demand, saying: “At Stolthaven Terminals, the return to growth in chemical output coupled with ongoing demand from other speciality

liquids including biofuel feedstock will support the current tightness seen in global storage markets. Stolthaven has taken the opportunity to focus on replacing lower-margin business with longer term opportunities, with the short-term impact of reducing utilisation somewhat while the switchover takes place.

Consequently, we anticipate a flat first half of 2024, with steady to slightly improving earnings during the second half as we continue to optimise our contract portfolio.”

The figures for Stolt Tank Containers (STC) do not look as good, on the face of it, though it should be remembered that 2022 was a quite exceptional year for the tank container sector as a result of massive disruptions in the global containerised shipping markets; operators and lessors last year spoke frequently about a “normalisation” in the market, which is borne out in STC’s figures for the 12 months to end November 2023.

Revenues fell by 22 per cent to $699.5m and operating profit, excluding the impact of the MSC Flaminia loss provision, was off by 32 per cent at $117.2m.

As the year progressed, transport revenue

fell in line with ocean transport rates and demurrage revenue was sharply down as supply chains normalised and fewer tanks were retained for use in temporary storage.

Gross profit margins were also slimmer, down 8.4 per cent year-on-year in the fourth quarter. On the upside, volume were up, with a 14.6 per cent increase in shipments in the final quarter. STC has responded by increasing its fleet, adding around 3,900 tanks over the course of the year to finish the period with a fleet of 50,928 owned and leased tanks.

With the recent margin erosion experienced in STC’s markets, the focus has been on increasing volumes. The company reports: “The recent fall in rates has begun to plateau and we expect to see our results stabilise at current levels as we continue to counter the reduction in margins with a focus on reducing costs and improving efficiencies. Short term, the effective closure of the Suez Canal is expected to cause a reduction in freight capacity.” That may be reflected in revenues as liner operators change their routings to avoid the Red Sea, resulting in higher freight costs. www.stolt-nielsen.com

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NEWS BULLETIN

TANKER SHIPPING

HOW TO SHIP CARBON DIOXIDE

The Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators (SIGTTO) has published its thoughts on the carriage of carbon dioxide as cargo on gas carriers. The document is the Society’s response to growing interest in CO2 as a cargo, normally as part of a carbon capture and sequestration chain, and the need for expert advice on safety.

SIGTTO observes that most gas carriers are involved in trades in flammable and/or toxic gases; by contrast, liquefied CO2 is neither flammable nor particularly toxic, but it does have thermodynamic properties that present challenges and must also be protected against contamination.

SIGTTO acknowledges that seaborne trade in CO2 is a very young business and there is little information readily available. However, by taking a risk-based approach to identify the unique hazards of the gas, it is possible to select

the most efficient barriers for safety and environmental protection. Using those existing safety measures that are primarily designed for flammable cargoes may not be effective and could even create more dangers.

The first edition of SIGTTO’s Carbon Dioxide Cargo on Gas Carriers is freely available for download from the organisation’s website at www.sigtto.org/media/4004/sigtto-carbondioxide-cargo-on-gas-carriers.pdf.

NEW AT NAKILAT

Nakilat, Qatar’s national energy shipping company, has placed orders for two 174,000-m3 LNG carriers and four 88,000-m3 very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) at Hyundai Samho.

Deliveries are scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

The new ships will, Nakilat says, “embody the latest technologies, showcasing advanced environmentally friendly and efficient propulsion systems through fuel-saving devices”.

“Our investment in these advanced vessels reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional service and environmental stewardship,” says Eng Abdullah Al Sulaiti, CEO of Nakilat. “We strive to meet the increasing demand for safe, reliable, and eco-friendly transportation of gas, contributing to a more sustainable future.”

On delivery, the new ships will take Nakilat’s LNG fleet up to 71 vessels and double the size of its LPG fleet to eight ships. www.nakilat.com PASCO ADDS MORE ORDERS

PascoGas, a small Turkish LPG operator, has placed a two-ship order for 80,000-m3 very large ammonia carriers (VLACs) at Hyundai Heavy Industries. Delivery is due by March 2027; brokers quote a price of $120m per ship.

PascoGas, which was established in 2019, currently operates three midsize LPG tankers and has another three on order at Hyundai Mipo for 2025/26 delivery. pascogas.com THUN ADDS RESOURCES

Thun Tankers has ordered another two ‘Resource Efficiency’ class coastal tankers from Ferus Smit, taking the current order up to eight ships; the first of these, Thun Resource, was delivered at the beginning of February, entering a five-year timecharter to Nynas. ”Our long experience in the business paired with our vision to be a sustainable Swedish partner over generations, gives us a good basis for continual improvement and innovative design, providing our customers with sustainable and smart solutions,” says Johan Källsson, managing director of parent company Erik Thun.

The 7,999-dwt, Ice Class 1A tankers feature adaptive propulsion to minimise fuel consumption, shore power connections and UPS battery packs, and the latest hull design

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and the newest and most resource efficient machinery. www.thuntankers.com BGN BIG IN LPG

BGN, a Dubai-based energy trading firm, has confirmed an order for two VLGCs for construction by Hyundai HI by 2027. The new ships will support BGN’s LPG trading platform and will also be used to carry ammonia.

“BGN is making long-term commitments by investing in new ships to support its growing energy trading business and to help improve the emissions performance of the vessels it uses to move commodities,” the company states. Its traders also use the spot market and time charters to move energy to wherever it is needed.

News of the new contract arrived only a week after BGN added two dual-fuel VLGCs to its fleet. The new ships, built by Hyundai Samho, are part of a long-term partnership with Pertamina International Shipping. The two newbuildings, Pertamina Gas Bergenia and Pertamina Gas Tulip, are the first of six VLGCs due for delivery this year as Pertamina aims to strengthen its position in the LPG transport sector following its collaboration with BGN. “The presence of these two VLGC ships will undoubtedly enhance the capability of the Pertamina Group in securing energy supplies to support national energy resilience. Their cutting-edge technology is evidence of Pertamina Group’s commitment to sustainable business,” says Pertamina’s president director Nicke Widyawati.

“We are delighted to see these two modern, efficient ships hit the water, thanks to our collaborative partnership with Pertamina International Shipping,” adds Ruya Bayegan, Group CEO of BGN. “We are pleased to be able to help strengthen the energy security of Indonesia at the same time as supporting BGN’s global energy and commodities trading platform with these maritime assets.”

It is not just LPG tankers that interest Pertamina International Shipping; last month the company signed a contract with Hyundai Mipo for the construction of up to 15 medium

range tankers as part of its long-term plan to support national energy resilience and international expansion; of the 15 ships ordered, ten will be optimised for international operations through the subsidiary PIS Asia Pacific.

“This is an effort in business development and seizing new opportunities in the market.

Some similar ships deployed in Singapore have successfully been utilised for the international third-party market,” says CEI Yoki Firnandi. bgn-int.com pertamina-pis.com PURUS GOES FOR THREE

Purus has added a third vessel to its existing two-ship order for 98,000-m3 very large ethane carriers (VLECs) at Hyundai HI, having arranged a long-term timecharter to begin on delivery in 2027. The three new VLECs will feature dual-fuel ethane engines and optimised handling systems to lower CO2 and SOx emissions, along with other energy saving devices.

Purus currently has three modern 40,000-m3 LPG carriers in the water with four 45,000-m3 units on order at Hyundai Mipo for 2025/26 delivery. www.purus.com

FIRM QUARTER FOR DORIAN

Dorian LPG has reported revenues of $163.1m for its third fiscal quarter to end December 2023. That represents an increase of 58 per cent over the same period a year earlier; operating income almost doubled to hit $110.3m and net income was up 95 per cent at $100.0m.

US LPG exports totalled almost 5.5m tonnes in fourth quarter 2023, up by some 0.9m tonnes compared the fourth quarter 2022. Production growth and high inventory levels of propane and butane helped sustain seaborne exports, particularly from the US Gulf, despite subdued demand from China in view of “challenging” petrochemical economics.

“We are reporting strong financial results, reflecting an extremely favourable market and great teamwork,” says John C Hadjipateras, chairman, president and CEO. “We placed an order to build a new VLGC/AC as we believe in the long-term fundamentals in the LPG market and the potential for ammonia transportation.

With the geopolitical environment remaining very challenging, as highlighted by recent hostilities in the Red Sea, we are particularly mindful of the safety of our seafarers.” www.dorianlpg.com

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normally held every three years but, due to Covid restrictions, had not taken place since it was held in Tokyo in 2018.

It may well be that the European Commission’s plans for the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, due to replace the existing Directive on the same topic later this year, will now not have the impact that was foreseen less than six months ago, as the European Parliament has inserted a specific exemption for packagings approved for the transport of dangerous goods, but there is still time for that to change. In any case, it seems illustrative of an increasingly prescriptive world in which packaging manufacturers and users will have to work.

HCB READERS LOOKING for examples of a circular economy in action do not have to search far: the industrial packaging sector has been operating on just such a model for decades. There is an increasing collaboration between manufacturers and reconditioners, with the latter doing much of the work to keep the cycle moving from production and sales to

and, for dangerous goods use, approvals.

That model has come under threat lately, largely from regulators in Europe and the US who perhaps are ignorant of the work that the sector does to keep waste to a minimum. It was this as much as anything that drew a large crowd to Ghent, Belgium this past September for the International Industrial

BE RESPONSIBLE There is, for instance, the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), now enshrined in environmental policies in Europe, that makes the producer (or importer into the EU) responsible for the entire lifecycle of their product. Xavier Lhoir, director of operations and circularity at Valipac, explained that this aims to encourage product design that optimises recyclability and collection systems for used products, and sets annual recycling and/or recovery targets. The EPR concept is now common across Europe – and will be mandatory in the EU before the end of this year – but less so elsewhere in the world, Lhoir said.

Valipac acts as a manager of the Belgian EPR scheme for industrial packaging. A parallel organisation, Fostplus, covers consumer packaging. Between them they oversee the handling of more than 1.5m tonnes of one-way packaging per year; industrial packaging accounts for some 780,000 tonnes, of which 92 per cent is recycled. There is a cost, of course, which averages €10.60/tonne – this pays for the sorting of waste packagings and the development of suitable recycling

use, collection, return and reconditioning, remanufacture or repair. Used industrial packagings have a value and all parties in the business – producers, users and reconditioners – are aware of that and eager to maximise the lifetime of packagings, while ensuring they meet the expected standards

Packaging Conference (IIPC), organised by the International Confederation of Container Reconditioners (ICCR) in collaboration with the International Confederation of Drum Manufacturers (ICDM). As HCB reported in the past three issues, delegates came from all corners of the world to the event, which is

programmes within Belgium’s national boundaries. It is not the aim of the programme to encourage the export of waste.

In addition, 3.4m tonnes of reusable industrial packaging was placed on the market in Belgium in 2022; this is equivalent to 81 per cent of all industrial packaging. This

KEEP YOUR BUSINESS CLEAN CONFERENCE REPORT • RECONDITIONERS HAVE BEEN PART OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR DECADES BUT, AS ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION DEVELOPS, THEY MAY HAVE TO WORK HARDER

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indicates that the industrial packaging sector at least is well placed to meet forthcoming EU legislation on the minimum level of reusable material. That does not mean that there are not challenges as well – there will need to be a mechanism to assess the conformity of all packaging in terms of its recycled content, reusability and/or recyclability; there may be a need for additional locations for the collection of used packagings and of reconditioning facilities to handle the additional volumes of packagings; and there will, as ever, be an additional data reporting requirement.

FULL OF FIBRE Not all industrial packagings are equally recyclable and the case for fibre drums was put

by Robert Lee of Ireland’s Industrial Packaging Ltd and president of the European Association of Fibre Drum Manufacturers (SEFFI), with the assistance of Lacy Winchell of Greif, a board member of the International Fiber Board Institute (IFDI), and Phil Pease, who provides the secretariat for SEFFI. Worldwide, fibre drums have a limited recyclability compared to other industrial packagings, Lee said, but they are also subject to the broad effort to enhance reusability and reuse.

The main problem with fibre drums is the range of different materials they contain – though all of these are fully recyclable. The body is Kraftliner, which includes 30 per cent recycled material, with steel chimes; the lid and base may be Kraftliner, plastics, steel or wood; the lever clamp will be steel or plastics; and there are a range of liners, coatings and other components that may be included. All these have to be separated before the drum can be recycled.

Ultimately, though – and as with all industrial packagings – it is up to the end user of the product to determine what happens to a fibre drum once it has fulfilled its mission of containing a substance safely from producer or distributor to the user. While fibre drums can be reconditioned, reused or recycled, careless end users may just send them for incineration or landfill. Does this mean that a deposit return scheme (DRS) would be appropriate? Industry may have to decide on its position.

The other end of the sustainability issue as regards industrial packaging is the use of recycled material in the construction of such packagings. The current position was reviewed by Keith White, former head of dangerous goods at the UK Vehicle

Certification Agency (VCA), which also acts as the national packaging certification body.

White remarked that much of the regulatory text concerning packagings for dangerous goods was developed in the 1960s and reflects what was happening at the time. Those who were involved in putting that text together are no longer around and the people who are now managing the regulations may not be fully aware of why the rules say what they do.

Similarly, times have moved on and growing environmental awareness has led to questions about using recycled material in dangerous goods packagings. White’s opinion was that there is no bar to the use of recycled material in metal drums and jerrycans or fibreboard boxes; indeed, it seems to be taken as read that the proportion of recycled paper in Kraft paper is on the increase. There are, though, specific restrictions on the use of recycled plastics materials in plastics drums and jerricans and plastics and composite intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), described in 1.2.1 of the UN Model Regulations and RID/ ADR; flexible IBCs are not allowed to contain material recovered from used containers, though that does not prevent the use of recycled polymer in the production of the thread used to make new fabric.

In response to EU sustainability targets, the UK has now formulated a policy to advance the experience in the use of recycled plastics materials other than those allowed by 1.2.1. It has drawn up a short list of rules for polymer suppliers and a requirement for packaging manufacturers to record the proportion of each polymer used. The UK view this approach as falling under the provisions of 6.1.1.2 of the UN Model Regulations, which allows for different specifications of packagings based on progress in science and technology. As all this is new, the UK has taken a precautionary approach, White said, with a two-year limit on the life of these packagings.

White suggested that, rather than change the text of 1.2.1 to permit wider use of recyclate, industry should get involved with the revision of the ISO 16103 standard, originally developed to support the UN testing regime, to reflect the wider use of recycled material. It may be easier to get a change made here as there is a lack of expertise

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EMPTY MEANS EMPTY? Returning used industrial packagings involves, to some degree, returning product heel. Paul Rankin, president of the Reusable Industrial

residue but some EU member states have adopted the interpretation of ‘empty’ as meaning that less than 5 per cent by volume of the original contents remain.

In Canada, the general rule is that a drum must be “thoroughly emptied” by the emptier, using the most effective method. This does not apply to companies that hold an equivalency certificate, when a container is ‘empty’ if it retains less than 10 per cent by volume for drums or 1 per cent for IBCs. In Japan, the standard JIS Z 1641 allows “about 3 litres” of dangerous goods residue in a steel drum, but the Japan Drum Reconditioners Association (JDRA) has adopted its own, much

viscous materials, which equates to no more than 2.5 cm at the bottom of a drum.

ICCR has its own International Code of Operating Practice for reconditioners which states on this topic: No drum or IBC may be accepted that is not empty, unless the firm holds appropriate management permits.

“Empty” means all the residue that can be removed by the emptier has been removed using practices commonly employed to remove such material (e.g., pumping, pouring, scraping, etc.)

Ultimately, though, there is no internationally accepted definition for ‘empty’.

“The world needs one!” Rankin said, volunteering ICCR to lead the way. After all, ICCR is the only body that addresses packaging reconditioning around the world, it is widely respected and has a history of success in international work. Rankin imagined a future in which the UN Subcommittee of Experts adopts uniform definitions for reconditioning, remanufacturing, new container markings, reconditioned container markings, and record keeping. ICCR could then adopt a new International Code of Operating Practice.

What benefit would all this provide? Rankin said a common definition of ‘empty’ would limit the amount of residue in packagings, which reconditioners have to deal with; it would motivate governments to focus on the role of emptiers; and it would encourage governments to no longer define empty packagings as waste.

In the meantime, Rankin recommended that industry take a common, global approach to empty residue container management. This should include a written acceptance policy describing the amount of residue that is acceptable in accordance with national rules and customs; a contractual understanding that emptiers that send reconditioners packagings that fail to meet these limits will have those packagings returned to them at

Packaging Association (RIPA), looked at how regulators around the world approach the issue, which is a major problem for reconditioners worldwide.

In EU countries, ‘empty uncleaned’ containers are generally regarded as waste.

There is no common scheme for managing

more restrictive standard. This requires emptiers to drain drums so that there is no more than 0.5 per cent residue.

In the US, container emptiers must only ensure that their drums and IBCs are as empty as possible, using practices commonly employed; there is a more specific limit for

their expense; and creation of an internationally consistent ‘empty container certificate’ to be signed by the emptier and to accompany each load.

The next edition of IIPC is scheduled to take place in the US in 2026; further information will no doubt be made available closer to the time.

within the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, White said.

Work on a new draft standard is lose to being registered as a work item and, once it is under way, it is likely to be two to three years before the final standard is ready and can be proposed for inclusion in the UN Model Regulations (which suggests that it could be as much as seven years before it makes its way into the modal rulebooks).

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING 47

NEWS BULLETIN

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING

MAUSER HIGHLIGHTS THE EMPTIES

Mauser Packaging Solutions has issued a new video to explain what ‘RCRA empty’ means, in view of recent moves by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to tighten the dangerous goods packaging reconditioning sector. The video explains what ‘empty’ means in this instance and how empty packagings should be labelled, closed and stacked for transport back to a reconditioning facility, in compliance with Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements.

“Responsible container management benefits everyone,” Mauser says. “By following the guidelines covered in this video, you are helping to ensure the safety of your employees and ours, protecting the environment from spills and accidents, and getting the most product out of your packaging – not wasting a dime.”

The video can be viewed on Vimeo at https:// vimeo.com/876498449.

In other news, Mauser’s wholly owned subsidiary BWAY Corp has agreed to acquire Taenza SA de CV, a manufacturer of tin-steel aerosol cans and pails, based in Mexico City with five plants in the country. Mauser expects the transaction to close by April 2024, subject to regulatory clearances. The total price of the transaction is put at $99m.

Acquiring Taenza is expected to provide growth opportunities in the Mexican paint and specialties market, give Mauser additional manufacturing locations and capabilities, and offer opportunities for incremental synergies. mauserpackaging.com LABELMASTER BOOSTS PACKAGING

Labelmaster has hired John Glaser to head up its dangerous goods packaging operations. In this role, Glaser will drive the development of next-generation packaging and establish partnerships with leading packaging providers to enable Labelmaster to offer the industry the widest range of dangerous goods packaging Glaser and the Labelmaster team will help businesses understand global dangerous goods shipping regulations, select optimal packaging

for their operations, and establish effective compliance processes throughout their supply chains to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of goods.

Glaser has more than 20 years of experience in packaging design and innovation and arrives at Labelmaster from Momentive Performance Materials, where he was senior manager, global packaging technology. Prior to that he was manager of packaging engineering at Thermo Fisher Scientific.

“Labelmaster continues to develop innovative packaging and partner with industry leaders in order to best meet the critical and evolving needs of shippers worldwide,” says Alan Schoen, president of Labelmaster. “Adding a proven packaging leader like John will be central to our efforts to expand our DG packaging portfolio and provide the most relevant and practical packaging solutions that directly meet customers’ business needs.”

Since appointing Glaser, Labelmaster has expanded its packaging business by becoming a premier North American distributor for CurTec, a Netherlands-based manufacturer of small plastics packagings. “Labelmaster is committed to addressing the increasingly complex supply chain needs of dangerous goods shippers by providing a wide range of innovative packaging,” says Glaser. “Adding CurTec’s premium line of primary plastic containers to our already robust portfolio of UN-certified packaging solutions allows us to better meet the critical hazmat shipping needs of companies worldwide.”

John Jansen, head of global marketing at CurTec International, adds: “For companies that manufacture or ship high-value products such as UV curable lacquers, coated films, blended liquids, metallic powders or specialty adhesives, a small problem with your packaging can cause a big problem. Partnering with an industry leader like Labelmaster provides greater opportunity to provide shippers with CurTec products, which are uniquely designed to protect against moisture, dust and leaks, and

ensure safe and secure shipping.” www.labelmaster.com GREIF TRIES THE NEW

Greif has established a partnership with IonKraft in a pilot project to apply IonKraft’s plasma-based barrier technology to plastics jerrycans. Industrial plastics packaging is highly recyclable but certain applications that require barrier solutions can make recycling more challenging. IonKraft has developed a game-changing coating that uses a plasmaenhanced vapour deposition process. The resulting barrier is non-reactive, chemically inert, and 100 per cent recyclable. Beyond recyclability, the IonKraft barrier technology offers a sustainable alternative to fluorination.

“We are excited to partner with the awardwinning entrepreneurs at IonKraft and explore the potential use of their plasmabased coating technology for the commercial production of jerrycans,” says Ole Rosgaard, president/CEO of Greif. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to providing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions that meet our customers’ most demanding needs.”

IonKraft is a spin-off from the RWTH Aachen University in Germany, where the technology was developed at the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV).

Greif has also launched a customer portal, a cutting-edge digital platform designed to enhance the customer experience and streamline business operations. The portal is so far limited to Greif production sites in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida but will be rolled out to other facilities in North America over the course of this year. Greif says the Customer Portal has been developed in collaboration with its customers, with the aim of making it easier and more efficient for them to do business with Greif. The platform offers a range of features and benefits that will empower customers to optimise their operations, enhance productivity, and simplify processes. www.greif.com

WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

48

THUMBS UP SUSTAINABILITY • BRENNTAG IS PROGRESSING WITH ITS SUSTAINABIITY EFFORTS WHILE INVESTING IN NEW FACILITIES IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA BRENNTAG HAS BEEN awarded the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification ISCC PLUS, making it one of the very first chemical distributors to be globally certified. The certification applies thus far to nine of its 20 warehouses in scope, and allows Brenntag to buy, sell and distribute massbalanced-products directly or through these sites. The scope of the certificate includes the chain of custody options Mass Balance, Physical Segregation and Controlled Blending.

The mass balance approach is a calculation method to track in- and outputs of mass to a system such as a warehouse or process, thereby making sure the chain of custody for the products is secured.

Following the certification of Brenntag’s product carbon footprint data calculation method CO2Xplorer in 2023, Brenntag says the ISCC PLUS certification underscores its dedication to environmentally responsible and sustainable business practices. Mass balancing enables faster reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by facilitating the allocation of green or circular feedstock to conventional products, which can be directly used without reformulation and are directly applicable within the same technical infrastructure, enabling a seamless transition to more sustainable value chains.

“By continuously exploring opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions and promoting circular product solutions, we can now expand our portfolio with products with verified, tracked, bio-based, and recycled raw material content,” says Wolfgang Edel, director of business development sustainability at Brenntag Essentials. “Brenntag is now on the best path to becoming a full decarbonisation

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

solution provider for the industry.

“The newly gained ISCC PLUS certification unlocks access to a new group of sustainable products, which strongly enhances our capability to cut CO2e emissions and promote circular solutions,” Edel continues. “In conjunction with our CO2Xplorer, we can make greenhouse gas emissions visible and offer a credible basket of alternatives to conventional products, assisting our customers to achieve their sustainability goals.”

GOOD MIXING VIETNAM In other news, Brenntag has opened a new mixing and blending facility in Dong Nai province, Vietnam. Brenntag says the cutting-edge facility “represents a significant investment in advancing Brenntag’s capabilities and delivering high-quality products and services to meet the growing demands of its customers”. The site is located close to Brenntag Vietnam’s last mile operations, a regional tollgate with more than 2,000 m3 of bulk storage and a jetty catering to

vessels of up to 50,000 dwt.

“Brenntag Essentials brings our ‘triple‘ business model to life with the new mixing and blending operation in Vietnam, by delivering local operational and service excellence in our last mile operations, optimising and upgrading our Vietnam site network and strengthening regional tollgate capacities, and global sourcing and interregional optimization by connecting the Vietnam facility to Brenntag Essentials’ global supply chain network,” says Ewout van Jarwaade, CEO of Brenntag Essentials.

The blending facility currently handles solvent-based solutions but, according to Chan Huan Yong, president of Brenntag Essentials Asia Pacific, it will be extended to offer water-based solutions by the end of this year.

Elsewhere, Brenntag Essentials has extended its exclusive distribution agreement with Kronos for titanium dioxide pigments in the EMEA region. Kronos’ purified TiO2 pigments, which comply with EU safety legislation, are used in a wide range of applications; the arrangement with Brenntag covers end customers in the life science sector, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

“The partnership with Kronos perfectly complements our broad and reliable portfolio of excipients trusted by our customers,” says Joakim Rehné, regional president of Brenntag Specialties Pharma EMEA. “In this way, we not only meet global standards in quality and functionality, but also ensure security of supply and first-class expertise for our customers in the pharmaceutical industry.” corporate.brenntag.com

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION 49

CALL THE DOCTOR RESPONSIBLE CARE • CBA IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ITS GROWING MEMBERSHIP TO EXPAND THE RANGE OF SERVICES IT OFFERS, APPOINTING A NEW LEAD FOR ITS RESPONSIBLE CARE PROGRAMME THE CHEMICAL BUSINESS Association (CBA), which represents the UK’s chemical supply chain, has expanded its service to members by appointing Edward Platt as Responsible Care Lead. In the newly developed role, Platt will initially work closely with senior Association staff to fully immerse himself in everything to do with the programme, alongside familiarising himself with members, the Association’s onboarding process and the various initiatives championed by CBA. Platt will be tasked with developing a strategic plan for the future of the Responsible Care Programme, with member benefit being the focus of the work. Platt joins the CBA team following the recent completion of a PhD at the University of Sheffield, which focused on the development of alternate methods for early-stage sustainability assessment of new technologies within prospective supply chains.

The Association is experiencing unprecedented growth in membership, in part thanks to the significant innovation and development of the services it delivers. With member numbers reaching an all-time high, CBA is introducing new ways to further support and champion membership.

efforts of our staff are continuing to result in increased membership, which in turn is allowing us to offer a greater number of services. Whilst the Responsible Care Programme has been a part of our DNA for many years, we felt it was the right time to appoint a dedicated person to further build on the services we provide in this area, particularly when it comes to sustainability.

“Ed will bring a fresh perspective to the team.

His unique background and experience exploring supply chain sustainability will be

invaluable to our future plans and I am delighted to welcome him to the CBA,” Doggett adds.

“I am very much looking forward to beginning a new exciting career journey with the CBA and I am very excited to be developing and contributing to the valuable industry-wide sustainability initiatives the Association will be developing as part of the Responsible Care Programme,” says Platt.

CBA will continue to build on the vital role it plays as ‘the voice of the UK chemical supply chain’, supporting members and industry with representation, training, guidance, compliance, regulation, sustainability and more.

CBA has been measuring its members’ performance against Responsible Care since 1993 and, each year, publishes an Indices of Performance Bulletin to provide its members, their employees, local communities, regulators and other stakeholders with a benchmark against which to measure year-on-year performance. It also recognises the achievements of member companies with its Responsible Care Awards, announced during its Annual ‘floggers’ Lunch in London. www.chemical.org.uk

IN THE DNA Commenting on the appointment, Tim Doggett, CEO of CBA, says: “The amazing

 TIM DOGGETT (LEFT), CEO OF CBA, AND NEWLY APPOINTED RESPONSIBLE CARE LEAD EDWARD PLATT

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50

NEWS BULLETIN

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION

KRAHN HEADS SOUTH AND EAST

Krahn Chemie has taken an ownership stake in Specialities srl, an Italy-based distributor of specialty chemicals for the home care, personal care, industrial and institutional cleaning markets that distributes its own product portfolio all over Europe. Specialities is also the exclusive distributor of surfactants for Nouryon in Italy and has its own application laboratory for the development of innovative formulation concepts and a production facility for the manufacturing of high-quality raw materials for the cleaning markets.

“Specialities and Krahn ideally complement each other, both in terms of product range and distribution rights,” says Dr Rolf Kuropka, CEO of Krahn Chemie group. “With this investment, Krahn is strengthening its commitment in a promising growth market and further expanding its existing activities. With Krahn Italia, we have established trusted access to the market and, together with Specialities, we can provide our customers even more

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

comprehensive support and strategically develop both companies.”

Krahn Chemie has also established a new subsidiary, based in Vienna, to strengthen its presence in central and eastern Europe. “We are creating a new regional hub that bundles activities in the CEE region and strengthens sales,” says Thorben Liebrecht, managing director of the new subsidiary. “The Central and Eastern European region – excluding Poland, where Krahn Chemie Polska is active – was previously covered by sales offices at the locations of sister company Albis in Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary with six employees. The business in Austria was managed from Germany. The new Krahn company, with optimised logistics and additional sales resources, will offer a more efficient service for producers and customers in the region.”

“The CEE region offers a lot of potential and we are looking forward to gaining new customers as well as additional distribution

rights. It is a complex task to build up a new unit and I am very happy to have found a highly motivated and visionary managing director within our own organization in Thorben Liebrecht,” emphasises Dr Kuropka.

Liebrecht was previously Head of Plastics, Adhesives & Sealants at Krahn Chemie Deutschland. “This challenge is a great opportunity, as the region will grow considerably in the coming years,” he says. “My goal is for Krahn to actively shape this development, and I will do my best to drive the business forward and open up further markets.” www.krahn.eu SAFIC-ALCAN IN SLOVENIA

Safic-Alcan has opened a new subsidiary office in Bratislava, Slovakia, expanding its presence in central Europe, particularly to serve customers for its plastics and rubber products.

Kamil Antos, who already oversees other subsidiaries in the region, has been appointed as managing director of the new unit.

“I am grateful to the Safic-Alcan Group for entrusting me with this significant responsibility,” Antos says. “I am committed to ensuring the highest standards of service and fostering a thriving business environment.”

Safic-Alcan has also expanded its partnership with Clariant, becoming distribution partner for Clariant’s range of cosmetic ingredients for the personal care market in the UK and Ireland.

The range of functional ingredients includes emollients, emulsifiers, rheology modifiers, pearlisers, preservatives and mild surfactants.

“We are excited to partner with Safic-Alcan to increase our presence in UK and Ireland in the cosmetic segment. Safic-Alcan and Clariant share a common commitment to deliver sustainable and innovative solutions to customers,” says Kelly Shenton, senior regional account manager for Clariant. “Safic-Alcan’s team has excellent technical expertise and

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION 51

formulation creativity, combined with deep customer knowledge. We look forward to developing this synergy further through this new partnership.” www.safic-alcan.com NORDMANN BUYS IN ITALY

Nordmann has acquired SD Chemicals (right), an Italian distributor of raw materials for the cosmetics industry with annual sales of around €20m. This strategic move reflects Nordmann’s commitment to sustainable growth, diversification and creating more value for its customers and partners, the company says.

“We are delighted to welcome SD Chemicals to the Nordmann Group,” says Dr Gerd Bergmann, chairman of the managing board of Nordmann. “This strategic move is in line with our growth strategy and underlines our commitment to expand our presence in the market. The addition of SD Chemicals’ expertise and product portfolio will further strengthen Nordmann’s ability to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Dr Raffaele Cece, managing director and founder of SD Chemicals, adds: “Joining forces with Nordmann is an exciting chapter for SD Chemicals. We believe that the shared values and commitment to excellence make this collaboration a win-win for all stakeholders.

The opportunity to contribute to Nordmann’s growth strategy while maintaining our focus on serving the Italian market is a significant milestone for SD Chemicals.”

Nordmann has extended its partnership with Lubrizol, now distributing its specialty chemical portfolio for personal care applications in Germany. “This expansion of our partnership is an important step towards offering our customers even more customised solutions and outstanding service,” says Dr Ulla Seidel, global sales director, life sciences, at Nordmann. “We are convinced that this joint initiative will further strengthen the position of Lubrizol and Nordmann as a leading supplier in the personal care industry.”

Nordmann has also picked up another principal in the shape of Barcelona-based

Condensia, a manufacturer of specialty esters, polyesters and polyester-polyols. Nordmann will be handling the distribution of Condensia’s portfolio for the rubber, adhesives and plastics industries across much of the European continent.

“We’re optimistic that this partnership will create sustainable added value for everyone involved,” says Marco Ara, CEO of Condensia.

“We not only prioritise progress and expansion at Condensia, but we’re also committed to sustainability and living out core values such as respect, integrity and trust in our team. You’ll find that in the heart of everything we do, and that also aligns very well with Nordmann’s way of doing business.” www.nordmann.global TLC FOR SHRIEVE

Shrieve Chemical has acquired TLC Ingredients, a distributor of food ingredients, industrial chemicals and phenolic resins based in Crest Hill, Illinois. The acquisition expands Shrieve’s presence in the Midwest and enhances the company’s ability to serve the

attractive – and growing – food ingredients end-market. Additionally, it positions Shrieve strategically to leverage its existing product lines to serve TLC’s high-growth specialty industrial customers, who have relied on TLC as a trusted supplier of Durez phenolic resins for more than two decades.

“I am thrilled to welcome TLC Ingredients to the Shrieve Chemical family,” says George Fuller, CEO of Shrieve. “This acquisition underscores our commitment to excellence and focus on long-term growth as we look to thoughtfully increase our presence and the value-added services we can provide across the country. The TLC team has built an exceptional business with an industry-leading distribution facility, long-standing supplier relationships, and a broad product offering that serves several attractive global endmarkets. TLC’s expertise, innovative approach, and customer focus aligns very well with our broader strategic vision. Together, we look forward to delivering enhanced value to our customers and supplier partners.” shrieve.com

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52 CONFERENCES

CONFERENCE DIARY FEBRUARY

MARCH

WPC 2024

Hydrogen Safety & Hazardous Areas

PPC Spring Meeting

39th World Petrochemical Conference

MARCH 18-22, HOUSTON FEBRUARY 21-22, BRISBANE

MARCH 3-5, TAMPA

wpc.ihsmarkit.com/index.html?/summary

Conference on best practice, technologies and equipment in hazardous areas

Bi-annual meeting and tradeshow of the Petroleum Packaging Council

ACD Regulatory and RD Workshops

https://events.idc-online.com/upcoming-

www.ppcouncil.org/upcoming-meetings.php

MARCH 19-21, ARLINGTON, VA

conference-brisbane-2024

Intermodal South America

Meeting on compliance issues for North American chemical distributors

MARCH 5-7, SÃO PAULO

www.acd-chem.com/education-meetings/

Internationale Gefahrgut-Tage Hamburg 2024

28th annual international exhibition on intermodal logistics, cargo transport and international trade

meetings/2024-spring-regulatory-and-

www.intermodal.com.br/en

International Transport & Logistics Week

conferences/hydrogen-safety-hazardous-areas-

FEBRUARY 26-27, HAMBURG

39th annual conference on dangerous goods transport (German language) www.ecomed-storck.de/Veranstaltungen/

responsible-distribution-workshops/

(SITL)

Internationale-Gefahrgut-Tage-Hamburg-2024-

AFPM Annual Meeting

MARCH 19-21, PARIS

Veranstaltung-Hamburg-26-27-02-2024.html

MARCH 10-12, GRAPEVINE, TX

Tanks and Terminals 2024

AFPM’s annual meeting for refiners and marketers

Annual transport event, including hybrid and in-person conferences and workshops

FEBRUARY 26-28, DUBAI

www.afpm.org/events/AnnualMeeting2024

Fourth annual conference and workshop on integrity management of aboveground storage tanks

IATA World Cargo Symposium

MARCH 21, COVENTRY

MARCH 12-14, HONG KONG

www.marcusevans.com/conferences/

Annual global conference on air cargo

tanksandterminals

www.iata.org/en/events/wcs/

Annual AGM and seminar of the British Association of Dangerous Goods Professionals

International Energy Week

LogiChem

www.sitl.eu/en-gb.html BADGP

www.badgp.org/ FEBRUARY 27-29, LONDON

MARCH 12-14, ROTTERDAM

Annual week of meetings, conferences and seminars (formerly ‘IP Week’)

Chemical supply chain and logistics conference

www.ieweek.co.uk

http://logichem.wbresearch.com/

Battery Recycling Europe

StocExpo 2024

AFPM IPC MARCH 24-26, SAN ANTONIO

AFPM’s annual International Petrochemical Conference www.afpm.org/events/IPC24

FEBRUARY 28-29, LONDON

MARCH 12-14, ROTTERDAM

APRIL

Fourth annual conference for the battery recycling and manufacturing sectors

The main annual exhibition and conference for the European tank terminal industry

Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Energy Summit

www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/battery-recycling-

www.stocexpo.com/en/

APRIL 3-4, VALENCIA

Dangerous Goods Operations & Hazardous Hazardex 2024

Substances ANZ

7th annual conference to discuss innovations in hydrogen and fuel cell technology, production and transport

FEBRUARY 28-29, HARROGATE

MARCH 13-15, MELBOURNE

www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/hydrogen-fuel-cells-

Conference and exhibition on hazardous area operations and personal protective technology

Ninth annual conference on chemical safety and dangerous goods compliance

energy-summit/

www.hazardex-event.co.uk/Hazardex-live.aspx

www.marcusevans.com/conferences/dangerous-

europe/

goods

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2018

APRIL 21-26

2024

COSTHA 2024 ANNUAL FORUM & EXPO

ANNUAL FORUM & EXPO ONSITE EVENT: LUMINARY HOTEL . FORT MYERS, FL

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. . . TRAINING TOPICS . . .

Multimodal Transportation of Lithium Batteries Hazardous Materials / Dangerous Goods Classification Advanced Air DG Multimodal Transport of Radioactive Materials 49 CFR Recurrent China Regulations Non-Bulk Packaging HAZWOPER 8-Hour Refresher Mexican NOMs (Includes Differences in 49 CFR)

. . . INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLES . . .

North American Automotive HazMat Action Committee (NAAHAC) Air Carrier Roundtable (ACRT) International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA) Enhancing the Image of the HazMat / DG Professional DG Supply Chain Logistics Panel China Working Group Life Sciences Roundtable

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54

INCIDENT LOG ROAD/RAIL/AIR INCIDENTS Date

Location

Vehicle Type

Substance

Details

Source

1/1/24

Krishnagiri, road tanker Tamil Nadu, India

surgical spirit

Driver lost control of tanker on hilly stretch of Chennai-Bengaluru highway, hit median and overturned; fire broke out, trapping driver, who later died of burn injuries; road closed for three hours

Times of India

2/1/24

Russell township, road tanker hazmat Ohio, US

Tank truck carrying unidentified Class 9 hazmat crashed, overturned, bringing down power lines in small township; driver suffered injuries; spill of diesel fuel from truck and several gallons of hazardous materials

News- Herald

2/1/24

Caddo Parish, road tanker acid Louisiana, US

Tank truck overturned on LA 169 at I-49 junction, spilling some acid cargo (not specified) to road; no injuries reported but area was closed to traffic for two days during cleanup

KSLA

3/1/24

Ludhiana, road tanker oil Punjab, India

Road tanker with unspecified oil cargo overturned after hitting median on flyover in Khana district; burning oil spilled across road; two crew were not seriously hurt; cause of accident not yet known

India Today

8/1/24

Seme, road tanker diesel Benin

Road tanker with 25,000 litres diesel exploded as it was discharging to tank near border crossing between Benin and Nigeria; fire crews arrived from Badagry to deal with blaze, cause of which is unknown

Vanguard

8/1/24

Hasbrouck Heights, road tanker gasoline New Jersey, US

Tank truck with gasoline collided with another vehicle, overturned on Route 17, exploded; fire spread to nearby building and other vehicles; both drivers injured; both lanes of road closed for several hours

CBS

Truck carrying tank container with lye ran off road on curve, hit tree, overturned; driver was trapped, died; cargo and other fluids spilled from wreck; remaining cargo was offloaded; police investigating

Police Weekly

11/1/24 Sadiqabad, road tanker gasoline Punjab, Pakistan

Road tanker overturned, spilling entire load of 10,000 litres of gasoline; driver and helper both injured; crane was called in to remove wreck from road after fire crews has made site safe

Urdu Point

24/1/24 Ulaanbaatar, road tanker LNG Mongolia

Tanker with 60 tonnes LNG (LPG?) collided with car at intersection, causing explosion that killed three; three responders also died; incident was close to shopping centre, apartment building, school

AP

27/1/24 Macedonia, road tanker diesel Ohio, US

Tank truck with 7,500 gal (28.4 m3) diesel crashed on ramp from SR 8 to I-271, went over side of bridge; driver killed; spilling fuel ignited, with nearby creek on fire; all roads closed pending investigation

CNN

28/1/24 Sarojini Nagar, road tanker ethanol Delhi, India

Road tanker overturned on Lucknow-Kanpur highway after hitting pothole; half of 30,000 litres ethanol cargo spilled to nearby homes; residents evacuated, power switched off; road closed for five hours

Hindustan Times

29/1/24 Joinville, road tanker Sta Catarina, Brazil

sulfonic acid

Road tanker overturned after traffic accident, spilling cargo of sulfonic acid to Cubatão River, which supplies water to city of Joinville; water treatment plant closed; thick foam blanketed river

EFE

29/1/24 Weingarten, truck Missouri, US

phosphorus trichloride

Semitrailer overturned in single-vehicle accident on Highway C in rural area of Ste Genevieve county; nearby residents evacuated while responders removed toxic load; driver suffered minor injuries

St Louis Post-Disp

30/1/24 Ohaji/Egbema, road tanker crude oil Imo, Nigeria

More than 30 people thought to have died after tanker exploded in forest area; thought that the tanker was being used to collect oil from an illegal pipeline tap, though locals said they heard gunfire before explosion

Vanguard

1/2/24

Fully loaded LPG hit divider on Jalna Road, damaging tank and causing leak of gas; road closed, power supply to nearby businesses cut off to avoid ignition; gas allowed to vent under water spray

Times of India

10/1/24 Rakovník, tank container C Bohemia, Czechia

sodium hydroxide

Aurangabad, road tanker LPG Maharashtra, India

MARINE/INLAND WATERWAY INCIDENTS Date

Details

Source

21/12/23 Yangtze River, New Bright ̶ China

Product tanker (12,900 dwt, 2008), in ballast, suffered explosion, fire in way of cargo tanks en route Incheon from Changzhou, close to Sutong Bridge, Shanghai; all crew rescued; tanker beached to avoid sinking

FleetMon

25/12/23 off Dutch Harbor, Alaska, US

General cargoship suffered fire in hold with 800 t lithium ion batteries from Vietnam, en route San Diego; CO2 system extinguished fire but it had spread to second hold; vessel ordered to wait offshore till safe

AP

Cargo barge with 1,000 t fertiliser hit bridge pillar at Baska Palanka-Ilok border crossing between Serbia and Croatia; river traffic was closed; barge took on water, sank in river

Telegraf

20/1/24 Houston, barge naphtha Texas, US

Barge allision at Magellan terminal in upper Houston Ship Channel caused spill of some 50 bbl naphtha; leak was partially contained

NOAA

27/1/24 Gulf of Aden

Tanker (110,000 dwt, 2018), with cargo of Russian naphtha, was hit by missile launched by Houthi rebels; fire broke out in cargo hold but was extinguished by crew after several hours; no injuries onboard

AP

1/1/24

Location

Vessel

Genius Star XI

Substance

lithium batteries

River Danube, Antonia fertiliser Serbia

Marlin Luanda

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

naphtha

INCIDENT LOG 55

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS Date

Location

Details

Source

16/12/23 Isfahan, oil refinery crude oil Iran

Fire broke out on inlet pipework of distillation unit at refinery, cause unclear; site and provincial fire crews fought blaze; four people injured, including two firefighters; some reports said repairs were underway

Sputnik

17/12/23 Nagpur, explosives Maharashtra, India factory

Nine workers were killed in explosion at explosives manufacturing plant in Chakdoh district, during sealing of coal mining explosives; presence of other explosives made response hazardous, caused road to be closed

NDTV

18/12/23 Conakry, fuel depot fuel Guinea

At least 18 people killed, more than 200 injured by explosion, fire at Guinea’s main oil depot; buildings within 1 km of blast were damaged; locals evacuated, nearby businesses closed; investigation underway

AFP

29/12/23 Bridgeport, Connecticut, US

waste oxidiser processor

Major explosion at Tradebe Environmental plant occurred when driver delivering 4,000 gal ‘low-grade’ oxidiser opened valve; several further explosions; state officials investigating; no injuries reported

CTPost

8/1/24

waste oil engine oil processor

One person killed, five houses destroyed by explosion at illegal plant in residential area; site is used to store vehicle parts, refine used engine oil; fire gutted trailer with drums of oil, killed driver

Indep’t

22/1/24 Baghdad, weapons depot unknown Iraq

Fire led to powerful explosion at army weapons depot om Yusufiya district; cause of fire not known; no injuries reported; situation was quickly brought under control

Shafaq News

22/1/24 Ust-Luga, oil fuel Leningrad, Russia terminal

Fire, explosions at Novatek’s Baltic oil terminal was reportedly caused by an attack by Ukrainian drones; fuel exports were halted, with several tankers waiting off; other critical facilities placed on high alert

Reuters

29/1/24 Dakshina Kannada, firecracker fireworks Karnataka, India factory

Three people killed, several more injured by explosion at firecracker company store in Belthanagady district; cause of blast yet to be determined; police investigating

Hindustan Times

30/1/24 Chicago, Illinois, US

hydraulic fluid

Several workers at Mauser Packaging Solutions plant in Berwyn needed hospital treatment after being exposed to hydraulic fluid when hose burst; investigation underway

ABC

natural gas

Explosion, fire on ruptured 8-inch gas line in Oklahoma, north of Darrouzett; videos showed flames around 150 metres high; fire contained by the next day

The Oklahoman

Wailari, Kano, Nigeria

Plant type

packaging factory

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mining boosters

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56 BACK PAGE

NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED LITTLE CREATURES There is something of a zoological theme to the Back Page this month. We begin in Colombia where, in late January, a Brazilian woman was detained at Bogota airport after she was found to have 130 poisonous frogs hidden in film canisters among her baggage.

She claimed that she had been given the frogs by a local community as a gift but authorities smelled a rat rather than a frog.

It seems that the frogs in question, harlequin poison frogs (oophaga histrionica), which are listed as critically endangered, can fetch up to $1,000 each from collectors. They are small amphibians, less than 4 cm in length, and live on the forest floor in western Colombia and Panama. Apparently, Colombia is a hotspot for animal trafficking, as a result of its extreme biodiversity, so the authorities are well aware of the measures that traffickers will take.

A DOG’S TALE We all love a happy ending, so here’s another one. Earlier this month US Coast Guard personnel were conducting their daily inspection of the container terminals in Houston when they heard barking coming from a box, four up in stack. Unable to get up there to investigate, they had the container brought down to their level and opened the doors, whereupon a dog jumped out looking very happy.

The dog, who has been named Connie by her rescuers, was in a container along with secondhand cars bound for export. Coast Guard personnel say that, had they not found her, it would very unlikely that she would have survived the voyage. As it was, she ended up flying to Maryland for adoption.

ROLL UP, ROLL UP The last week of January also something of a show going on alongside an interstate in Indiana – indeed, CNN said the scene was “a real circus”, complete with camels, zebras and a miniature horse. The animals were grazing on the side of I-69 after the trailer that had been transporting them caught fire.

In a possibly unique response operation, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and state troopers closed the northbound lanes, managed to corral the animals into makeshift pens, source

EAT THAT Finally, timely news from San Antonio Zoo in Texas, which this year revived its ‘Cry me a Cockroach’ fundraiser. The event gives participants the opportunity to name a cockroach – or, indeed, a rat or vegetable – after an ex-partner and be allowed to watch as said cockroach, rat or whatever becomes part of the dinner of one of the zoo’s animals. It costs between $5 and $25 to take part and the zoo was at pains to say that no additional rates are killed for the event (they don’t mention whether they have to kill more cockroaches but we guess that is not an issue). The money raised goes towards the

some hay to keep them fed and occupied while the fire was dealt with, and then help load them back up for the next – and hopefully less eventful – leg of their journey.

Happily, no animals were harmed in bringing you this story.

zoo’s programme to preserve wildlife in Texas.

Donors also get a digital Valentine’s Day card featuring the feeding, which can be shared via social media or sent directly to the ex in question. You could probably do it for your last boss to sack you.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2024

ADVERTISERS INDEX Chemical Express

25

Chemical Watch News and Insight

26

COSTHA

53

Enhesa

39

Fort Vale

IFC, 31

Freight Merchandising Services

17

HP Freightways

29

International Energy Week

19

Klinge Corp

33

Labeline

09, 11, 13, OBC

Sahreej

26

Scivera

55

StocExpo

02, IBC

Dangerous Goods Regulations 2024

2023

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1

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Tel: +44 (0)870 850 50 51

www.labeline.com

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