HCB Magazine May 2022 by Enhesa Product

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UP FRONT 01

EDITOR’S LETTER

I am sure we would all have been hoping that the impact of the

There are signs, though, that the world at large is beginning

Covid-19 pandemic would be easing by now, more than two years

to struggle with higher prices. That is certainly true for end

after the virus emerged. But recent outbreaks in China have again

consumers, hit by a multiple whammy of rising fuel bills, rising

put supply chains into disarray and threatened industrial output

food costs, greater employment uncertainty, and shortages of

and the trade in goods of all kinds. In Europe, at the same time,

all sorts of goods, including some foods (partly as a result of

there is some optimism that things are on the turn, although

the ongoing conflict in Ukraine).

there is a suspicion that this may not be the beginning of the end

Those price rises apply just as much in the business world

but, as Winston Churchill once pointed out, merely the end of the

and, while logistics companies seem to have been able to pass

beginning.

on higher costs thus far, resistance is building. In some cases,

Still, plans are being made to get back to something

operators simply cannot see how those increases can be

approaching normal, with the StocExpo trade show due to open

accommodated – Odin-RVB, the tank storage broker, pointed

its doors in Rotterdam later this month. Other exhibitions and

out at the start of this month that high and volatile prices for

conferences are also going ahead in Europe and North America,

steel are jeopardising new construction projects, at a time

even if we are still unsure about heading out to Shanghai for the

when demand (especially for chemical storage) is high and

Transport Logistic event in June. It is also good to report that the

capacity is tight.

UK Tank Storage Association (TSA), whose Insight magazine once

That is equally true in the maritime sector. As we report

again graces the pages of HCB this month, has kindly invited me

in our overview of the chemical tanker fleets in this month’s

to chair its annual conference once again in Coventry this coming

issue, few new ships are currently being built, due to not only

September. I am keeping my fingers crossed that travel will still

the price of steel but also a lack of availability of building slots

be possible by then and that there has been no recurrence of the

and uncertainty over future environmental standards. That

restrictions that have caused so many cancellations over the past

is despite the clear need for more capacity, with projections

two years.

of fleet utilisation surpassing 90 per cent within the next few

Meanwhile, it is clear from the financial results being reported by companies throughout the international logistics arena that

years. That market tightness may well presage good times for

the disruptions and difficulties they have faced have not had

tanker operators, with higher freight rates to come, but

a negative impact; indeed, for many it has been something

someone is going to have to pay and you can probably guess

of a boom time, especially for those with exposure to bulk

where those additional costs will fall – with you and me.

commodities, where rising prices have helped increase business quite significantly.

Peter Mackay

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UP FRONT 03

CONTENTS VOLUME 43

•

NUMBER 05

UP FRONT

Eyes on the road

Assault on batteries

Letter from the editor

Vopak kicks off a year of change

30 Years Ago

News bulletin – storage terminals

Learning by Training

On Time, In Full

Coming down the pipe What’s in store in Canada, US

Tank Storage Association 08

Table of chemical tanker fleets

Special delivery Sogestran develops its fleet

News bulletin – tanker shipping

STORAGE TERMINALS Green seas Building an ammonia chain

A new start Oiltanking plans transformation Looking forward to StocExpo

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

More changes for ADN Paint the tanks green ITCO focuses on sustainability

Brand awareness OPW survives the pandemic

News bulletin – tanks and logistics

News bulletin – chemical distribution

Conference diary

Incident Log

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

BACK PAGE Not otherwise specified

NEXT MONTH

COURSES & CONFERENCES 41

Annual storage terminal expansion survey Late changes at the RID/ADR/ADN Joint Meeting Focus on sustainability and digitisation

SAFETY 22

TANKS & LOGISTICS

Brightest and best

High water mark

Stick or twist Consolidation time for chemships?

REGULATIONS

TSA INSIGHT The quarterly magazine of the

CHEMICAL TANKERS

TT Club highlights lithium risks

ILTA preview

CW Research Ltd Talbot House Market Street Shrewsbury SY1 1LG

ISSN 2059-5735 www.hcblive.com

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. ©2022 CW Research Ltd. All rights reserved

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30 YEARS AGO A LOOK BACK TO MAY 1992

THE MAY 1992 issue of HCB majored on the gas trades, specifically the deepsea shipping and terminalling of LPG and LNG. While often, when looking back three decades, it is illustrative to see how little has changed, in this case the picture painted back then bears very little resemblance to today’s industry. For a start, a list of LNG terminals in operation was well short of a page in the magazine – if we were to do the same now, it would probably run to three or four pages. The May 1992 issue also carried a lengthy list of worldwide LPG terminals, something that we have been asked for many times since; it is hard to imagine now how that list was generated or how we would go about it, even with the internet, in 2022, so apologies to those who would like to see a repeat. Elsewhere, we reported on the improving conditions in the chemical tanker market, with a nice balance of supply and demand and – for once – little sign of over-enthusiastic contracting that could tip that balance into over-supply, with tight space at shipyards and high prices being commanded. It is sobering to think that, of those ships that were being built at the time, most have by now been scrapped and those that have not – particularly the stainless steel parcel tankers built by Odfjell and Stolt-Nielsen at the time – may have found their way into non-hazardous employment in less particular parts of the world. Regulatory developments were, as ever, much in evidence in the May 1992 edition of HCB, starting with the second part of a report on the UN Sub-committee of Experts’ December 1991 meeting by

HCB MONTHLY MAY 2022

the late ‘HJK’. The experts had been wrestling with improvements to the classification criteria for corrosive substances – a topic that has come back to haunt the Sub-committee on more than one occasion, not least since the invention of GHS. At the time, the discussion on the revision of the Class 8 provisions was based on a text drawn up by Cefic, with the support of Germany, with the aim of improving on the “somewhat meagre” advice given in the Orange Book on the criteria for allocation to packing groups. It included a very straightforward system of criteria, but more work would be needed before it could be included in the UN Recommendations. Also on the agenda at Geneva were two papers from the IMO, which had been looking at the transport of environmentally hazardous substances (including wastes) by sea and had made some changes to the IMDG Code for entry into force in 1993. One amendment involved the assignment of environmentally hazardous substances with no additional hazards to UN 3077 or 3082, which the UN Sub-committee agreed to look at. IMO had also been busy with its own regulations; HJK stretched his remit to report on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Sub-committee’s January 1992 session, which had a lot to catch up on after something of a gap since the previous meeting, while there was also an extensive report of the 32nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, where some significant changes were made to the provisions for the construction of oil tankers in the wake of the Exxon Valdez accident.

UP FRONT 05

LEARNING BY TRAINING by Arend van Campen

ARE YOU GIVING AWAY OIL FOR FREE? A RELIABLE VESSEL experience factor (VEF) is very difficult to determine. Questions such as: where were the last 10 to 20 cargoes loaded? On what basis was the Bill of Lading calculated? Were they based on shore figures calculated on shore tank delivery? Were they based on FPSO volumes? Were they based on ship’s loaded figures adjusted for the VEF? Was the cargo loaded by ship-to-ship transfer? Were the Bills of Lading quantified using 1952, 1980, 2004 or 2007 AST/ API tables or were they based on different, local, metric or imperial calculation methods from e.g. Saudi Arabia, Syria, Algeria, Russia, Brazil or Malaysia? The following text was copied from the Energy Institute website for your convenience. For any given vessel, a ratio can be established between the quantity of liquid bulk cargoes measured on board the vessel and the corresponding measurement by a load or discharge facility. This ratio, called a Vessel Experience Factor (VEF) is a historical compilation of shore-to-vessel or vessel-to-shore cargo quantity differences and is used as a loss control tool to assess the validity of quantities derived from shore measurements. When agreed by interested parties, Bill of Lading or Outturn quantities may be determined based on vessel received or delivered quantities adjusted by the VEF, in cases where

quantity of a cargo measured in a calibrated shore tank or by a custody transfer meter, and the same cargo determined by vessel tank measurements. For a given vessel the use of quantity data from many voyages provides an indication of vessel measurement differences, as a numerical ratio. This ratio can also include other load and discharge factors. For each voyage a Vessel Load Ratio (VLR) and Vessel Discharge Ratio (VDR) can be calculated. The VLR or VDR is the quantity received or discharged as measured on the vessel (TCV – ROB or OBQ) divided by the Bill of Lading (shore delivered at loading) or Outturn Quantity (shore received at discharge) respectively. The mean of the qualifying VLRs or the VDRs over several voyages is called the VEF (VEFL and VEFD for load and discharge respectively). This standard provides a method for calculating VEF. The method uses an average of qualifying ratios, which fall within ±0.30 per cent of the mean. Certain voyages, including those considered to contain Gross Errors will be excluded from the mean calculation, as described in Section 8 of this standard. This method is preferred and should be used unless all parties specifically agree to an alternate method. See Annex D for an alternate method employing a statistical outlier rejection

shore based measurements are not available, or are known to be inadequate for custody transfer. In the event of a dispute regarding the application of a VEF, resolution shall be made by the commercial parties involved. Vessel capacity tables (Gauge Tables) are often calculated from the vessel’s building plans, rather than based on accurate physical tank calibration measurements. There are usually differences between the

technique to discard unsatisfactory data. A VEF cannot be calculated using voyages where load or discharge shore quantities are based on vessel measurement. This is the latest in a monthly series of articles by Arend van Campen, founder of TankTerminalTraining, who can be contacted at arendvc@ tankterminaltraining.com. More information on the company’s activities can be found at www.tankterminaltraining.com.

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ON TIME, IN FULL BY PAUL GOOCH

SUPPLY CHAIN WHACK-A-MOLE

WITH THE EXCEPTION of the Financial Crisis in 2008/9, chemical supply

chains were refined and tweaked and run tight. Events such as floods in

chains have enjoyed a relatively benign environment for the past 20 to 25

Thailand, the earthquake in Fukushima, and the SARS pandemic in 2002/3

years. Since the end of the Cold War the world has experienced economic

came and went, creating short-term shock waves but without causing

globalisation, based on interconnected economies supporting the cross-

major disruption to the global order. Even the impact of the annexation

border movement of goods, services and technologies.

of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 had limited impact on the operation of

The relative stability meant that investment decisions, supply chain

established supply chains.

network designs, logistics supplier selection, working capital optimisation and sourcing decisions have been made with a degree of confidence and trust. Much focus was spent on standardising work processes, supported

But a constellation of events has changed all that: 1. Free trade agreements and economic liberalisation have been replaced

by ‘lean’ principles and system solutions to reduce manual effort. In the

by nationalism, protectionism, trade wars and tariffs. For example, the

process organisations were trimmed and experience and expertise lost.

US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, started a trade war

Off-shoring eliminated jobs and hollowed out manufacturing regions and

with China, renegotiated NAFTA as USMCA, imposed tariffs on steel and

the middle class in the West.

aluminium followed by retaliatory tariffs from the EU; and the UK left the EU

As long as raw materials and indirect supplies were stable, logistics infrastructure reliable and international freight costs more than affordable,

following the Brexit referendum. 2. With multinational supply chains beginning to creak as a result of

there was little incentive to be constantly looking over our shoulder for

trade wars and tariffs, Covid-19 pandemic restrictions imposed in early

the next ‘Aha!’ moment. Lulled into a (false?) sense of security, supply

2020 caused them to implode. Chinese lockdowns interrupted the supply of

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

UP FRONT 07

products to the West. Container ships were unable to berth. Supply chain

whiplash effect on terminals in Europe and North America, reversing much

organisations scrambled to find alternatives which in many cases were

of the progress made in clearing port congestion.

not there.

Kuehne+Nagel’s digital platform, ‘seaexplorer’ has developed a Global

3. When China lifted restrictions and products started to move to north-

Disruption Indicator which tracks TEU waiting days (TWD). For Hong Kong

west Europe and the US, it coincided with the pandemic causing lockdowns

and Shenzhen alone the current waiting time is three times higher than it

in destination countries. Ports became congested as containers could not

was two months ago. Increased congestion is inevitable.

be discharged, and a shortage of empty containers stifled export shipments. Result: another scramble for supply chain organisations. 4. In the meantime container lines, after many years of pricing wars in

The Logical Group spoke to a major freight forwarder active during the worst of the Covid-related congestion and supply interruptions in late 2020 and early 2021. Despite significant investments in digital solutions they

the fight for market share, had through a series of alliances got their act

reported that it was down to the agility and expertise of their people that

together to manage capacity and started to lay up vessels, blank sailings

kept their customers, many of them in the chemical industry, operating and

and cancel port calls. Freight rates in 2020 and 2021 rose dramatically,

maintaining a degree of reliability of supply.

vessel charter rates reached eye-watering daily rates, and companies such as MSC, enjoying windfall profits, bought every vessel that could carry a

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink was recently quoted in Seeking Alpha: “The

container. Paying 8 or 10 times the historical rate was no guarantee that a

Russian invasion of Ukraine has put an end to the globalisation we have

container would not be rolled. Container lines are now trying to lock in high

experienced over the last three decades. We had already seen connectivity

freight rates with long-term contracts with major shippers - in particular

between nations, companies and even people strained by two years of the

Maersk claims to have more than 60 per cent of its volume contracted. At

pandemic. It has left many communities and people feeling isolated and

the same time they are trying to reduce the consolidated volumes from

looking inward.”

freight forwarders and lower volume shippers will have to pay spot rates.

Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said this: “The tragic war in

Shipper-owned containers and tank containers are not a target market for

eastern Europe will further momentum toward reorienting production and

many lines, especially when it involves hazardous products.

supply networks away from pure cost minimisation and toward resilience

5. If that wasn’t enough, the war in Ukraine is endangering food and

and risk tolerance. Supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus

energy security, interrupting supplies of components to key industries

pandemic prompted business leaders to start diversifying supplier locations

and eliminating the alternative land bridge for containers between China

and firms, increasing inventories, and bringing production closer to final

and Europe, which will put further pressure on freight rates as more

markets to maximise reliability.”

than a million containers look for capacity. With approximately half of

In these circumstances, and facing the likely challenges of readjusting

Europe’s diesel being sourced from Russia, this could also present the next

global supply chains, the demand and competition for supply chain talent is

challenge for European supply chains dependent on road transport.

likely to heat up.

Supply chain people must be feeling like Hercules trying to eliminate the Hydra…whack-a-mole on steroids. Unfortunately, short-term prospects are not encouraging. Splash 247 is reporting that, as a result of the new Covid outbreaks in China, there will be further delays of shipments out of southern China, and this will have a

Paul Gooch The Logical Group GmbH 28 March 2022

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08 CHEMICAL TANKERS

STICK OR TWIST FLEETS • CONSOLIDATION IS IN THE AIR AMONG CHEMICAL TANKER OPERATORS; WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF NEWBUILDING GOING ON, MERGERS SEEM THE BEST WAY TO INCREASE MARKET SHARE

IN EARLY MARCH this year, Stolt-Nielsen Ltd took a 5 per cent shareholding in Odfjell; at the time, its CEO, Niels G Stolt-Nielsen, said: “This investment is driven by our belief in the chemical tanker industry and a pending recovery. I have previously spoken out about the need for consolidation in the chemical tanker industry and still strongly believe it is the best way to make our industry environmentally and economically sustainable.” While that investment has prompted

Indeed, Odfjell itself describes the shipping market for specialty chemicals as comparatively consolidated; it is in the easy chemicals sector, where barriers to entry are lower and where chemical tankers often have to compete with swing tonnage from the product tanker sector, that is described as being fragmented. In fact, while Odfjell, Stolt Tankers and MOL Chemical Tankers remain by far the largest operators of pure chemical tonnage, the list of the larger operators is swelled by those that

speculation about a potential merger between Stolt Tankers and Odfjell, two of the three largest pure chemical tanker operators in the world, it is apparent from our listing of tanker operators’ fleets over the next few pages that consolidation is more sorely needed among the medium-sized operators.

operate IMO 2/3 tonnage, notably MR tankers of around 50,000 dwt, largely in the product trades but quite often in the easy chemicals market. Added to those can be the specialist operators of methanol tankers, which are generally MR size but which, largely to prevent cargo contamination, operate exclusively in

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

methanol. As the world turns towards nontraditional fuels, that sector can be expected to grow further. UPS AND DOWNS As it is, there have been some significant changes in the list of chemical tanker operators since HCB last carried out this survey in 2019; most obvious is the departure of Team Tankers from the list, with its fleet broken up among several other operators – Sogestran perhaps being the most obvious beneficiary. But there is also room for purely financial interests to enter the sector through the acquisition of existing fleets and some of Team Tankers’ vessels departed by this route, often transferring into pools such as those operated by Womar. There has been a noticeable ebb and flow of merger and acquisition activity in the past two years among chemical tanker operators, which has fed on distressed sales by some and on the availability of investment funds by others. Furthermore, changes in global trade caused by the the ongoing global pandemic, supply chain disruptions and labour shortages have meant that some operators have needed to change the balance of their fleets. Perhaps the most fundamental issue, though, is the difficulties being experienced in

TANKS & LOGISTICS 09

The most modern fleet, shaping a sustainable future Undoubtedly an architectural highlight: the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam – and in full swing and fully loaded M/T “Botticelli”, the newest chemical tanker of GEFO, equipped with eight stainless-steel tanks, built in 2021. Four additional stainless-steel tankers will join in 2022, all named after painters who were ahead of their time: Canaletto, Tintoretto, Allegretto and Benedetto. All four new chemical tankers with Stage V engines according to new EU-standards and SCR-Catalysts. Most modern technology sets new benchmarks in their class by reducing hydrocarbons by 81 %, nitrogen oxides by 97 % and particulate matters by 95 %.

One tanker of the fleet of 150 tankers belonging to GEFO. 26 new buildings to reduce pollutant emissions. Which tanker will sail for you?

www.gefo.com WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

CHEMICAL TANKERS

actually growing the overall chemical tanker fleet, despite projections of healthy demand growth. There is the uncertainty posed by the pandemic, which has made many operators nervous of making large investments in newbuildings at this point, but also the uncertainty caused by the energy transition: any new ships built now will have to meet the emissions limits imposed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that will apply from 2030, with even more strict targets set for 2050. A stainless steel tanker delivered in 2025, for instance, may well still be operating by then. There are many options available for meeting those targets, most of which involve the use of alternative fuels for vessel propulsion. But it is not yet clear which of those fuels offer the best option in terms of price, availability and efficiency. Again, it is difficult for an operator to be able to justify heavy investment when the alternatives are so unclear. Moreover, shipyards are busy right now so it is not only hard to find building slots but also expensive to build. Some new tankers have been built, often applying innovative propulsion systems, but these have for the most part been replacement tonnage for older vessels, although they are often more efficient overall than the older tankers that have now been recycled or relegated to less strict trades. As a result of that, the supply of chemical tanker tonnage has grown only slightly of late. After a 23 per cent increase in the global fleet between 2015 and 2020, to reach some 29.5m dwt, Odfjell expects only a modest expansion to 30.8m dwt by the end of this year, with just another 0.1m dwt to be added by the end of 2024. That contrasts with demand growth expected to average 4 per cent per year out to 2024. GOOD TIMES AHEAD That tightening of the supply/demand balance should be good news for chemical tanker operators, after something of a downturn

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

during 2020/21. That was driven largely by weakness in the clean petroleum product (CPP) market after a period of destocking as consumption fell off sharply in the first year of the pandemic, leading to swing tonnage competing in the easy chemicals and vegoils markets. Volatility in commodity prices, again prompted by weak economic and industrial activity in the mature markets, caused a lack of arbitrage opportunities for many products during 2021. That did not last too long, however, and Asian supplies helped make up some difference and added significantly to tonnemile demand. As Odfjell stated in its 2021 annual review: “We find it encouraging that the chemical tanker market improved towards the end of the year and showed that it can, to some extent, de-couple from soft crude and product tanker markets. Beyond the risks and

opportunities related to Covid-19, the crude and CPP tanker markets are expected to benefit from positive underlying fundamentals with an upcoming restocking cycle, a low orderbook, and limited fleet growth in the years to come.” Odfjell estimates that chemical tanker demand grew by 5.2 per cent in 2021, against fleet growth of 1.8 per cent, with tonne-mile demand expected to grow by 4.3 per cent in 2022. Over the next three years, it expects chemical tanker fleet utilisation to exceed 90 per cent, pointing to a very strong market cycle. Any market response to tighter supply would be expected to include investment in new tonnage. That it, though, only likely to emerge once there is greater certainty about the future trade picture and future fuel needs – and that could be some time coming.

CHEMICAL TANKER FLEETS (APRIL 2022)

TANKS & LOGISTICS 11

No of vessels

Total dwt

ABC Maritime

158,312

Ace Quantum Chemical Tankers (d)

433,368

Ace Tankers (d)

707,029

AET Tankers (MISC)

59,980

Akar Group

76,322

Akbasoglu/Trans Ka Tankers

50,150

40,171

229,100

Alba Tankers Alliance Maritime Älvtank Amoretti Armatori Antares Naviera Ardmore Shipping Asahi Tanker (b)

53,580

184,552

93,705

923,405

SS %

Epoxy %

Zinc %

Marine Line %

dwt on order

Average age 13

60,900

9 7 11

100 5

13 100

69,498

Aurora Tankers (d)

417,000

Bahri

1,430,698

76,483

187,550

202,364

Blystad Group (d)

365,987

Borealis Maritime

102,856

Bryggen Shipping International

531,759

Calisa

111,496

100

Capital Ship Management

251,907

100

Caribe Tankers

42,450

Carl Büttner

223,538

100

Champion Tankers

1,003,086

100

Chembulk Tankers (d)

575,417

100

Chemfleet (Yildrim Group)

244,554

yes

52,000

Chemship

203,372

Christiania Shipping

133,195

CSIC-IMC Shipping

47,000

D'Amico International Shipping

1,325,387

Daitoh Trading

223,049

74,658

Bergshav Besiktas Shipping Blue Line Ship Management

Chemnav Shipmanagement (d)

Dalmare De Poli Tankers (Sogestran)

10 100

100

16 300,000 27

7 14

13 yes

yes

100

8 100

100 7 100

9 100

190,605

Dong-A Tanker

308,207

100

Donsötank

123,981

yes

Düzgit Group

41,529

100

E&S Tankers (Essberger/Stolt)

298,032

Eastern Pacific

220,424

100

Ektank

84,178

Elbana di Navigazione

31,396

100

Elcano

58,368

Empire Chemical Tankers

43,775

100

7 100

12 18 78

100

16 WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

12 Fairfield Chemical Carriers

No of vessels

Total dwt

SS % 100

Epoxy %

822,004

Finaval (d)

101,026

Finbeta

30,175

Formosa Plastics Marine

722,135

Fortune Marine

91,807

Furetank Rederi

449,769

100

111,828

618,895

311,450

Gestioni Armatoriali Gothia Tanker Alliance Gotland Tankers Gulf Navigation

226,000 yes

Hansa Tankers

1,270,339

100

262,429

Heung-A Shipping

140,073

Histria Shipmanagement

531,000

Iino Chemical

1,409,439

Interunity Management

449,081

JX Shipping

198,344

100

Knutsen OAS Shipping Koyo Kaiun KSS Line

69,651 43,061

49,705

281,154

Average age 4 11

17 17,999

10 10

1,149,264

69,900

100

Keoyung Shipping

dwt on order

Kaptanoglu Shipmanagement

MarineLine %

100

Hafnia Hassel Shipping (Stolt)

Zinc %

13 yes

yes

7 9 5

100

12 26

15 10

29 95

16 13

22,911

Latvian Shipping

1,381,041

100

Lomar Shipping

45,128

100

Marida Tankers (Womar)

107,112

Marinvest

199,258

132,629

Medcare Shipping

120,000

Mediterranea di Navigazione

142,207

Millenia Maritime

302,000

Marnavi

100

20 15

100

Mitsubishi Chemical Logistics

26,871

MOL Chemical Tankers

2,179,957

346,533

778,586

Naviera Transoceánica

195,400

100

Navigazione Montanari

541,978

100

Navios Tankers Management

763,415

Norden

1,826,374

Norstar Shipping (d)

251,530

Motia Cia di Nav MT Maritime

100

10 100

200,000

6 13

North Sea Tankers

31,708

NYK Stolt Tankers

210,403

Ocean Tankers

66,594

Odfjell Tankers

3,297,154

Orca Tankers (Womar)

76,234

100

Rigel Shipping Canada

32,335

100

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

100

15 15

100 70

10 26,000

Roswell Tankers Saehan Marine

No of vessels

Total dwt

87,622

SS %

Epoxy %

Zinc %

MarineLine %

dwt

Average

order age TANKS &on LOGISTICS 13

100

111,487

61,938

201,528

100

SEA-Tankers (d)

134,322

100

Seabulk Tankers

348,853

100

Seatrans Chemical Tankers

118,603

Serromah Shipping (d)

151,892

100

43,612

124,951

Samudera Shipping Sea Pioneer Shipping

Shanghai Huitong Shipping Shokuyu Tanker (b) Sinochem-Stolt Tankers

36,049

Sirius Shipping

83,129

Sokana

1,299,039

74,519

513,056

South End Tanker Management Stainless Tankers (Womar) Stella Navigation (d)

100

15 16 100,000

1(c)

18 11 17

8 15

11 12

100

298,504

Stena Bulk

1,856,747

Stenersen

266,922

Stolt-Nielsen Inter-Asia Service

7,552

Stolt-Nielsen Inter-Caribbean Services

105,470

Stolt Tankers

1,850,061

Streamline Tankers

51,700

100

Swede Chem Tankers

19,150

Tarbit Shipping

55,950

Tatsumi Marine

370,059

Terntank Shipping

142,168

Thun Tankers

127,015

100

Torlak Shipping

21,107

Tradewind Tankers

28,600

Tufton Investment (Stolt)

168,450

Tune Chemical Tankers

214,794

Ultratank

403,807

100

Uni-Tankers

339,634

18 53

Unibaltic

65,895

United Arab Chemical Carriers

327,075

Utkilen Shipping

291,346

Uyeno Transtech

13,712

113,622

Viken Shipping Waterfront Shipping

14 17 6

9 17,999

100

10 13

100

14 15

14 103,589

16 11

most

1,256,037

375,645

Wisby Tankers

234,301

Woolim Shipping

156,740

Yamane Shipping (b)

139,965

YMN Tanker

136,210

Zenith Ship Management

1,265,254

(b) international fleet only

100

Westfal-Larsen

(a) 2018 data

249,995

100

10 10

100

11 31

12 11 100

7 8

(d) not updated in this year's list WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

14 CHEMICAL TANKERS

SPECIAL DELIVERY CONSOLIDATION • WITH ITS INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF ITS CLIENT BASE, SOGESTRAN IS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP A FLEET SUITABLE FOR THE NEEDS OF TOMORROW’S CHEMICAL INDUSTRY THERE ARE PLENTY in the chemical tanker business – Niels G Stolt-Nielsen among them – who believe that consolidation is needed to provide an ownership structure that can support a decent level of income for operators. That is certainly true in the shortsea trades, where France-based Sogestran Shipping is doing its best to develop a sizeable fleet of its own. Since its acquisition of Compagnie Maritime Nantaise in 2017, the family-owned Sogestran Group, based in Le Havre, has continued to develop its activities in inland and shortsea shipping, intermodal transport, urban logistics and other sectors. The latest move involved Sogestran Shipping taking full control of Rotterdam-based De Poli Tankers Holding, in which it acquired a 65 per cent shareholding in late 2020. Arcoin Holding, owned by the De Poli family, last month sold its remaining 35 per cent share and Chiara de Poli, who had been CEO for nearly 30 years, has stepped down. At the time of the initial investment, De Poli Tankers owned eight stainless steel chemical tankers but the investment from Sogestran allowed it to buy seven 8,000-dwt stainless steel chemical tankers from Team Tankers International, along with Team’s office and organisation in Marbella, Spain. Those then came under the Sogestran Shipping business, which included a fleet of some 20 ships operating in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, West Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, as well as more than 160 inland units operating

 SOGESTRAN’S RAPID EXPANSION RELIES ON ITS ABILITY TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR ITS CLIENTS

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

on the French river and canal system and on the Danube. MORE ON THE WAY Sogestran continues to plan for growth. In April it formed a joint venture with Air Liquide to look into large-scale carbon dioxide shipping and barging solutions for future carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Europe. Combining Air Liquide’s expertise in CO2 with Sogestran’s experience in high value-added maritime transport, the joint venture will aim to transport liquefied CO2 using newly designed shipping and barging solutions, invested and operated through this collaboration. “Air Liquide and Sogestran have built a strong relationship over the past years,

working on reliable solutions for this emerging market, in line with our corporate strategy based on innovation,” says Pascal Girardet, CEO of Sogestran. “Our teams have worked hand-in-hand to design ships and barges able to safely and efficiently transport liquid CO2. This joint venture will be in a great position to offer the market solutions that will make a significant positive impact on the environment.” This year Sogestran is also building an innovative 4,700-dwy chemical tanker for a specific trade for Total Fluids. The newbuilding, Pointe de Caux, was launched by Turkish shipbuilder RMK in early April and is due to enter into service in mid-September. The new vessel is designed specifically to carry chemicals from the ARA ports to Oudalle, near Le Havre, which involves a restricted passage through the Tancarville Canal. To be able to make the journey, the new vessel has an air draught of below 10 m in order to pass under a road bridge, a draught of less than 5 m and two azimuthal stern thrusters and one bow thruster for added manoeuvrability. It is also equipped with a hybrid diesel/electric propulsion system, including onboard battery storage, as well as solar panels and a shore power connection. www.sogestran.com

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CHEMICAL CLUSTER STORAGE TERMINALS INTERMODAL RAIL TERMINAL

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NEWS BULLETIN

TANKER SHIPPING

PETREDEC SETS FLEET FREE

Petredec has spun its LPG trading and shipping operations into a new company, Petredec Global, which has a fleet of 27 modern VLGCs (right). It is also exploring the possibility of a public listing for the new company, which it says would be the first time a fully integrated VLGC shipping and trading company would be listed. “We are proud of the significant growth the Petredec Group has had over the last decade and are pleased with our market-leading VLGC and trading platforms cultivated over this period,” says Giles Fearn, CEO of Petredec Group. “However, Petredec is not a company that stands still and looks back. We remain heavily focused on future asset growth within our other shipping and on-shore divisions. The Group’s strategic goal to expand our footprint in the LPG value chain through terminals and distribution in emerging markets such as India, South and East Africa, and the balance of the Indian Ocean basin can only benefit the Petredec Global platform and the market as a whole through increased demand for LPG.” Jonathan Fancher, appointed CEO of Petredec Global, adds: “With 90 per cent of our fleet positioned for premium earnings due to ECO, scrubber and dual-fuel technology, combined with consistent earnings from trading, Petredec Global’s fully integrated model is well-poised to continue to deliver premium profits to our shareholders. This unique offering along with a highly attractive market outlook, the call on US shale, and improving arbitrage will set Petredec Global up to generate premium cash flows and return attractive dividends.” www.petredec.com MORE SUSTAINABILITY BY MOL

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is pursuing its environmental vision of becoming net-zero by 2050, announcing a number of recent initiatives. MOL and Mitsubishi Heavy

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

Industries have completed a concept study for a 50,000-m3 vessel to transport liquefied carbon dioxide and ammonia. The concept vessel can be used in carbon capture and storage applications and in the supply of ammonia as part of the effort towards decarbonisation. The study applied the knowledge of Larvik Shipping, in which MOL invested last year, which has managed carbon dioxide vessels for industrial customers in Europe for more than 30 years. MOL intends to use the basic design as a template for further work on other ship types in collaboration with Japanese maritime customers. MOL has also signed an MOU with Trafigura for a one-year study under which MOL Chemical Tankers will use biodiesel fuel supplied by Trafigura’s joint venture TFG Marine. The intention is to establish global supply of biodiesel for the MOL Chemical Tanker fleet. The companies have already conduced a sea trial on the chemical tanker Niseko Galaxy,

which bunkered 200 tonnes of biodiesel in Rotterdam for its voyage to the US Gulf Coast. No modification was needed to the ship’s diesel engine. It is expected that a reduction in CO2 emissions of some 25 to 30 per cent can be achieved when using a mix of 30 per cent biodiesel in conventional heavy fuel oil. MOL Chemical Tankers has ordered two 14,900-dwt chemical tankers from Shitanoe Shipbuilding. The vessels will be equipped with marine gasoil-powered engines developed by Japan Engine Corp that use a water injection system to optimise combustion and reduce NOx and CO2 emissions. The engines are expected to reduce fuel consumption by some 5 per cent, which will meet EEDI Phase 3 requirements, and also to reduce the need for maintenance by providing more stable fuel quality. MOL’s car carrier Victorious Ace last month took on bunkers from Asahi Tanker’s new 1,280-m3 bunkering vessel Asahi, the world’s first fully electric tanker, in the port of Yokohama. The tanker, the first of two ordered

TANKER SHIPPING 17

by Asahi Tanker, has a battery capacity of 3,480 kWh, allowing it to work on battery power for every phase of its operation, including cargo handling, berthing/unberthing and navigation, and making it completely free of greenhouse gas emissions. www.mol.co.jp GRIEG AMMONIA IDEA APPROVED

Grieg Edge has received Approval in Principle from DNV for its greenammonia tanker (below), developed with LMG Marin and Wärtsilä. “It is a major milestone in getting one of the first green ammonia-fuelled vessels in operation,” says Nicolai Grieg, head of Grieg Edge. The partners now plan to move towards a final design for a 7,500-m3 carrier for construction by 2025. The ship, unsurprisingly named Green Ammonia, will run on an ammonia-fuelled engine and be used to transport green ammonia from the planned Berlevåg project in northern Norway that will

produce ammonia using wind power. It will supply land storage facilities along the coast and will also be able to offer ship-to-ship bunkering. griegedge.com KNCC GETS DNV NOD

Knutsen NYK Carbon Carriers (KNCC) has received Approval in Principle from DNV for its PC02® containment system for the transport of liquefied carbon dioxide at ambient temperatures. KNCC sees the award as an important milestone in the technical and commercial development of the company, which will enable it to provide a cost-effective, scalable and flexible offering across the carbon capture and storage (CCS) value chain. “DNV’s validation of the PCO2 technology for marine transportation of CO2 is proving, once again, that our technological and innovative approach to the shipping business is beneficial,” says Trygve Seglem, owner/ president of the Knutsen Group and vice-chair

of KNCC. “I am certain that, with the AIP in place, the foundation for building a commercially viable business in KNCC is further strengthened.” www.kn-cc.com HAFNIA QUITS STAINLESS

Hafnia has agreed to sell its eight stainless steel chemical tankers to Ace Tankers Management for $252.4m, of which some $50m cash will be booked as profit. All eight ships are currently under financing arrangements and the transaction remains subject to consent by the lenders. The 25,200-dwt vessels were all built in Japan in 2016 and 2017 and joined Hafnia when it acquired Chemical Tankers Inc (CTI) last year. Six will be delivered to the new owners as soon as possible, before the end of September; two are currently on timecharter and will be delivered in September 2023. “Divesting the stainless steel vessels, which is a non-core segment, is according to our strategy and focus remains on the core product and chemical IMO 2 tanker segments,” says Hafnia’s CEO, Mikael Skov. “The price achieved reflects a strong interest in the stainless steel segment.” hafniabw.com NAVIGATOR ARRIVES IN HOUSTON

Navigator Holdings has opened a new office in Houston and appointed Randy Giveans as executive vice-president of Navigator Gas US. Giveans joins the company from Jefferies Financial, where he was group head of the Energy Maritime Shipping Equity Research Group and a senior vice-president. “The US is a key market for Navigator and Randy will enable us to further develop and strengthen our strong connections in North America,” says Oeyvind Lindeman, CCO. Giveans adds: “With increasing demand for US LPG, natural gas liquids and hydrocarbons, I’m thrilled to be part of Navigator’s exciting journey and to build on its strong links with shareholders, partners, and clients throughout North America.” navigatorgas.com

WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

18 STORAGE TERMINALS

GREEN SEAS AMMONIA • HYDROGEN MUST PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION BUT IMPORTING IT INTO EUROPE MAY BE EASIER IN THE FORM OF AMMONIA. PLANS ARE MOVING AHEAD IN ROTTERDAM GASUNIE HAS TEAMED up with terminal operators Vopak and HES International in a partnership to investigate the viability of establishing a green ammonia import terminal, named ACE Terminal, on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam. The project aims to respond to growing global demand for green energy and the clear need in northern Europe to be able to import sustainably produced energy carriers at scale. Work on the basic design will start before the middle of the year, with the aim of getting the terminal up and running in 2026. Renewably sourced hydrogen is regarded as an essential element in the future renewable energy mix, with demand growing in the power generation, transport and petrochemical sectors. While there will be some production of green hydrogen from wind and solar power in the Netherlands, that will not be able to achieve the volume needed to meet the UN and EU targets for decarbonisation by 2030 and 2050. The partners in ACE Terminal see an import site for green ammonia as making a vital contribution to the supply of green hydrogen in this decarbonisation scenario. Green ammonia as a carrier of hydrogen offers a relatively straightforward way of moving energy in bulk over long distances and is something that the Port of Rotterdam is already investigating – it is, for instance, involved in a joint venture in Brazil looking to export green ammonia or hydrogen from the Stolthaven Santos terminal. Compared to

 THE PLANNED ACE TERMINAL WILL HAVE TO BE PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

hydrogen, ammonia offers the advantage that the supply chain is well developed and ammonia has been moved in bulk on gas tankers for many decades. It can be readily converted into hydrogen, with nitrogen the only by-product, and will also be used directly as a marine fuel, with marine engine suppliers already producing propulsion systems capable of running on ammonia. LOCATION ADVANTAGE The intended location for ACE Terminal on the Maasvlakte will provide access to oceangoing ships carrying ammonia from all parts of the world; initially, the partners say, that may also include ‘blue’ ammonia produced with the use of methane, which is a relatively low-carbon source but not entirely decarbonised. ACE Terminal will make use of existing infrastructure and logistics facilities within

Rotterdam and will have space for the construction of an ammonia-to-hydrogen conversion plant, which ultimately will be connected to a national hydrogen network that Gasunie is developing to serve the future hydrogen needs of the Netherlands and further afield. HES International already has a terminal on the Maasvlakte, with quayside capacity; Vopak handles ammonia at six of its terminals around the world and has extensive experience in the safe storage of the product; and Gasunie has storage tanks and pipelines in the Port of Rotterdam. “By joining forces,” the three partners say, “an attractive starting point will be established from which – within just a few years – the partners will be able to realise the import location for green ammonia in Rotterdam.” A final investment decision has yet to be taken and will depend on an analysis of the likely level of demand for throughput capacity as well as the necessary permitting process. The partners are basing their plans on an independent and open-access infrastructure. A market consultation procedure is soon to be launched, in which potential users can express their interest in the supply, storage and transhipment of green ammonia and hydrogen. Initial discussions are already underway with international market parties, the partners say. www.aceterminal.nl

19 SECTION SLUG

TAKE IT TO THE STREETS MIDDLE EAST • HOYER IS TAKING ITS EXPERTISE INTO NEW TERRITORY, WITH THE FORMATION OF A SAUDI JOINT VENTURE AND NEW FILLING AND BLENDING PLANT HOYER MIDDLE EAST is currently building a first professionally operated off-site blending new filling plant in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia on and filling plant in Saudi Arabia, and therefore an area of around 10,000 m2. On completion very attractive for chemicals producers with later this year, the facility will offer four international operations. Furthermore, we can storage tanks, two blending tanks, two filling also offer international intermodal transport lines and a warehouse for palletised goods. beyond the plant, because we collaborate The filling plant’s capacity will amount to closely with the Hoyer Business Unit Deep Sea.” some 30,000 to 50,000 tonnes per year. This new investment is the first fruits of BRAND EXTENSION a new joint venture established by Hoyer in Establishment of the regional joint venture Saudi Arabia to help expand activities in the marks continued growth and geographic Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) division of its expansion in Hoyer’s SCS division. SCS now Chemilog business unit. Hoyer has acquired operates at 16 locations in five countries, a 51 per cent stake in a Saudi-based business, and has recorded a doubling of its order with local partners Petrochem Middle East volume since 2008, making it one of the FZE and Al Fahdah Al Arabia Trading strongest growing business activities within Company holding 24.5 per cent each, which the Hoyer group. has been named Hoyer Middle East Ltd. “The joint venture pools the regional and international strengths of the two partners with the core competences of Hoyer as an international logistics company specialising in handling dangerous goods,” Hoyer states. “Hoyer Middle East will offer extensive blending, filling, bulk storage, quality testing and dispatch processing services, together with warehouse storage of palletised and non-palletised goods,” Ulrich Grätz, global SCS director at Hoyer, elaborates. “We are At Exolum we see theinenergy transition specialised in handling dangerous goods as an opportunity to expand our

“SCS scores points through the expertise of the Hoyer group in the logistics and handling of dangerous goods, and brings this know-how into its comprehensive, customer-oriented portfolio of services: on-site and off-site logistics, filling, blending, handling of liquid dangerous goods, dry-bulk logistics, the operation of intermodal and dangerous goods terminals, and planning support for change management projects in plants,” the Hamburgbased company explains. “The utilisation of synergies, efficiency and transparency are important values in this respect.” So far, SCS’s operations have been largely confined to Europe, so the new Saudi business marks an extension into a new theatre of activity. SCS has more than 450 staff in Europe at a number of logistics facilities, many of them on third-party premises. The division leverages Hoyer’s infrastructure assets to provide them on a needs-oriented basis to its clients. The Hoyer group as a whole, which was founded in 1946, employs some 6,100 people in more than 115 countries around the world; its assets include some 2,400 trucks, 2,900 road tankers, 37,300 tank containers, 41,200 intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and numerous logistics facilities, including tank depots, workshops and cleaning stations. www.hoyer-group.com

Expanding horizons

Driving change to meet the energy transition

and satisfyAthe highest horizons. chance tointernational diversify our business and meet the challenges of environmental, quality safety standards.” climate change and ourand customers’ businesses. We have adopted Sustainable Menno Douwes Dekker, Development Goals (SDGs)managing to touch director every aspect of our business and made a Middle East & India for Hoyer, adds, “It’s on thethe environment by striving to use commitment to minimising our impact

energy resources and raw materials efficiently.

 HOYER IS PARTNERING WITH LOCAL INTERESTS TO

Europe’s leading bulk liquid logistics provider LEVERAGE DIFFERENT EXPERTISE IN CHEMICAL LOGISTICS

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2018

To find out more visit exolum.com

20 STORAGE TERMINALS

recognised for its leading global role in the energy storage and logistics infrastructure. The new company is our pledge to enable and expedite the energy transformation in our industry by applying a clearly defined strategy that embraces the energy transition in true partnership with our customers and partners.”

OILTANKING WAS ESTABLISHED by Hamburg-based trading house Marquard & Bahls in 1972 through the merger of formerly independent tank farms in Germany, originally focusing on oil products. Through five decades of international development, it now has a large presence in the chemicals sector and, more recently, in gases and new energies, with a global network of 41 terminals in 18 countries and a total storage capacity of more than 16m m3. This month, Oiltanking is making a significant change to that business model,

will focus on growth in chemicals, gases and new energies, and have a strong commitment to embed sustainability in all aspects of its business. Building on Oiltanking’s tradition of close partnership and consistent delivery, the new company will support the sustainability agenda and energy transition journey of its customers and partners. Oiltanking’s current operations in Belgium, China, Finland, the Middle East, Singapore and the US will all transfer to the new company, which will be headquartered in Rotterdam with Bas Verkooijen as CEO,

PLANS FOR GREEN FUEL One example of that transformation was also announced last month, with the formation of a partnership to establish Asia’s first green e-methanol plant in Singapore. Oiltanking is working alongside PTT Exploration & Production, Air Liquide, YTL PowerSeraya, Kenoil Marine Serices and AP Moller-Maersk on a ‘Green Methanol Value Chain Collaboration’, which will explore the feasibility of establishing a green e-methanol pilot plant, with a minimum capacity of 50,000 tpa, and will be the first of its kind in south-east Asia. The pilot plant envisaged for Singapore will use captured biogenic carbon dioxide and renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen and green e-methanol, making the fuel commercially accessible for the maritime industry. Green e-methanol is being considered as one of the candidates for alternative fuels to meet the 2030/2050 goals for emissions reduction set out by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). This project will potentially yield a substantial carbon reduction impact, Oiltking says. As one of the world’s premier maritime bunkering hubs, and with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), Singapore will serve as an ideal location to take this important step towards exploring alternative future fuel

with the spin-off of a large slice of that terminal capacity into a new company, which

supported by Douglas van der Wiel, Claas Pinkenburg, Yvan Tavernier and Liz Mayhew as the leadership team, together with 1,200 employees worldwide. “We are excited about the next chapter in Oiltanking’s journey,” says Matti Lievonen, Oiltanking’s CEO. “Oiltanking is widely

solutions to advance the multi-fuel transition of the global shipping industry. The partners will now embark on feasibility studies of the technical and economic aspects of the project; these studies are expected to be completed by the end of this year. www.oiltanking.com

A NEW START STRATEGY • OILTANKING MARKS ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR WITH IMPORTANT PLANS TO TAKE ITS BUSINESS MODEL INTO THE NEW ERA UNDERPINNED BY THE LOOMING ENERGY TRANSITION

 SINGAPORE IS DUE TO GET ASIA’S FIRST GREEN METHANOL PLANT, WITH SUPPORT FROM OILTANKING

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

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SECTION SLUG 21

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BRIGHTEST AND BEST PREVIEW • LEADING NAMES IN THE TANK STORAGE INDUSTRY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TOGETHER AND NETWORK LATER THIS MONTH WHEN STOCEXPO OPENS ITS DOORS IN ROTTERDAM

arrival, followed by a three-course dinner and a casino-based evening of entertainment. All-inclusive drinks will be available throughout the evening.

AFTER A COVID-INSPIRED hiatus, organiser Easyfairs has brought back its flagship StocExpo event, the largest and longestrunning exhibition for the European tank storage sector, which is due to take place at the Rotterdam Ahoy from 23 to 25 May. Throughout the three-day event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet up with the industry’s brightest minds on the exhibition floor, including senior decision makers from Vopak, Shell, Honeywell and Emerson. One-to-one meetings will be available to book in the designated SE Connect lounge and, throughout the event, industry professionals

“We know that networking is a key reason why so many tank storage professionals love StocExpo,” comments Rikki Bhachu, head of marketing for StocExpo. “The industry is going through an interesting period, and collaboration has never been more important. There is much to discuss and business to be done. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back in May!” Those networking opportunities will of course include the much-loved opening night networking party on the exhibition floor, which regularly carries on late into the evening and offers a relaxed environment to meet and talk

WHAT’S NEW The interval since the last StocExpo two years ago has given the organisers some time to think more deeply about what they want to provide for the thousands of attendees expected through the doors this time. Alongside Tank Storage magazine, the event’s house journal, it has embarked on a new initiative, Women in Tanks, to promote diversity in the industry as well as to celebrate what a great place the sector is for both men and women to work. StocExpo and Tank Storage have also started a series of webinars under the ‘Tank Talk’ banner, giving the opportunity for companies to showcase their products and innovations outside the exhibition itself. Work has also clearly gone into the conference sessions, which have been

will be able to book face-to-face time with each other through the event’s online meeting platform.

over nibbles and drinks. The second evening will feature the fourth annual Global Tank Storage Awards event, which will showcase achievements and innovations in terminals, processes and equipment, as well as individual successes. The evening will include a drinks reception on

expanded and strengthened compared to earlier years of the event – so much so that it would be worthwhile just to attend for the presentations. The first day will look in particular at the future for Europe’s storage terminal sector in light of the energy transition, featuring papers from the Hague

 IT’S ABOUT TIME WE ALL HAD THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND RAISE A GLASS

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

STORAGE TERMINALS 23

Centre for Strategic Studies, Deloitte Consulting, Channoil Consulting, DNB Bank, Meteorage and operators including Alkion Terminals, Evos and HG Storage. The day’s proceedings will finish with a panel discussion involving all the speakers as well as executives from Odfjell. After all that, delegates will be glad of the drinks and nibbles on offer at the networking event in the exhibition hall. The second day will look in more depth at the digitisation of terminal operations, chaired by Eduard Smits, associate director at Accenture and featuring presentations from a range of providers and users, including Nxtport International, Vopak, Siemens, Odfjell and Cognizant. The late afternoon will look in particular at robotics and the use of ‘digital twins’. The third and final day ends early but will have an important few presentations in the morning, focusing on emerging fuels, such as the need for large-scale storage of hydrogen as well as the opportunities available in the

transport, storage and handling of carbon dioxide, hydrogen and ammonia. Speakers will come from companies such as Navigator Terminals, Scale Gas, Geostock, Storengy, Emerson, Mabanaft, Exolum and Evos. WHAT’S ON SHOW While there will be some chin-stroking going on in the conference rooms, out on the exhibition floor we can expect a hubbub of conversation around the stands, featuring just short of 200 exhibitors. They include plenty of familiar names and faces but also some newer companies. There are some interesting innovations to pick up on among those stands, which are highlighted on the event website. Those innovations include the InrotechCrawler, a highly advanced robotic welding machine from Denmark that features a high level of automation to provide very simple operation. The robot can automatically identify the welding groove by means of a line scanner and automatically calculates the number of

passes, location of each pass, welding speed and weaving pattern, no matter its position or plate thickness. Meanwhile, Lightning Eliminators will have on show its RGA bonding device for floating roof tanks, which creates a positive electrical bond across the seal between the roof and shell and eliminates the possibility of arcing between the two surfaces that is the leading cause of floating roof tank fires. One benefit of the use of digitised systems will be on show on the TWTG stand: its NEON vibration sensor can be fitted to pumps and other equipment to monitor how they are running and provide an early alert that a failure is about to happen. The sensor detects the frequency of vibration and notifies the operator when that frequency begins to deviate from the norm, so that equipment can be changed before a potentially damaging failure occurs, without the need for constant supervision. On a rather different digital tack, Cost Engineering Consultancy will be promoting its Cleopatra Enterprise software solution, which covers the entire project lifecycle by integrating functionalities for cost estimating, scheduling, work package management, cost control, field change management, benchmarking, and more. NICE TO SEE YOU The decision to bring StocExpo back this year has received widespread support from industry professionals eager for some human contact. Kathryn Clay, president of the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA), said: “StocExpo is such an important event for thought-leaders in our industry. I am delighted the show is bringing us all back in person in Rotterdam. I look forward to seeing old friends there and making new friends as well.” ILTA is bringing its own event back too, with the George R Brown venue in Houston booked for mid-June. HCB aims to be at both events but strongly encourages anyone with an interest in the storage terminal sector to attend at least one. Attendance at the StocExpo exhibition is free of charge, although there is a fee for the conference sessions; full information can be found on the event’s website, www.stocexpo. com.

WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

24 STORAGE TERMINALS

VOPAK HAS REPORTED first quarter revenues of €324.1m, an 8 per cent increase over first quarter 2021, with EBITDA (excluding exceptional items) up by 7.3 per cent at €213.1m and net profit ahead by 3 per cent at €74.7m. Vopak notes that this improvement in results was achieved despite volatile market conditions, driven by contributions from recent growth projects and good performance in the Americas, which offset “particularly challenging” market conditions in Europe. In particular, Vopak’s oil storage facilities in the Netherlands experienced low occupancy, pushing overall occupancy rates down from 86

Netherlands came in at €98.6m, down from €105.1m a year earlier, with Vopak’s Europe & Africa division posting a 3 per cent decline in revenues at €136.7m. By contrast, the Americas, Asia & Middle East and China & North Asia divisions all saw improvements in income and EBITDA, though growth in Singapore was particularly sluggish. During the quarter, Vopak added a total of 44,500 m3 of new tank capacity at its terminals in Altamira, Mexico and Deer Park, Texas. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE Looking ahead, Vopak is progressing rapidly

Netherlands. Key customer Uniper is to increase its capacity rights this coming October and, in light of increasing demand overall, the partners are on track to expand send-out capacity by October 2024. In addition, they are currently investigating if capacity can be expanded further in the short term, to help improve gas supply security during the current conflict in Ukraine. Vopak is also working with Gasunie, alongside HES International, on the ACE Terminal project, that involves construction of a green ammonia import terminal in Rotterdam (see page 18 for more details). Vopak is continuing with its long-running strategic review of its more conventional terminal network, following the divestment of a number of sites in recent years. However, following a strategic review of its assets in Australia, the company now says it will retain them and continue to operate the terminals, adding: “The Australian market is solid and will continue to support the cash flow generation of Vopak.” Vopak has two wholly owned facilities in Australia: a 476,400-m3 petroleum terminal in Sydney to supply the local market; and a 173,600-m3 site in Darwin in the north of the country, which handles petroleum products, chemicals and vegoils. On the other hand, Vopak has agreed to sell four terminals in Canada in a deal which, subject to customary closing conditions, will generate some €116m in proceeds, which will be used to pay down debt. The four sites, all wholly owned, include two in Montral, one in Quebec City and one in Hamilton, Ontario, with a combined capacity of 782,600 m3 for petroleum products, chemicals and vegoils. The deal does not include Vopak’s 30 per cent shareholding in the Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal (RIPET). Vopak expects to spend a total of below €300m on new growth projects this year, on existing committed projects, new business

per cent in the fourth quarter 2021 to 84 per cent. First quarter revenues in the

with its plans to be in a position to play a major role in the energy transition. It notes that the Gate LNG terminal in Rotterdam, a joint venture with Gasunie, “continues to play a key role in the security of natural gas supplies in north-west Europe,” supplying around one quarter of the gas needs of the

developments and feasibility studies in new energies. It also plans to invest up to €45m on further developing its IT systems, with the aim of completing the roll-out of its Vopak Terminal System to its entire network by the end of 2023. www.vopak.com

EYES ON THE ROAD RESULTS •VOPAK HAS MADE A GOOD START TO WHAT IS CLEARLY A VOLATILE YEAR WHILE IT PRESSES AHEAD WITH PLANS TO FACILITATE THE ENERGY TRANSITION AND INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES

 VOPAK HAS STARTED 2022 ON A FIRM FOOTING AS IT PREPARES FOR SOME MAJOR CHANGES AHEAD

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

STORAGE TERMINALS 25

NEWS BULLETIN

STORAGE TERMINALS

The deal, expected to complete by the end of the second quarter, will give Tristar a majority holding in a portfolio of oil storage, distribution and retail assets and add more than 3m m3 of fuel storage capacity. www.tristar-group.co KOOLE BUILDS FOR MARVESA

SANTOS THE SITE FOR HYDROGEN

Stolthaven Terminals has signed an MOU with the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex, a joint venture formed by the Ceará State Government in Brazil and the Port of Rotterdam, to study the feasibility of the construction of a new storage terminal for the export of green hydrogen and associated products from Brazil to the Netherlands. According to Stolthaven, the area around Pecém offers “huge potential” for the generation of wind and solar power, which will be fundamental to the production of green hydrogen. The plans include a bonded storage facility for ammonia. “Our teams from Pecém and Stolt are already working on technical studies that will allow us to advance on the viability of the project’s deployment in the Pecém port terminal area,” says Danilo Serpa, CEO of Pecém Industrial and Port Complex. Marcelo T Schmitt, general manager of Stolthaven Santos, adds: “Stolthaven Santos is committed to supporting the global energy transition, moving away from the reliance on

fossil fuels to greener energy sources. Our expertise in running state-of-the-art terminals, together with our sustainability commitment and values that are shared with our partners make this a very exciting opportunity.” www.stolt-nielsen.com ETT BUILDS FOR BIO

Euro Tank Terminal (ETT), VTTI’s Rotterdam facility, has expanded capacity by 96,000 m3 with the addition of six new tanks (above), designed to be able to support the energy transition by blending bio components. The expansion takes capacity at ETT up to close to 1.4m m3, handling a range of products from crude oil to chemicals. www.vtti.com TRISTAR INVESTS IN TERMINALS

Tristar Transport has agreed to take 51 per cent stake in HG Storage International in a $215m deal with HNA-backed Madison Pacific Trust; the existing joint venture partner, Glencore, will retain its 49 per cent interest.

Koole Terminals is to build 150,000 m3 of new capacity for its client Marvesa, a leading producer of edible oils and fats for the animal feed industry, at its Botlek site in Rotterdam. This is in addition to 80,000 m3 built for Marvesa at Koole Tankstorage Botlek in 2020. “This expansion of the terminal with Marvesa, which we are very proud of, marks a further diversification of our product portfolio, and integrated and innovative service offerings,” says Michiel Flier, terminal manager. “The design of the cutting-edge terminal complies with all the latest safety and hygienic standards and codes, and will set a new standard in our industry.” The first tanks have already been installed and Koole is building the operational organisation, using its Koole Academy to help develop current and new employees. Full operation of the site is expected within a year. koole.com PETREDEC TAKES CONTROL

Petredec intends to buy out its partner in the joint venture project to develop a 34,000-tonne LPG import facility in Krishnapatnam, Andra Pradesh, India. National Gas Company Oman (SAOG), which has a 60 per cent shareholding in the venture, is refocusing its business development efforts following the challenging conditions over the past year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; Petredec will buy that share and become sole owner and operator of the terminal.

WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

Petredec reports that the project is in its final development stage with construction expected to be completed during the third quarter, prior to its commissioning. “Given our belief in the growth opportunities for LPG in India, we welcome the opportunity to continue as sole shareholder in the Krishnapatnam terminal and are now focused on the completion of the project, launching operations and exploring additional opportunities in India,” says Giles Fearn, Petredec Group CEO. www.petredec.com AEGIS BUYS IN KANDLA

Aegis Logistics has agreed to acquire some 500,000 m3 of liquid tank terminal capacity in the port of Kandla, India from Friends Group for around $34.5m cash. The acquisition fits Aegis’s strategy of developing a ‘necklace of terminals’ around the coast of India and strengthens the company’s presence in the country’s major liquids handling ports. Kandla is India’s largest liquids port. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals and is expected to close by the end of June. www.aegisindia.com NAVIGATOR IN THE BLACK

Navigator Terminals is to expand bitumen storage and handling capacity in the Teesside area in north-east England, under an expanded agreement with TotalEnergies. Navigator plans to install additional ancillary equipment and new tankage, due onstream in 2023. “Extending our relationship with Navigator, a key business partner, is a natural step,” says Alex Grant, general manager, bitumen at TotalEnergies. “This long-term commitment will allow us to create an additional supply point, expanding our footprint and complementing our existing positions. It will give us further flexibility and security in our supply chain. This move demonstrates our planning for the long term and our commitment to the market and to our clients.” www.navigatorterminals.com

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

COMBINING IN FLANDERS

The ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge have completed their merger, first announced in February 2021, with the new Port of AntwerpBruges aiming to become a world port that reconciles economy, people and climate, and create Europe’s largest export port. The combined entity provides some 74,000 direct and 90,000 indirect jobs and contributes added value of nearly €21bn – some 4.5 per cent of Belgium’s GDP. The unified port plans to further strengthen its position in the international logistics chain, take a leading role in the energy and digital transition, and at the same time create sustainable added value for society as a whole - not just for the area of of Antwerp (above) and Zeebrugge, but also for all possible stakeholders in the wider national and international region. “The unified port is not only the economic engine of Flanders but, together, the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge will also form the largest export port, largest throughput port for

vehicles, and the leading chemical hub in Europe,” says Annick de Ridder, vice-mayor of the city of Antwerp and president of the board of directors of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. “At the same time, Port of Antwerp-Bruges has major ambitions to become the energy gateway to Europe as a ‘green port’.“ The combination of Antwerp’s position as the second largest petrochemical cluster in the world and the coastal position of Zeebrugge provides a unique opportunity to take a leading role in the roll-out of the hydrogen economy. By 2028, Port of AntwerpBruges plans to have the capacity to receive the first green hydrogen molecules on its platform. To this end, it is working to expand terminal capacity for existing and new hydrogen carriers at both port sites. A hydrogen pipeline between the two sites and towards the European hinterland will ensure that the port area as a whole and, by extension, Belgium and a large part of Europe, can make use of this important carrier for renewable energy. www.portofantwerpbruges.com

Issue 10

Summer 2022

I N N OVAT I O N A N D E VO L U T I O N : I N C O N V E R S AT I O N WITH PETER D AV I D S O N

The quarterly magazine from the Tank Storage Association

Also in this issue, we explore environmental protection defence, the tank storage sector’s outlook to 2030 and the Bulk Liquids Technician Training apprenticeship.

Tank storage provides an essential interface between sea, road, rail and pipeline logistics.

Page 10

Insight is published by the Tank Storage Association, the voice of the UK’s bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector. To contact the editorial team, please email info@ tankstorage.org.uk TSA Insight Team Peter Davidson, Jamie Walker, Nunzia Florio CONNECT WITH US @UK_TSA Tank Storage Association TSA @uk_tsa

CONTACT Tank Storage Association Devonshire Business Centre Works Road Letchworth Garden City Herts. SG6 1GJ United Kingdom Telephone: 01462 488232 www.tankstorage.org.uk

TSA has used reasonable endevours to ensure that the information provided in this magazine is accurate and up to date. TSA disclaims all liability to the maximum extent permitted by law in relation to the magazine and does not give any warranties (including any statutory ones) in relation to its content. Any copying, redistribution or republication of the TSA magazine(s), or the content thereof, for commercial gain is strictly prohibited unless permission is sought in writing from TSA. Claims by advertisers within this magazine are not necessarily those endorsed by TSA. TSA acknowledges all trademarks and licensees.

Peter Davidson Executive Director, TSA Welcome to the summer issue of Insight. As we look to 2030 and beyond, it is clear that the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector has a key role to play in decarbonisation efforts. A recent report by the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies notes that the medium-term will be characterised by the simultaneous decrease in demand for fossil fuels and increase in the use of low-carbon energy carriers. This will require our sector to both balance strains on demand for legacy liquids in a declining market while addressing a growing demand for alternatives. To support the supply chain, never has there been a more crucial time than now to focus on skills development and training needs for our industry. There is also a constant push for innovation: a critical input for change. I hope you enjoy this new edition of Insight and don’t forget to follow us on social media for all our latest news.

Contents

In Focus 2022 Tank Storage Conference & Exhibition.

Temporary VRU replacement with ENDEGS – safe and efficient Using ENDEGS vapor combustion service for the VRU replacement ensures continuous productivity without any negative impact to emissions or safety.

Strategic growth opportunities with UM Terminals UM Terminals’ customers include some of the world’s largest corporates. The company currently has a small number of opportunities for new customers. Innovation and evolution: in conversation with Peter Davidson TSA’s Executive Director, Peter Davidson, discusses innovation and evolution in the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector.

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Your first, second and third line of environmental protection defence Shirley Miles, Head of Environmental Protection at Adler and Allan, discusses the benefits of partnering with a trusted environmental protection provider. Steel pipeline products: specifications and dimensions Inverurie based TSA Associate Member, JBP, has produced a pocket size technical guide for pipe, fittings, flanges, valves, stud bolts and gaskets. CATCH is looking ahead to 2030 and beyond CATCH has led cluster engagement in the UK’s Humber and Yorkshire region for over 20 years and is now set to build on this success with a look ahead to 2030 and beyond.

Safety starts with Dantec Dantec stands for key values such as responsibility, continuity, the spirit of innovation and flexibility in thought and action.

WSG confirms launch of new inspection division WSG offers a unique service that combines NDT with internal and external UAV inspections for swift data acquisition and condition reporting.

European tank storage in global supply chains: outlook to 2030 The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies has published its third report on European tank storage in global supply chains.

Specialist risk management consultancy As your risk partner, RAS Ltd’s job is to make sure you are protected.

News:

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Online meetings and webinars challenged our model of face-

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The Tank Storage Association has launched a new Instagram account. Stay up-to-date with all our latest news by connecting with us @uk_tsa.

TSA’s Energy Transition Charter is available at www.tankstorage. org.uk/publications

of the following meetings will take place online.

Epudae doleste cullit liae lati tem fugia dellame niendic tem inum voluptam et optatur rempos nimet et May officit,2022: totatem utas conse nost • 26 TSAquaepudist Customs & qui accus dolupis rehentis res aut inimet acest, qui Excise Expert Committee nemporpos adipidus ea volupta quaecti optam • 7 June 2022: TSA Energy fugitae quaesto tatquid endelia acia volor re, sanisit Transition Committee hicia aut rem quiandae vent quae eum quaspere • 28 2022: Council plam quiJune omniet a TSA net aut et rem. Tem asperov • 30 June 2022: TSA HR itatioreptam essundesti dolorum re dereicate doluptatibus int de nos volenis volo mo blaboribus Committee dolorumque dus excearuptio. Maximpero vel moluptatusa dolupta eperrum qui volupta simusciis For more information on TSA’s archica boribus maio. Et asimi, corepelis porerum meetings, write to info@tankstorage. etur, volorunt ipsanda epeles iundis que debitiam org.uk eum quoditatus eveniationse nim fugitis di rest ut ommoluptat odis arum nossit velendus etur?

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In focus

2022 Tank Storage Conference & Exhibition The Tank Storage Association’s Conference & Exhibition will return to the Coventry Building Society Arena on Thursday 22 September 2022. The UK’s flagship event for the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector provides one of the best opportunities for anyone interested in effective and safe bulk liquid storage operations to come together to share knowledge and network. The conference programme will once again feature top keynote speakers from regulators and industry, as well as subject experts offering delegates thought-provoking discussions and thorough analyses on a range of key industry issues. Delegates will get the chance to delve deeper into up-to-the-minute topics relevant to the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector, including the energy transition, Net Zero priorities, demand trends and supply infrastructure, and much more. Peter Davidson, Executive Director of the Tank Storage Association, said: “This year’s event allows us to consider latest innovations and developments in the bulk liquid storage industry, while also highlighting our focus on the future of the sector in the journey to climate neutrality. Our industry has a key role to play in the energy

transition and beyond, and is already active in a number of areas that will drive success going forward. For example, with regard to transport, it is widely accepted that future solutions will encompass a wide range of

technologies. Low-carbon liquid fuels will play an essential part for sectors that have limitations in using electricity directly, such as long-distance heavyduty transport, aviation and shipping. The tank storage sector also has a vital role to play in unlocking the potential of hydrogen which is fast emerging as a potential energy solution for a range of transport modes, including large goods vehicles, where it is proving difficult to meaningfully reduce emissions. The Conference & Exhibition will provide us with an opportunity to hear from a panel of renowned experts about the challenges and opportunities for our sector against a complex and evolving landscape.” Registration is now open for delegates. Exhibitors can book a stand by visiting the TSA’s website at www.tankstorage. org.uk/ conference-exhibition. For those looking to elevate their presence further, sponsorships packages are also available. The TSA looks forward to welcoming members, exhibitors and delegates on 22 September 2022. To stay connected until then, please schedule a call with our conference organisers on 01462 488232 or write to tsa@tankstorage.org.uk. For all the latest news and updates, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. For more information about the event and an agenda, visit https://tankstorage. org.uk/ conference-exhibition/

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TEMPORARY VRU REPLACEMENT WITH ENDEGS – SAFE AND EFFICIENT

apor recovery units (VRU) and vapor treatment systems (VPS) are used to treat and remove vapors and pollutants in refineries and tank farms. They need to be inspected regularly to ensure their functionality – a process that means a downtime for the VRU. But what to do during downtimes caused by maintenance or malfunction as a facility without a vapor recovery unit is not suitable to operate? During such downtimes, ENDEGS’ mobile vapor combustion units (VCU) can be used to replace a VRU temporarily and treat the vapors in its stead. This ensures that the operations of our customers are not interrupted. We offer vapor recovery unit replacement services for the road, rail and ship industries. VRU replacement is part of the emissions-free degassing of a wide range of processing facilities we offer our customers. Our mobile VCUs guarantee a safe and efficient degassing process for, among others, tanks, sea vessels, barges and pipelines during decommissioning, maintenance and loading activities.

Using ENDEGS vapor combustion service for the VRU replacement ensures continuous productivity without any negative impact to emissions or safety.

Kai Sievers, CEO, ENDEGS Group

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During a VRU replacement, the ENDEGS mobile combustion unit is able to process the vapors from the loading procedure without noise, open fire or odor. Our highly skilled operators monitor the process and ensure the security of everyone involved. Using ENDEGS vapor combustion service for the VRU replacement ensures continuous productivity without any negative impact to emissions or safety. We further guarantee a reliable operation, low noise and no visible flame. Our technology also complies to safety standards and is conforming to emission regulations. Leveraging the ENDEGS installation, 0,096 kg of vapors were emitted per day during the VRU replacement for a truck loading facility – instead of almost 2.000 kg daily without the technology. Combusting with ENDEGS therefore produces more than 20.000 times less emissions than venting in the air. VRU replacement in long-term projects One of our clients contracted us for the VRU replacement in a truck loading facility. This way, we kept the truck loading station in operation and prevented a shutdown of the refinery. The area covered seven connected loading stations with approximately 340 truck loadings per day. The VRU replacement project for this customer lasted three months until the maintenance of the system was completed and

VRU replacement

the VRU resumed its work. The equipment we used for this project contained a mobile VCU of the type E-5VT with combustion power of 5 MW and a mobile piping system (95 mm). We further used several accessories like valves, curves (60° and 90°) and t-pieces and a mobile flame arrestor. In another project, we replaced the broken VRU system for a facility so our customer was able to continue with the loading of rail cars. This VRU replacement lasted for six months. Ship degassing

During this time, 22 rail cars had to be filled weekly. Every train had a capacity of 2.200 m3, the tanks contained Ethanol. We used a E-5VT mobile combustion unit with 5 MW combustion power for the VRU replacement. Further equipment included a 40 m mobile piping system, valves, curves, t-pieces and a mobile flame arrestor. Mobile degassing with ENDEGS Our mobile plug & play system enables a safe, sustainable and

efficient degassing process. ENDEGS has developed the world’s first fully-equipped trailer-based and mobile vapor combustion unit. With our highly advanced and unique units, we can guarantee a combustion rate of almost 100 % – regardless of what gases, gas mixtures or vapors need to be burnt. Our solution is absolutely safe – for the people working around it, for the facilities of our customers and, last but not least, for the environment and neighborhood. The installation time of our VCUs is reduced to a minimum as they are mobile and autonomously operated. Thus, we have everything we need right on site. Furthermore, there is no need for customer’s participation in the process and a low impact on their daily business as production and processes in the facility can continue – downtimes are reduced to a necessary minimum. This makes the service offered by ENDEGS very cost- and time-efficient. ENDEGS operates in a wide range of industries: oil & gas, chemistry, marine & shipping, fertilizer, food and automotive. Our technology is specifically developed to meet the special needs of these industries. Our mobile units can burn all kinds of gases, gas compounds and vapors of the hazard groups IIA, IIB and, more recently, IIC. For more information, visit www. endegs.com

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S T R AT E G I C G R OW T H OPPORTUNITIES WITH UM TERMINALS

UM Terminals’ customers include some of the world’s largest corporates.

Bryan Davies. Managing Director, UM Terminals

M Terminals, one of the UK’s leading bulk liquid storage specialists, prides itself on building long-term relationships with customers.

The company operates out of 8 terminals, strategically located across the UK, with a current capacity of over 300,000 cubic metres of bulk liquid storage.

Vic Brodrick, Commercial Director at UM Terminals, said: “We are in discussions with several potential customers who are attracted by the economies of scale provided by tanks of this size and the proximity to deep water. It is highly unusual for UM Terminals to have tanks of this nature coming available.”

“We pride ourselves on building longterm relationships with our clients, many of whom are large blue chips, enabling them to deliver their strategic plans. The tanks we have coming available would suit a company that is seeking to make a key strategic move or supply chain change.”

tanks

“We very much see this as a partnership as we will be investing to ensure that the tanks meet the needs of any new customer, while they will be choosing UM Terminals as part of a broader strategic growth plan. Liverpool is a fantastic location, not only for the deep water facilities, but also the excellent road connections to and from the city region. One of our key strengths is the great relationship we have with the Port of Liverpool, which is rightly recognised as one of the leading ports in the world.”

available at Gladstone Dock, each 13,200m3, while Regent Road has two tanks available, each 10,750m3. All the tanks are of carbon steel construction, have heating available and, crucially,

UM Terminals maintains a broad portfolio of around 40 products that it stores including vegetable oils, industrial, food and feed, chemical,

UM Terminals’ customers include some of the world’s largest corporates, many of whom have depended upon the Liverpoolheadquartered business to meet their bulk liquid storage requirements over a long period. The company currently has a small number of opportunities for new customers at its Liverpool sites at Gladstone Dock and Regent Road. There

are located next to deep water at the Port of Liverpool. They will be available from later this year.

are

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fertiliser, fuels, biofuels and base oils. UM Terminals is also accredited for FSSC 22000, the certification scheme for Food Safety Management Systems, for Regent Road and its Gladstone Dock sites, while it is Halal and Kosher certified at Regent Road. Every site is also ISO9001 accredited, while terminals handling hazardous liquids are COMAH compliant. The business has customer centricity at the heart of its operations and continues to invest in delivering the best possible customer service through its dedicated Client Central Services team which is based at the Regent Road terminal. Headed by Client Central Services Manager Lynn McCoy, the service integrates all weighbridge and administration from across UM’s 8 terminals. A dedicated portal gives clients instant access to essential weighbridge documentation and current stock levels for each tank. They also have a secure log-in and can access their data 24/7, 365 days a year via a desktop, tablet or mobile device. UM Terminals is part of the United Molasses Group, whose history dates back almost 100 years, and is led by CEO Ben Macer.

storage of bulk molasses in 1911 at Victoria Dock in Hull where today UM Terminals has terminals at Hull West and Hull East. UM Terminals aims to increase its storage capability to around 400,000 cubic metres as part of its own strategic growth plan. This will result from maximising its existing UK capability and, where appropriate, expanding existing terminals. The business is also optimising the assets of the wider UM Group and its network of facilities in Europe, while also actively looking for acquisition targets that would be a good fit with the current UM Terminals offer. Bryan Davies, UM Terminals’ Managing Director, said: “We are working on some exciting opportunities at the present time and one of our key objectives is to identify clients for the tanks we have available. For the right customer, looking for a longterm partnership, we will invest to ensure that the facilities they take on are of the highest possible standard and capable of meeting their own strategic growth goals.” For more information, visit www. umterminals.co.uk

UM’s founder, Michael KroyerKeilberg, was involved in bulk liquid storage even earlier than this – he constructed his first tank for the

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I N N OVAT I O N A N D E VO L U T I O N : I N C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H P E T E R D AV I D S O N

TSA’s Executive Director, Peter Davidson, discusses innovation and evolution in the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector.

Peter Davidson. Executive

he Tank Storage Association (TSA) represents the interests of over 60 member companies engaged in bulk storage, energy infrastructure and the provision of products and services to the sector. Collectively, its members operate 302 terminals and distribution hubs in the UK and have over 11 million cubic metres of storage capacity in the UK and Republic of Ireland. TSA’s members provide and support an essential interface between sea, road, rail and pipeline logistics for many different substances including transport and heating fuels, chemicals, animal feed and foodstuffs.

Director, TSA

Storage capacity is a strategic asset and the availability of reliable and cost-effective infrastructure supports the competitive position of the energy, manufacturing, agricultural and food industries. Tell us more about the role of the sector in this context. The bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector plays a vital role in providing services that are critical to the UK consumer. This includes the blending and transformation

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of substances to meet the diverse needs of both industry and the public in a safe and cost-effective way. For example, the UK is a netimporter of aviation fuel and diesel. It also imports approximately 30% of the gasoline used domestically. All imported products are imported by ship. Against this background, it is also important to note that many of the strategic terminals in the UK, around 22, are designated by Government as Critical National Infrastructure due to their importance in providing energy to industrial, transport and defence markets. Storage capacity also includes strategic reserves held for emergencies and supply disruptions. TSA members operate around 11 million m3 storage capacity of liquid bulk. Approximately 60-65% of liquids that are stored are hydrocarbons, 35% of products are chemicals, which are used, for instance, for the production of pharmaceuticals and vaccines, as well as edible oils, acids and animal feeds for the agri-food sector. A small percentage is made up of crude oil. Liquid storage terminals also improve the flexibility of the entire supply chain and its ability to respond to market fluctuations by helping to balance out supply and demand and ensuring that critical liquids are supplied when they are needed in the quantities required. With regard to strategic stocks, the UK for example, as a member of the International Energy Agency, is bound by International Energy Agency oil stocking obligations for 90 days of net imports of oil both held

in tanks, or national tickets on stock. These strategic reserves ensure that recovery is possible during periods of disruption in supply and provide stability to the global oil market. And we are certainly an essential part of this. Bulk storage companies are also an essential part of commodity trading. Tell us more. Tank storage is an essential part of commodity trading. Storage terminals improve the flexibility of the entire supply chain. Terminals may either store single products or multiple products within a single facility and can provide supplementary services such as blending, packaging, canning, drum filling, water treatment and analysis, warehousing, as well as bonded facilities for duty suspended products. Terminal operations are present throughout the world. However, storage hubs have become established in Europe – representing 30% of the world capacity for bulk liquid storage - the United States, Middle East and Asia to provide the necessary storage required for global commerce in bulk liquids. These vital facilities also provide greater resilience within the supply chain by ensuring flexibility to meet demand, particularly in periods where domestic supplies of transport fuels cannot be guaranteed. In the run up to COP26 last year, the UK Government set out its new

strategy for Net Zero. Tell us more about the role of the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector in supporting the Government’s ambitious targets. The UK’s ‘Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener’1 aligns with emissions targets of net zero by 2050 and a 78% reduction in GHGs from 1990 to 2035, including international aviation and shipping. It further includes commitments such as that to fully decarbonise electricity generation by 2035, to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and for all cars to be fully zero-emissions capable by 2035. Funding to kick-start the UK hydrogen economy is also included along with support for two industrial clusters. The Tank Storage Association has been clear and vocal about the vital role of the sector in the energy transition. In this context, with regard to transport for example, it is widely accepted that future solutions will encompass a wide range of technologies. Lowcarbon liquid fuels will play an essential part for sectors that have limitations in using electricity directly, such as long-distance heavy-duty transport, aviation and shipping. The tank storage sector also has a vital role to play in unlocking the potential of hydrogen which is fast emerging as a potential energy solution for a range of transport modes, including large goods vehicles, where it is proving difficult to meaningfully reduce emissions. The decarbonisation of heat also brings its own set of

challenges for the bulk liquid storage sector. The UK government has recorded its commitment to fully decarbonise heating in homes and businesses by 2050. In 2018, the residential buildings were responsible for about 15% of total GHG emissions, with consumption dominated by gas. 6% of heat demand was met by renewables2, and less than 2% from district heating. Fuel oil is also used to heat homes and businesses that are ‘off-grid’ and not connected to the gas transmission network. Suppliers and distributers of domestic and commercial heating fuels will also play an important part in meeting the UK’s net zero goals by providing liquid biofuels for homes and businesses across the country. For the tank storage sector, this may mean infrastructure upgrades, such as new tankage and loading arm facilities. Hydrogen may also play a part in helping to reduce carbon emissions in the context of domestic heating. Against this background, the TSA has recently formally launched its new a new Energy Transition Charter3 affirming the sector’s shared commitment to supporting the achievement of the UK’s climate neutrality targets. The Energy Transition Charter has been developed in conjunction with our member companies and is accompanied by strategic commitments to encourage leadership, innovation, skills development, promotion and engagement in this area. Our members are committed to leading

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in the journey to Net Zero and, with efforts already underway, the Charter is very much aimed at highlighting our sector’s ambitions to seize future opportunities. What we are also clear about is that an effective transition to alternative energy sources will be made possible by close collaboration with Government, regulators, partners and other stakeholders. What are the challenges in maintaining safe operations through the Energy Transition? As industry changes and the breadth of products and services provided by terminals evolve, careful consideration needs to be given to how safety can continue to be effectively managed, protecting both people and the environment. There is a need to consider new energy carriers and how these can be safely imported, stored, and exported, and importantly ensure that workforce competency is aligned with these new challenges. As a leading member of the COMAH Strategic Forum, Process Safety Forum, Chemical and Downstream Oil Industries Forum, and several Energy Institute technical committees, TSA is at the centre of these discussions. Through our dedicated Safety and Technical Committees, we continue to positively engage in the development of new guidance and standards to safeguard our people, the environment and our assets.

order to improve efficiency, while maintaining and improving safety for both people and the environment. Traditionally, bulk liquid storage terminals have not been heavily manned and, as such, rely on automation. It is therefore within the context of maintaining and improving safety that many new technologies are developing – particularly with regards to inspection, removing people from potentially hazardous environments. Remote robotic and drone inspection is becoming more common, and it is likely that this will expand into other tasks, such as small repairs and analysis. Augmented reality is also likely to become more commonplace in the training of personnel, particularly in relation to safety critical tasks.

For more information, visit www. tankstorage.org.uk. References 1. ‘Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener’, available: https:// w w w. g o v. u k /g o v e r n m e n t / publications/net-zero-strategy 2. ‘BEIS, ‘Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES)’ 3. ‘TSA Energy Transition Charter’, available: https://tankstorage. org.uk/publications/

What is the role of new technologies such as automation and AI in the bulk storage industry? Bulk liquid storage operators are continually seeking to innovate in

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Government publishes British Energy Security Strategy In April, the UK Government published its Energy Security Strategy setting out the government’s plans to scale up the development of a range of energy technologies including wind, solar, hydrogen and new nuclear, while supporting near-term production of domestic oil and gas, on a path to ensuring 95% of electricity by 2030 is low carbon. In confirming its support for lowcarbon nuclear projects, the strategy sees a significant increase in nuclear reactors, with an ambition for around 25% of the country’s projected electricity demand to be met by nuclear power by 2050 and plans to triple civil nuclear capacity to 24GW to achieve that. A new body, the Great British Nuclear Vehicle, will be established this year to support prospective nuclear projects “through every stage of the development process” and to develop “a resilient pipeline of new builds”. With regard to hydrogen, the government plans to boost production to 10GW by 2030, with at least half coming from with at least half coming from electrolytic hydrogen. Plans also include designing, by 2025, new business models for hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure. A hydrogen certification scheme is also to be set up by 2025.

in pursuit of its net zero emissions targets, while addressing the need to reduce dependence on overseas supplies in the shorter term. To that end, a licensing round for new North Sea oil and gas projects is planned to be launched in Autumn by the North Sea Transition Authority. The government will also look to boost the current 14GW of solar capacity, expecting a five-fold increase in deployment by 2035, and will be consulting on the rules for solar projects, particularly on domestic and commercial rooftops. In addition, a revised target of 50GW from 40GW has been set for increasing the capacity of power that could be generated from offshore wind by 2030. Over the same period, the revised target for floating wind is up to 5GW, having previously been set at 1GW. For more information on the white paper, building on the Prime Minister’s ‘Ten point plan for a green industrial revolution’, and the ‘Net zero strategy’, visit https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/britishenergy-security-strategy. For a copy of the government’s Net Zero strategy, visit https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/netzero-strategy.

The strategy also sets out how the government plans to reduce Britain’s use of oil and gas in the long-term,

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YO U R F I R S T, S E C O N D AND THIRD LINE OF E N V I R O N M E N TA L PROTECTION DEFENCE

Shirley Miles, Head of Environmental Protection at Adler and Allan, discusses the benefits of partnering with a trusted environmental protection provider.

our primary (tank), secondary (bund) and tertiary (separator) containment systems are your first, second and third line of defence against environmental pollution. Regular asset maintenance is essential to keep all pollution prevention equipment working at optimum efficiency, safeguarding operations handling and storing oil or other hazardous materials. Shirley Miles, Head of Environmental Protection at Adler and Allan, discusses how partnering with a trusted environmental protection provider can help you implement the standards correctly to ensure your critical infrastructure remains compliant.

What does the law say? Two of the key pieces of legislation that could land you in hot water if you don’t properly maintain your primary, secondary and tertiary containment: •

The Water Resources Act 1991 states that ‘It is an offence to cause or knowingly permit any

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•

poisonous, noxious or polluting material, or any solid waste to enter any controlled water’. Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 state that ‘It is an offence to cause or knowingly permit a water discharge activity or a groundwater activity without an environmental permit’.

A pollution incident because of a poorly maintained asset or inadequate containment is a strict liability offence and failure to adhere to standards and good practice guidance is a key factor in considering enforcement action. The onus is on operators to demonstrate compliance with regulation to reduce the risk of a pollution incident. A robust asset maintenance programme is essential for providing the information needed for service log scrutiny in the event of an incident or during routine environmental inspections. The implications of failing to adequately protect the environment range from environmental, legal, financial, and reputational. There has also been a marked increase in the level of fines over the last decade, especially for large companies. In certain circumstances, senior officers of offending businesses have been held personally liable. CIRIA C736 is applicable to the containment of a wide range of

Primary containment

inventories and to all sizes of sites from small commercial premises with a single storage tank, through to large chemical or petrochemical sites as well as warehouses storing hazardous substances. Primary (tank) guidelines Primary containment is the most important means of preventing major pollution incidents and includes equipment in direct contact with the substances being stored such as tanks, vessels, pipework, valves, and pumps as well as equipment that prevents the loss of contaminants under abnormal conditions. Tanks are subject to various regulations, standards, and good practice guidance, from COMAH, BS EN 14015:2004, EEMUA, API 650, and the Oil Storage Regulations, depending on the contents and tank material. You should carry out routine inspection and maintenance of containers and keep a record of when and who carried out the work. You should always look out for any signs of damage or interference to your tank or pipework, ensuring repairs are carried out immediately by a competent, qualified technician.

Tertiary containment

As well as a weekly visual check, you should use a qualified technician to carry out a detailed annual inspection and service of your storage facilities, including: • checking the condition of tank surfaces and supports for pipework

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•

checking the condition and operation of pipework and fittings removing and disposing of any condensation water or sludge in your tank

diagnosis of issues. The cutting-edge approach also bypasses the cost of removing tank lids, as well as the health and safety risks of traditional man-entry inspections.

You should receive a report about your tank which details any faults that must be fixed before you can continue to use your storage tank. Qualified technicians should be a member of a professional scheme for qualified tank installers, such as the Petroleum Equipment Installers and Maintenance Federation (PEIMF), Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association (EEMUA), or the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC).

NDT testing against API standards Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) analysis methods evaluate the quality of materials, fabrication, and integrity of tanks, pipelines, and wells, without destroying their serviceability. Various techniques are employed including fibre optic, ultrasonic, and magnetic flux leakage to scale tank walls and deliver precise views of confined spaces and hard-to-reach or remotely accessed areas. Degradation, corrosion, weaknesses, and welding defects are identified before damage occurs, avoiding unexpected repair costs.

•

Proactive tank maintenance Tank audits and inspections Using the latest high-pressure or ultrasonic technology, skilled engineers and specialist welders test for leaks and structural concerns, repair faulty tanks, and provide full follow-up documentation. Inspection and reporting services should be compliant with EEMUA Level 2, API and NDT standards and cover tanks used for fuel, water, chemical, and food storage. Adler and Allan’s proprietary, ultrasensitive, ATEX Zone 1 AdlerView™ camera can be used to remotely inspect and clean fuel tanks – both above and below ground – from a van positioned up to 50 metres away. You receive a full report and video of your inspection and a faster, more exact

Tank lining Effective tank linings protect against deterioration and resist water and chemicals, keeping your assets performing for the long term. Glassreinforced plastic is a resilient internal tank lining solution that offers a seamless, ceramic-like finish to confine even the most aggressive substances – ideal for bunded chemical tanks. Tank cleaning Specialist tank cleaners employ proven man-entry and non-manentry techniques including gamma jetting, 360⁰ cleaning heads, and state-of-the-art robotic systems to

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tackle requirements such as changes of stored product, contamination, deterioration, decommissioning, transportation, or standard upkeep. Secondary (bund) guidelines A bund is a facility (including walls and a base) built around an area where potentially polluting materials are handled, processed, or stored, for the purposes of containing any unintended escape of material from that area until such time as remedial action can be taken. The Containment of Bulk Hazardous Liquids at COMAH Establishments containment policy supporting guidance for secondary containment states that: All above-ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) should be bunded to provide secondary containment. • Bunds shall be subject to a routine and periodic inspection and certification regime by a competent person regarding their condition and performance. • During the inspection operators would be asked to provide demonstration of inspection criteria and inspection procedures. This should include both routine inspection and periodic detailed review that the structure remains fit for purpose. • Bund wall and floor construction and penetration joints should be leak-tight. Surfaces should be free from any cracks, discontinuities and joint failures that may allow

•

relatively unhindered liquid trans-boundary migration. As a priority, existing bunds should be checked, and any damage or disrepair, which may render the structure less than leak-tight, should be remedied.

Proactive bund maintenance Regular inspection and cleaning are key to an effective bund maintenance programme, ensuring that your secondary containment system is structurally sound and free of contaminants.

Bund audit Working with a qualified person to train your engineers or carry out routine and periodic inspections of your bund’s condition and performance means defects can often be identified at an early stage and addressed before they become more significant and compromise the integrity. Inspections will be carried out in line with CIRIA C736 Containment systems. Bund cleaning Powerful vacuums extract water or leaked tank contents, before the entire structure is jet washed to achieve a complete clean, even in the most confined, inaccessible spaces. All breached volatile or toxic liquids – such as acids, inflammables, and dangerous chemicals – should be safely removed and treated, leaving the bund clear, functional, and riskfree.

Bund lining Because many bunds were constructed more than 20 years ago from porous brick or concrete, a high number require regular reinforcement to perform at their best. Adler and Allan’s polyurea AdlerCoat™ technology provides a cost effective, durable and hard-wearing bund lining, with water, chemical, oil, and solvent resistance protecting the environment and your assets against deterioration, degradation, and structural weakness. Tertiary Containment (separator) guidelines Tertiary containment measures minimise the consequences of a major incident that causes the failure of or exceeds the storage capacity of secondary containment and enables additional measures to be deployed in time if an incident escalates. Separators can form an integral part of a tertiary containment strategy. They are designed to trap harmful light liquids before they enter the surrounding area. Regular separator maintenance is essential to keep all pollution prevention equipment working at optimum efficiency. Separator maintenance, including separator cleaning, also provides the information needed for service log scrutiny during environmental inspections. The current standard by which separators should be operated and maintained, is BS EN 858-2:2003 Separator systems for light liquids

(e.g. oil and petrol), it states separators should: • Be fitted with an automatic warning device/high level alarm. • Be serviced and maintained as a minimum on a 6 monthly basis. • Be subject to a maximum interval of a 5 yearly integrity test. • Have full service and maintenance records available for inspection. There has recently been an increased number of pollution incidents where failed separators have been the cause or has exacerbated a loss of containment and regulators are clamping down on poorly maintained and non-compliant operations. Proactive separator maintenance Separator alarms A separator alarm system monitors oil, silt, and liquid levels within underground separators, ensuring they are operating correctly and preventing pollutants. You should work with an experienced partner who can specify, supply, install and service oil separator alarm systems and provide the necessary services to ensure your alarms are working properly.

Separator inspection and maintenance Look for an environmental partner that can provide a full ‘peace of mind’ service package, appropriate to the separator type and setting. The six monthly inspection should be a nonintrusive, ‘in-service’ inspection to

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check levels and functionality of key components. The five yearly integrity inspection is a critical service, as there are several faults that can develop within the body of the tank, such as fractures, displacements and ground water ingress that would compromise the tank but are not possible to detect during a six-monthly inspection. The five yearly inspection is an ‘out of service’ inspection. However, due to the adoption of latest technology and methodologies, the right partner will generally be able to complete the service within a day, causing minimum disruption. Operators are provided with full record of inspection and testing to satisfy regulatory and standard auditing requirements.

in the event of a pollution incident. An environmental partner will provide its clients with services to reduce the risk of an environmental incident. However, if a strict liability event does occur, the inspection and service records demonstrating all reasonable endeavour has been taken to implement the proper systems for avoiding the incident will be invaluable in providing mitigation if enforcement action was considered. For more information, visit www. adlerandallan.co.uk

Demonstrate reasonable endeavour Adhering to the guidelines on regular maintenance of your primary, secondary and tertiary containment systems should reduce the enforcement imposed

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News

Steel pipeline products: specifications and dimensions Every product conforms to a specification, stating dimensions and material types in order to comply. With the wide range of infrastructure involved in a modern tank storage facility, its not always easy to have to hand all of the necessary information for Pipe, Fittings, Flanges, Valves, Stud bolts and Gaskets. Having the ability to quickly check valve types and dimensions, valve trim API designation numbers, seal materials, connecting flange dimensions and so on, assists plant operators and contractors in their daily maintenance tasks, allowing quick decisions to be made. Inverurie based TSA Associate Member, JBP, has produced a pocket size technical guide providing all of this information in a practical format. The JBP team said: ‘We realised there was a gap in the market, people need something small enough to carry or a digital version which has all of the necessary information in one place and easy to find. A significant amount of work went into producing the guide and we have received some excellent feedback’.

If you would like a copy of the technical guide, please contact sales@jbpipeline.co.uk with your name, confirm if you would like a hard copy or a digital copy and the postal or email address to send it to. John Bell Pipeline is the market leading supplier of Linepipe, Pipefittings, Valves & Steel requirements. We are committed to excellent sales and after sales service. On time delivery & quality assurance are key to our success. Members of the global Bianco Group, we have access to over 500,000 tonnes of stock throughout Europe. For more information about John Bell Pipeline, please visit www.jbpipeline. co.uk

JBP are happy to answer any technical questions, you can call on 01224 714514. They also offer a 24hour service, 365 days a year to aid with breakdowns and emergency requirements.

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C AT C H I S L O O K I N G AHEAD TO 2030 AND B E YO N D

CATCH has led cluster engagement in the UK’s Humber and Yorkshire region for over 20 years and is now set to build on this success with a look ahead to 2030 and beyond.

hat is CATCH? CATCH started as a membership organisation and central hub for the Humber estuary’s energy intensive industries and their suppliers back in 1999. Since this time, we have developed our services to support our members by building strong partnerships with regulators, policy makers and public sector organisations at local, regional and national level. Our distinctive CATCH training facilities have grown in scale/size and strength to become a beacon for the region’s commitment to supporting the process, energy, engineering and renewable sectors in the Lincolnshire, Humber and Yorkshire region and beyond. Latterly, our role in the UKRI funded Humber Industrial Cluster Plan (HICP) sees us engaging directly with the decarbonisation deployment projects of our industrial members.

remain competitive and to increase productivity we need to invest in education, including post-16 and adult skills. Despite the SDF providing much needed funding to colleges, private providers seem to be left on the side-lines – for now. However, we as an agile industry are able to tackle these challenges together at a local level. The industry sectors that CATCH supports are experiencing a UK wide skills gap. A recent survey by ConCom confirmed that locally to CATCH, 95% of respondents are experiencing skills shortages. With nearly half of respondents experiencing mechanical, pipefitting and electrical skills challenges. CATCH has developed, with industry members, two regional networking groups to drive forward the skills agenda and to lead the training provision that is offered at CATCH.

A Skills Focus

CATCH Skills is a technical training provider arm of CATCH that specialises in Mechanical, Electrical, Process and Health & Safety training. All training is offered in a contextualised environment at our famous £12 Million, state of the art facility in Stallingborough – recently re-branded to incorporate our partnership with lead TSA member Reynolds Training Services – to the

The UK Government recently launched a levelling up white paper, which rightly focused on skills development as a key focus. The paper tells us that for the UK to

National Centre for Process and Manufacturing (NCPM). Together, with our cutting-edge plant, equipment, instrumentation and controls, which align directly with industry standards,

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we are able to bring our courses to life - by presenting bespoke and practical solutions to industrial training requirements and helping to close the ever-growing skills gap. We offer a flexible approach, training is delivered at CATCH, at your company site, or at a blend of locations. Feedback from our network groups, tells us that the industrial ageing workforce continues to be a concern for many of our members. That is why, we are investing in the next generation of industry professionals and have created CATCH Apprenticeships. Our new flagship brand delivers industrial apprenticeships, but with a difference. We are proud to say, that we offer the most employer-focused process operations, bulk liquid storage, and engineering maintenance apprenticeship programme in the Yorkshire & Humber region. By utilising our industry knowledge, networks and connections, recognising skills gaps and working closely with employers, we have thus developed specialised engineering and operations-based CATCH apprenticeship programmes. These encompass Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, Process Operations, Welding and Pipefitting. The programmes are delivered from the National Centre for Process and Manufacturing and the Process and Manufacturing Centre in Huddersfield. CATCH apprenticeships align directly with industry requirements and will provide young people and adult learners with a pathway to fantastic

career opportunities. Recognising how important it is to offer contextualised training, we continue this ethos throughout our pathways. One of the key areas for apprentices to focus on outside of the job, are soft skills. Soft skills are essential to improving your ability to work with others, problem solve and communicate well – an important element of working in high hazard industries. Therefore, CATCH carefully selects and works with a small number of local specialised training providers to cover subjects such as driver safety, knife crime and gambling awareness. Importantly for the TSA membership and its related industries, CATCH is also the registered provider of a specialist Science Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship in partnership with Reynolds Training Services. Utilising the National Centre for Process and Manufacturing, we bring together our joint expertise and the specialised, hands-on facilities to deliver a premium Bulk Liquid Terminal Technician qualification. This is the only one of its kind in the UK. Developed in partnership with industry, the Tank Storage Association and Cogent, this practical course helps to create a focused workforce ready for the future. Leading Cluster Engagement At CATCH we are proud of the services we offer our members throughout the Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and the Humber region. We have supported manufacturers and producers in

the chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, process, energy and renewable sectors for over 20 years and our member led services have evolved and changed to reflect the industry support required. In addition to supporting the growth of our industry, membership offers access to many benefits alongside our industry leading networks that relate to specific areas of activity – such as Environmental Managers, HR Managers, Major Hazards and Human Factors. We offer membership for client companies – with a direct operational workforce, and subscriber and supply chain membership for those companies who support the industry. Our ConCom scheme is the Yorkshire and Humber areas only dedicated local contractor competency forum that enables collaboration between client industries and supporting contractors. Led by a committee of members – its aim is to establish high standards of competency for companies in the region The scheme is not for profit, with funds reinvested to maintain a low-cost service, improvements to the scheme and awareness training. Audits are carried out every two years, with contractors then deemed competent to work on some of the region’s largest manufacturing sites. Including a Net Zero Future In the last 12 months CATCH has supported the development of the

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Humber Industrial Cluster Plan – securing significant UKRI grant to spend on meeting industrial net zero targets for the Humber. Part of our role will be ensuring the cluster plan underpins the future status of the Humber Cluster as the leading low carbon cluster in the UK. CATCH is committed to supporting our members and the major infrastructure projects that will deploy technology such as carbon capture and storage and hydrogen manufacture, storage and distribution across a region ready for the next step. To support the supply chain and skills and training needs created by these large projects we will work with a wide range of partners to implement recommendations from studies commissioned by the HICP team and continue to support those bringing inward investment into the region with industry data and vital regional connections that make the difference.

Our vision to establish the Humber Industrial Decarbonisation Centre is being developed with public and private sector partners in order to establish a stakeholder board to drive the concept forward. Our site here in Stallingborough is at full capacity, with footfall reaching levels never seen before. That is why our vision includes expansion of our capability, with facilities such as a new head office and reception, a low carbon skills centre and an industrial decarbonisation centre - all powered by renewable energy technologies for a sustainable future. We will continue to provide industry with the best possible services, training facilities, and opportunities and we believe that our vision will continue to put CATCH at the heart of the industry’s Net Zero future. To find out more you can visit one of our dedicated websites or call us to

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arrange a 1-2-1 visit of our facility to discuss how we can support you and your business. Note: Enrolment is currently open for all our apprenticeship programmes, including a September 2022 start in the Bulk Liquids Technician Training apprenticeship delivered with Reynolds Training Services through the partnered National Centre for Processing and Manufacturing (NCPM). For more information, visit: www.catchuk.org www.ncpm.uk www.humberindustrialclusterplan. org 01469 552828 - info@catchuk.org

News News

News Safetyheadline starts with newDantec headline new headline new headline Debit Dantec, oda world molorae leader nam, in composite sandist, quiatem hose technology, necabo. Itatur, exports que products in ped quas fromma their voluptat UK-based ut moluptiis factory to over id ma 60 adit countries quasitiworldwide. il maxim laturi The company dolorepeis con committed rerum adic to to innovation, consed eum, minimizing secto earume environmental coriassimin damage praectem and above quiall tes else, parchicae safety and poriatiunt efficiency.liquam qui ommolo berende nderum vellitae etThrough unte mod continuous moluptat innovation excepro rrorissusci and development, doluptur simaximus Dantec secured aut pa dolo themselves invent, velicabo. as industry Et venis nos leaders am dolentus. in composite hose technology. To produce their high-quality and Archil comprehensive eturi sum ipsam, range, nithe beri company resed quas usesdoluptae the most nossit, stringent estibus. procedures Sequidi and high genihillum specification ipsus et materials am rati berum to manufacture que suntore the perias hoses elibus in their ut dolupta purposesint build dolent factory, impores in the North tiusciisof evel England. ipissunt alitat maximetur? Adicid Productquo hosesello form corecti an integral officil part iberiatempor of transfer operations. sita que delesed The choice mosof doloratet hose must resbe earchil basedliquunt on assessments destrum quo that elestiur, cover appropriate consed eum use,volest, safety illendae and operational nosam doluptis efficiency. sit Due asperum to the dolupta uniquelytquiati strongeronetur materials autin Dantec modi ipsusam hoses, the et company ommodican re manufacture voloreptas solorio. with less Aximlayers qui sum of material. iur, sinimus This dandae makes percipid the hose ut exceat. lighter and more Isflexible ium sum thanquo other disciet alternatives. laboribus, The tem stronger res moles materialsquialso acimoluptati provide a rehigher derspid safety ma factor/burst doluptatis autendu pressure. cipsandios Each Dantec voluptis product alibus meets qui all ditmajor aut quae national voluptatus and international eationsedstandards, ma dis including IMO, IBC and IGC codes, along with the Requirement of the United States Coastguard. They also

magnis Japanese eos NK molorror and ISO9001:2018. serrum sumque All nimoluptat hoses are manufactured que quia sant to ratiusdam EN13765 quibus or EN13766, atem faceres Dantecesuse miliquis eithersunt the aut rubber arumseal accuptatiur or epoxysimolor sealingroratatia system, volorrum dependingvoluptibus on the demands invenemodit of the eos application. sin poreped quo corpora quam nosseque natet quiatur, aboreres eum laboria Within nem the eosae brand’squistor portfolio epelect are emporio composite quibus hoses, sam created sin pelent specifically que aut forest theomnisitatem. transfer of general Bus verovidusant chemicals, as asatet, wellet as aperchic Oil, Hydrocarbons tempelectiam arit and aute Biofuels, conetusamongst re odi comnis others. repudae For plabo. example, Optatem The Dantec quidebis Danoil sapis 9parum range resti is a polyamide volorempor (nylon) rem lined exereium hose haruptatur? used for products Excestorem with high sitat. aromatic content and biofuels. The inner helix Bore is available maiorem in 316 quuntio stainless nsequat steel, urestrum galvanised acepe steelrerferiosa and aluminium, dolorem porpore with thehendis outer wire et adavailable quaspietin dit, 316 sintibus stainlessrepudam, steel and corem galvanised lamsteel. fuga. Equatus In 2016, Dantec ea nimi, became tem part rempele of the niminctibus Elaflex group a qui of companies. cullabo. Endande Elaflex con is an pos internationally cus qui occatem operating la corrorepe family ipsam company diciiswith euma utenis long am history is ulpa that quatis together eum combine facearum res experience quaspedicita and ipsapiteniet competence, mosanre equilibrium venditat. that is essential. Therefore, we stand for key Ga. values Delectet like responsibility, inimus, temporr continuity, ovidus deria the spirit porecta of innovation quiamus aerunt and flexibility velibus, voluptatiate in thought and quam action. audae. Uptatus aperem arum quam Equo eatur, in remporiam To learn more sit ium about ni Dantec unt queand sum its quiam composite eos hoses, quiscidebis please si visit asperciat www. volorep dantec.com taepro dolori dolupta.

meet type approvals from all major bodies, such as DNV GL, Lloyds Approval and the Korean Register,

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WSG CONFIRMS LAUNCH OF NEW INSPECTION DIVISION

gives them the ability to service the renewable energy market.

ell Services Group, a leading and wellestablished UK service provider within the Energy Industry, has enhanced their existing service offering with the recent acquisition of 50% of Eagle Eye Inspection Services and the launch of a new division WSG Eagle Eye Integrity Specialists.

Offering a unique service that combines NDT with internal and external UAV inspections for swift data acquisition and condition reporting.

Eagle Eye was established with a vision of delivering customer focused inspection services using the latest technology and WSG Eagle Eye Integrity Specialists will continue to offer the same ‘Best In Class’ customer focused asset integrity assessments and fitness for service plant inspections. Their team, certified to API and EEMUA standards, can employ both conventional and advanced NDT inspection methods as well as UAV or drone services.

For storage tanks, the WSG Eagle Eye team have a range of specialist equipment that enables detailed assessment. Conventional NDT services can include Magnetic Particle Inspection, Dye Penetrant Inspection, Ultrasonic Thickness Testing, Ultrasonic Weld Flaw Detection, Eddy Current of Welds, Radiography Gamma and Xray. Advanced NDT further enhances the service offering with Phased Array Ultrasonics (Welds and Corrosion Mapping), Corrosion Under Pipe Support Assessments, Time of Flight Diffraction (Welds), MFL Pipeline Scanner, Guided Wave UT, MFL Floor Scans and IRIS Tube Inspection. In addition, using a combination of purging, decontamination, high pressure water and non-entry jetting, vacuum services, bolting and on-site machining, WSG Industrial Services can engineer and provide a full range of solutions for any tank cleaning operation.

This innovative approach to asset integrity provides the energy sector

The use of UAVs for inspections and thermal imaging has the benefit of allowing vessels to be inspected whilst in operation and can remove the requirement for technicians to work at height or in confined

and bulk storage operators with an inspection service that utilises a combination of methods to best understand an assets health. The range of inspections offered also

spaces. Their advanced drones can offer 200 x Close Visual Inspection (AI), 640 Resolution Thermography (AI), Confined Space Drone and UT Thickness Drone.

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WSG Eagle Eye

Eagle Eye Managing Director, Scott Standing is delighted at the move which he believes will allow for the business to proceed with its global growth plan and continue to offer and extend its unique asset integrity services. “After working closely with Well Services Group on several joint ventures in the North East and Yorkshire it quickly became apparent that our service offerings complemented each other. Our collaboration with WSG, and their engineering excellence, will further support projects with large-scale scopes in the industry.” Traditional methods to identify issues such as Corrosion Under Insulation would likely involve inspecting the lagging for water ingress and any obvious signs of damage followed by a further examination. The WSG Eagle Eye team can use thermal methods, using UAVs, to not only identify issues quickly, but also scale the affected area. For pipelines, in addition to the digital and thermal inspection data provided by UAVs, WSG Eagle Eye can carry out Long Range Ultrasonic Testing, which can assess the wall loss on pipelines over an area of 50m and follow up with corrosion mapping to gather quantitative data. Corrosion under pipe supports can also be assessed. For one customer, after identifying hot spots on a line following a thermal survey, the WSG Eagle Eye team carried out LRUT on a full 400m

system. This method helped confirm areas of concern and followed by a full API 570 inspection produced a full system fitness for service assessment. As a solutions-based inspection company, they fully understand the need for services on a specific task to fulfil the customers’ requirements and integral to that is a unique operating process model that controls the delivery of services and health of assets. Understanding the day-to-day pressures of customers, the WSG Eagle Eye team have developed a very detailed but clear reporting system, along with simple navigational sections to assist with referencing any areas of concern. Reporting will also be able to utilise WSG’s proprietary Asset Integrity Management software as well as the breadth of experience of WSG Eagle Eye personnel.

WSG already provide a full range of high-quality services to the international oil and gas industry, the petrochemical and geothermal industry as well as the energy sector, both onshore and offshore and provides customers with full life cycle support to their assets, covering commissioning and start up, shutdowns & outages, operations, and decommissioning. They currently also own and operate the most modern and advanced fleet of process and pipeline services equipment in the industry. WSG Eagle Eye Integrity Services will be based out of WSG’s Head Office at Normanton as well as their regional offices. For more information on WSG Eagle Eye Integrity Services or the range of services WSG offer then contact uksales@wellservices-group. com.

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E U R O P E A N TA N K STORAGE IN GLOBAL S U P P LY C H A I N S : OUTLOOK TO 2030

ulk storage and energy infrastructure c o m p a n i e s contribute to Europe’s resilience and energy security of supply. Last month, the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies published a report titled “European tank storage in global supply chains: Outlook to 2030” which analyses the role of European tank storage in the global energy system in the medium term (2030-2035). The study was commissioned by the Federation of European Tank Storage Associations (FETSA), of which the Tank Storage Association is an active member.

The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies has published its third report on European tank storage in global supply chains.

The report is the third of a series of four papers analysing the role of tank storage in the energy transition. The first paper “The European tank storage sector and the global energy landscape” sets the scene by examining broad developments in the global energy sector and their impact on tank storage. The second paper “European tank storage in today’s global value chains: What role does it play in our economy?” outlines

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the current role of the tank storage sector in maintaining Europe’s prosperity, competitiveness, and geopolitical position. A fourth paper “The European tank storage sector: 2050 and beyond”, to be published shortly, will look further ahead to 2050- 2060 and map out the newly emerging role of the storage sector. This newly published report explains that, towards carbon neutrality, the years up to 2030 will be characterised by a simultaneous decrease in demand for fossil fuels and an increase in the use of low-carbon energy carriers. In this context, players in energy infrastructures will have to balance both strains on demand for legacy liquids in a declining market while addressing a growing demand for alternatives. Technical and geopolitical challenges Against the background of a changing geopolitical landscape, in the medium term, crude oil, refined products and natural gas will gain more relevance in non-European regions, such as East Asia and the Middle East. And new trade hubs could emerge outside of Europe, therefore bridging supply and demand at closer geographical distances. Decarbonisation to a net-zero Europe will also lead to a decreasing investment drive in the region compared to the Middle East or Russia. However, according to the report, decreasing dependence

on Europe’s main oil and gas supplier, Russia, while also ensuring sufficient and affordable supplies in the mid-term, represents both a technical as well as a geopolitical challenge. Indeed, it states that replacing 155 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas, equivalent to 40% of European consumption1, does not only represent a challenge in terms of global prices for gas, reliance on the spot market and decreasing long-term contracts, but also to European liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and interconnections. However, decreasing this dependency is possible. In the meantime, tank storage will continue to play a vital role in fulfilling domestic demand and securing strategic reserves of oil and natural gas. Coordinated releases of strategic reserves can also bring some stability in global energy markets as they mitigate shortages and decrease prices. Resilience and energy security of supply Europe’s increased dependence on pipeline gas and LNG imports will make countries more vulnerable to supply disruptions, price fluctuations and overall market volatility. At the same time, the European refining and chemical sectors are losing competitive margins compared to low-cost producers like China and Middle Eastern countries. As such, an important part of European domestic demand for oil products, natural gas and chemicals will be

fulfilled by imports, making tank storage increasingly important for domestic security of supply. Tank storage and its role in the energy transition The bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector will both help balance strains on demand for legacy liquids in a declining market while addressing a growing demand for alternatives. The report notes that decarbonisation of road transport in the medium term relies chiefly on blending conventional fuels, such as gasoline and diesel, with sustainable alternatives, such as biofuels and synthetic fuels. The maritime and aviation sectors are similarly dependent on fuel blending to reduce emissions. The report also explains that increased reliance of European economies on new energy products will likely cause a shift in obligations for strategic and military stocks and that new products could eventually dominate global commodity trade. Uncertainty in the adoption process of new energy carriers in Europe is considered evident, however, hydrogen in all its forms, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) efforts, as well as electricity storage, are seen as indispensable to accelerate decarbonisation.

energy infrastructure companies to not only develop a strategy for change, expand expertise and knowledge, cooperate with policymakers and stakeholders, but also to increase the visibility of the sector’s activities and highlight their role in the European economy in order to ensure that the sector becomes a driver of change and contributes to shaping the decades ahead. For a copy of the report, “European tank storage in global supply chains: Outlook to 2030”, visit https://hcss. nl/report/european-tank-storagein-global-supply-chains-outlookto-2030/. The report, “European tank storage in global supply chains: Outlook to 2030”, is by Irina Patrahau, Michel Rademaker, Lucia van Geuns, Sarah Ojukwu and Philip Geurtsis. References 1. ‘How Europe Can Cut Natural Gas Imports from Russia Significantly within a Year’, IEA, 2022, available: https://www. iea.org/news/how-europe-cancut-natural-gas-imports-fromrussia-significantly-within-a-year.

Looking to the future The report concludes that, despite large uncertainty, for the tank storage industry waiting is not an option. It calls for bulk storage and

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L U B R I C A N T E XP O : EUROPE’S FIRST F R E E - T O -AT T E N D E XH I B I T I O N A N D CONFERENCE

Lubricant Expo, Europe’s first free-to-attend exhibition and conference, will be held on 6 - 8 September 2022 at Messe Essen in Germany.

ubricant Expo on 6 8 September 2022 at Messe Essen in Germany is Europe’s first free-to-attend exhibition and conference, connecting lubricant solution providers with the full range of end-user buyers, as well as the entire chemical and equipment supply chain. Visitors from both the lubricant community, end-user facilities and OEM’s will find a comprehensive showcase of all lubricant technologies, including finished lubricants, additives, process equipment & machinery, condition monitoring, automation systems, testing & analysis, data technologies, lubricant manufacturing equipment, end-user application systems and more.

Maximise Performance Lubricant Expo provides the perfect platform to showcase the products and technology that address industry trends, whilst providing attendees with the opportunity to learn from and engage with the people and products they need to solve realworld engineering challenges. The event brings together the lubricant

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community and its customers with a free-to-attend exhibition and conference, providing visitors with the knowledge and suppliers they need to reduce costs, improve efficiency, progress development, maximise the performance of their products and preserve the health of their machinery. Industry-leading Advisory Board The exhibition and conference has been brought together by industryleaders forming the advisory board for the event, including: Juergen Ulmer, Country Manager, Chevron Deutschland GmbH, Thomas Fröst, President, SKF Industrial Technologies, Apu Goslia, Sustainability Expert, Tanja Illic, Managing Director, Nanol, Maria Sole Signorini, Head of Group Procurement, Petronas and Enrico Franchini, Executive Customer Centricity Manager, Infineum International Ltd to name a few. Over three days you can explore a show floor with 250+ suppliers whilst networking with 4,500+ visitors. You’ll also have access to a full 3-day, twotrack conference program where over 60+ expert speakers will be discussing trends and opportunities within educational sessions that will equip you with the ability to solve and optimise real-world lubrication application. World-class Conference Lubricant Expo conference serves two distinct audiences, lubrication endusers and lubricant manufacturers. The conference agenda will equip attendees with an understanding

of the future of the industry and how it will serve the evolving needs of lubricant customers. Sessions will address challenges, opportunities, and innovations for both lubricant customers and lubricant manufacturers, with lively panel discussions and educational presentations covering targeted topics for each audience group, as well as universally important discussions to both end-users and lubricant manufactures, including: High-Performance Applications, Lubricants Sustainability, Meeting the Evolving Needs of Lubricant Customers, Lubricant Selection, The Lubricants Supply Chain – Challenges, Optimisation and Management, Energy Efficiency, Carbon Capture and Renewable Solutions, Lubricant R&D and Innovations, Digitalisation, IOT and AI, Cost Reduction Strategies, Process Optimisation and Intensification, Innovations in Blending and Manufacturing, Opportunities with Automation and Testing & Analysis.

conference on the 6 - 8 September 2022 at Messe Essen. Thought-leaders from across the industry will be discussing the increased drive for sustainability, enhanced customer specifications, new performance requirements and the ground-breaking integration of mass data technologies which creating a vibrant and evolving landscape of opportunities and challenges, both in the needs of lubricant customers and the production of lubricants themselves.

Industry Experts Speakers Industry experts including Annie Jarquin, Director of Global Business Development at Kline, Gunnar Meister, Principal Technologist at Shell, Professor Boris Zhmud, Head of R&D at BIZOL, Tanja Illic, Managing Director at Nanol, Apu Goslia,

The Bearing Show – Co-located Event Alongside Lubricant Expo, The Bearing Show will also showcase an unrivalled insight into current and future bearing technology with experts from all sides of the industry in attendance. Solutions on display will include the latest in complete bearings, condition monitoring, lubrication, testing & analysis, bearing components, digitalisation, engineering, tooling, measurement and more. Companies participating in Lubricant Expo and The Bearing Show include Castrol Germany, Axel Semrau, Biosynthetic Technologies, Croda, BASF, Texaco Lubricants, Infineum, OelCheck, SDT Ultrasounds Solutions, Seqens, SKF, JESA SA, Weiland Group, Valvoline, NKE, Nynas and many more.

Sustainability Expert Advisor, Maurizio Abbondanza, Sustainability Director at Infineum International Ltd and many other industry leaders already confirmed to speak at the unmissable

Visit www.lubricantexpo.com and www.bearing-show.eu for more information and register for your free pass to Europe’s largest lubricant and

bearing combined event.

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News

Specialist Risk Management Consultancy RAS Ltd is an independent firm of risk specialists established in 1993. We are founded on a set of simple principles: recruit the best people in the industry, only work in our areas of expertise, and work with our clients, not for them. It’s an approach that has seen us grow from being a handful of specialists in the North West to a rapidly developing company working with the leading companies in the oil & gas, pharmaceuticals and specialist chemical sectors across the world. Our team have worked on some of the biggest and most influential projects in the industry and continue to expand their specialist knowledge. Only when the risk facing an organisation is well understood can it be effectively managed, that’s why at RAS we examine every detail of any project we are working on ensuring we nullify any potential risks that may face our clients. We make sure to always keep full transparency with them so that not only do they know what adjustments we have made, but they know why we have made them and how these adjustments will benefit them, keeping them and their business as safe as possible. We don’t only work for our clients, we work with them. Our team of industry specialists offers a range of risk management consultation services: Safety Risk Assessment Collaboration is key to our approach. Our teams work with our clients

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to provide clear outputs that can then be fed into pragmatic risk management solutions. We focus on communicating complex information in a clear and accessible way. Business Risk Management Our role is to help you to understand the hazards and threats facing you from a business risk perspective, some of which may not be obvious. We will build up a clear picture of the risk and help you to focus your efforts in the right places. Environmental Impact Assessment Our environmental specialists work closely with you to develop a process that suits your company and objectives, from modelling and reporting to liaising with stakeholders and local communities. Every project we work on is bespoke to our clients’ needs and circumstances. As your risk partner, our job is to make sure you are protected, and your best interests are looked after. Which is why we question everything and don’t work in isolation, looking at a project holistically to see how it impacts on the entire organisation. In other words, you’re in safe hands. For more information, please visit www.ras.ltd.uk

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The voice of the bulk storage and energy infrastructure sector

Tank Storage Association Devonshire Business Centre Works Road Letchworth Garden City Herts. SG6 1GJ United Kingdom www.tankstorage.org.uk

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28 TANKS & LOGISTICS

Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with other associations, with the aim of designating seals and gaskets featuring PTFE as “essential use materials”. The issue here seems to be plain: those seals and gaskets are critical in containing what are often flammable, corrosive or toxic products during transport and, at least at present, do not appear to have any alternatives.

THE TANK CONTAINER industry has been at pains in recent years to stress its environmental credentials. Tank containers last a long time – 25 years, with careful maintenance – and are almost entirely recyclable at the end of their life. They can carry much more cargo than a container full of drummed product, meaning fewer trips are needed to carry the cargo. And they do not have the disposal and leakage issues experienced with flexitanks. The industry is, though, aware that there is more that it can be doing, not least since the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is coming under intense scrutiny in the

polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is used in many applications, including the seals and gaskets that are used on tank containers. At present there appears to be little alternative than to use such products. The International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO), as the main forum for the discussion of issues related to tank containers, held a meeting of its new Environmental Work Group in early April to follow up on some issues that arose at earlier divisional meetings, not least the use of seals and gaskets containing PTFE. ITCO is planning to broaden the scope of that Work Group and is seeking further participation but, at least in

CLOSE THE LOOP There are other, more practical approaches that might be taken and ITCO hopes its Work Group will be able to make progress. For example, there could be an industry-wide scheme for the safe use, disposal and recycling of seals and gaskets. Further, ITCO could provide guidance to help eliminate the use of braided manlid seals, many of which are manufactured of polypropylene yarn impregnated with PTFE, which can degrade and release fibres. That guidance could also promote the re-use of seals and gaskets that remain in serviceable condition, rather than being changed as a matter of course. ITCO’s policy is to reduce the environmental risk as low as is reasonably practical and it is aware that there are issues that need to be resolved if industry can move to responsible recycling of used seals and gaskets. That will entail the involvement of tank owners and operators, suppliers of seals and gaskets, and service providers – primarily tank repair and cleaning depots, which are most often the places where used seals and gaskets are changed. ITCO is proposing to carry out a pilot scheme in a hub location, to establish whether used material can be collected and consolidated in economic quantities, whether that material can be disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner, and how that can transition to recycling. There is

EU and US as being harmful to the environment. Among those PFAS is

the first instance, it will focus on the use of those seals and gaskets, under a broader umbrella to develop and implement best practice in supporting the sustainability of the design and use of tank containers. ITCO will seek to engage in the PFAS consultation process by lobbying the European

also, as always, the issue of who is going to pay for it. ITCO is appealing for comments from its members and others in the industry prior to moving forward. All such comments should be directed to Colin Rubery (rubery@itco.org). www.itco.org

PAINT THE TANKS GREEN SUSTAINABILITY • THE LOOMING POSSIBILITY THAT PTFE MAY BE OUTLAWED HAS PROMPTED THE TANK CONTAINER SECTOR TO SEE HOW IT CAN ADDRESS THE CURRENT USE OF SEALS AND GASKETS

 MANLID GASKETS ARE A CRITICAL ITEM IN ENSURING SAFETY DURING THE TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

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2022 AND BEYOND

relationships with our customers despite the ongoing pandemic,” he adds. “So, in response, we tried to continue our exposure to our customers by doing a couple of different things. One, we posted a lot on social media via YouTube and LinkedIn videos so customers could continue learning about our products and, two, we created what we call our ‘Road Show On Wheels’ concept that was a new way to take products and demonstrations directly to customer sites. It was a great success, and we plan to continue to use it as we move forward in a post-pandemic world. In the long-term, the Road Show on Wheels enables our customers to optimise their own time, optimise their travel dollars and stay in their own work environments while we do the heavy lifting of bringing the capabilities of our products directly to their doorstep.”

WHEN SRIVAS PRASAD arrived at OPW Fluid Transfer Solutions (FTS) as its vice-president and general manger in August 2021, the world was already in the midst of its worst pandemic for a century. The established ways of doing business were no longer possible and actually

repercussions will be with us for many years to come,” Prasad (above) says. “Part of the pandemic-induced ‘new normal’ for us was the outright cancellation of trade shows or a pretty dramatic scaling down of their size as many companies were reluctant to send their

FACE THE CHANGE And how did supply chain issues affect OPW? “The global supply chain constraints have impacted the overall economy and our industry at large, and OPW has not been immune,” Prasad says. “We’ve seen cases of products held up on ships waiting to berth. Then, when ships are able to berth, there are labour constraints that are preventing their unloading This situation has challenged our ability to meet demanding lead times, though most customers are aware of it and provide a little relief. “To combat the ongoing supply chain challenges, we have developed several new strategies,” he explains. “We are upgrading our machining capability at our headquarters facility in Hamilton, Ohio, through the creation of a new Center of Excellence (COE) for machining operations. The COE will help us improve overall product quality and first-time throughput rates, which will help reduce lead times. “We have identified all critical components that we must have and created a dual-sourcing

getting materials into the factory and product out to customers was hampered by supply chain problems around the world. So, nearly a year on, how does Prasad see his time at the company so far? “The pandemic understandably created upheaval in all industries worldwide and the

employees to even the smaller trade shows in order to keep them safe and not expose them to highly populated venues. “Admittedly, there was an ancillary benefit found in the cost savings in a tight economic environment, but at OPW we felt it was important to maintain our interpersonal

program, whether offshore, near-shore or in-country, that gives us multiple sources to secure critical components,” Prasad adds. “There is a little give and take in this strategy because, when you onshore these products, suppliers in North America are faced with similar labour and supply shortages, so we

BRAND AWARENESS PROFILE • THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE PLACED SUPPLY CHAINS UNDER INTENSE PRESSURES. EQUIPMENT PROVIDERS HAVE ALSO FELT THE STRAIN, AS OPW’S SRIVAS PRASAD EXPLAINS

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have to take a balanced approach to see how much of our supply can be acquired from our off-shore partners. “We can leverage open manufacturing capacity at the various OPW sites and all the OPW leadership teams are committed to finding ways to leverage any open capacity,” he continues. “For example, with our recent acquisition of RegO and Acme, there is synergy with certain product lines that RegO and Acme produce that can be produced at our Midland facility. They are also looking at product lines where they can support us.” Is this just a short-term problem? Prasad thinks not: “I believe the supply chain issues will be with us for some time, so it is important for us to continue to look at and evaluate different supply options and our execution in these critical areas will be vitally important as we continue to support our customers.” GET PLUGGED IN Those challenges are coming at a time when industry is also in flux, with significant changes in the North American tank truck business. What do they mean for OPW? “For

 SAFETY IS THE PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATION IN FLUID TRANSFER OPERATIONS BUT ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN CAN ALSO OFFER EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS

many years, performance and safety monitoring in the tank truck industry has been rooted in older analog technology, but recent trends indicate a general openness to the adoption of newer technologies, especially among tank truck builders,” Prasad says. “In other words, while the industry has found success with traditional methods, manufacturers and fleet operators are beginning to see value in the adoption of new technologies that are becoming available. “In assessing the transformation of the market, we have the capability to offer technology to operators and fleet managers who are looking for new and innovative ways to improve their operations and safety, which excites me,” Prasad adds. “This is where Civacon’s CivaCommand and CivaConnect products can bring tremendous value to our tank truck customers. When they utilise these systems, they have real-time access to operational data that they can use to drive safety and efficiency. For OPW to be at the forefront of this digitalisation ‘revolution’ makes it meaningful and exciting. “Very similar to what CivaCommand and CivaConnect bring to the North American market, our Liquip and Jump brands can do for liquid-level monitoring systems that are needed in the Asia-Pacific region and Australia, as well as other places like South Africa,” Prasad continues. “What makes

today the right time for a digital revolution in tank truck technology is the willingness of tank truck manufacturers around the world to upgrade or adopt new technologies as a way to manage their fleets more safely and efficiently. “Additional benefits are related to the shortage of truck drivers that the market is experiencing, with one recent study showing that the North American market may, at some point, experience a shortfall of 40,000 truck drivers. When fewer drivers are tasked with meeting the same delivery schedules, that makes efficiency much more important. The quicker the drivers can do their job, and do it both safely and accurately, the more they can improve the productivity of that tanker.” NEW FOR OLD Prasad has a background in the rail industry and this sector too is offering some interesting opportunities right now. “One thing that excites me about the North American railroad market is the fact that a significant number of railcars are coming to the point where they need to qualify for Association of American Railroads (AAR) recertification,” he says. “Since many of these railcars that need to be recertified are already outfitted with valves and gauges that are produced by OPW and Midland, we are listed as the incumbent provider of these valves and gauges, which

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gives us the first chance at replacing them. Overall, it is estimated that there will be a significant number of railcars coming up for recertification in the next several years.” That does not just mean replacing like with like, as OPW and its business units have kept busy with product development. “We always strive to create new innovations, and one of our latest, the Midland Smart-Flow® pressure relief valve (PRV), is a solution that helps improve the overall safety of rail transport, especially when hazardous materials are involved,” Prasad explains. “In an instance where excessive pressure builds in a railcar, the Smart-Flow PRV allows for the escape of the gases in a very controlled fashion so that no injuries result. This vapour control also helps reduce the risk that a high-energy event will occur. “To help ensure that Midland valves and gauges perform at their highest level at all times, a dedicated Remanufacturing & Repair team was created that focuses solely on making sure that all valves, gauges and probes that come back to Midland to be

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

repaired or remanufactured get the highest level of attention so that when they go back to the field, they are of the highest operational quality. This program is unique in the industry,” Prasad adds. Those effects of age are not unique to the rail sector. “At the same time, many bulkstorage plants are also beginning the process of upgrading, especially aging petroleum terminals,” Prasad explains. “The American Petroleum Institute (API) standards were established in the 1960s, more than 50 years ago, so a lot of existing terminals are 40 to 50 years old and will require significant upgrades or replacement in the coming years. From an OPW FTS perspective, we are uniquely positioned to serve these needs because of our breadth of products - loading arms, vapour recovery units and overfill valves, etc - allows us to support the entire terminal ecosystem and provide a complete upgrade or retrofit package.” And, just like in the rail sector, replacement equipment can boost efficiency and effectiveness at bulk plants. “There’s a

growing focus on safety and environmental protection and being good stewards of the environment among the world’s bulk-plant and terminal operators,” Prasad says. “The product lines that the OPW FTS companies manufacture are all built to help protect the environment and operators, as well as help reduce carbon emissions during fill and refill applications, all of which work to support our customers’ Environmental & Social Governance (ESG) initiatives. “We expect that OPW’s product lines will play a significant role in supporting carbon footprint-reduction initiatives,” Prasad concludes. “We design our products to make the fuelling process safer, by taking steps to help ensure that operators don’t get injured. Our loading arms, for example, are designed to be ergonomic and easy to handle so no real physical strain is put on the technician during the loading operation. In the end, bulk plants and terminals that have experienced the highest levels of safety and efficiency are the most profitable.” www.opwglobal.com

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SIMPLE. BUT EFFECTIVE. 

Little details matter, because even getting the simple things right requires careful design, the right materials and engineering excellence - that’s why we ensure precision throughout, so that you can rely on the performance of our valves and your tanks. The DN100 PN16 ball valve, has a 4” bore, is manufactured in 316 stainless steel (anything less increases the likelihood of corrosion), and uses a contained seal carrier design to improve sealing and operational performance. It is ideal for use on various applications, including tank containers, road tankers and rail cars - and complies with BS EN 14432:2014. The DN100 PN16 ball valve will contribute to optimum and efficient loading and discharge times. Not only that, but like all of our valves it’s easy to maintain and service, with spare parts available globally through the Fort Vale offices and distribution network. Not every company can do this. Not every company is Fort Vale. FORT VALE. FOLLOW THE LEADER.

Visit us at www.fortvale.com WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

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NEWS BULLETIN

TANKS & LOGISTICS

BOASSA BUYS FRANS DE WIT

Boasso Global has acquired FDW Holding and its associated companies, collectively known as Frans de Wit, from its owners Lars de Wit and Remco Verhaegen. “We are very excited about the acquisition of Frans de Wit, which adds another strong operating business for Boasso in the critically important European port areas of Antwerp and Rotterdam,” says Joe Troy, chairman/CEO of Boasso Global. “We are equally pleased that Lars and Remco will both be staying on with Boasso to not only ensure a smooth transition, but also add strength to our talented operating team in Europe. They both have successful track records in operating and growing a complex depot and trucking business in the tank container industry and we look forward to learning from their deep experience going forward.” “Joining the Boasso Global family provides significant growth opportunities for our business and employees,” adds Lars de Wit. “We look forward to taking the next step forward with Boasso Global to further enhance our service offerings to customers.” Frans de Wit provides tank container transport and depot services, including repair storage and testing, at its Moerdijk site. Boasso notes that the acquisition expands its own service offering, particularly in the area of the transport of pressurised gases in tanks. www.boassoglobal.com www.fransdewit.nl WIBAX BUYS TRUCKERS

Wibax has acquired the Finnish family-owned companies JJ Kuljetus Oy and N-Logistics Oy, adding capacity for the transport of liquid chemicals in bulk to its growing presence in the country. Wibax already has storage terminals in Finland, following the acquisition of Baltic Tank in 2020, and can now apply its concept of storage, transport and sales. The acquired companies bring 15 drivers and

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

12 heavy vehicles to the Wibax fleet. “Through this acquisition we will be unifying the values held and services provided both by Wibax and by us as a family company,” say Juha and Veli Nikkilä, managing directors of the two acquired companies (above). “The acquisition further strengthens our position in the market and enables us to provide services to our customers in line with our shared values.” www.wibax.com QUALA GROWS WITH POLAR

Quala has agreed to acquire Polar Service Centers (PSC), the largest network of commercial parts and repair facilities dedicated to the tank trailer and tank truck industry in the US. Combining the two organisations will, Quala says, bring together complementary nationwide networks of facilities offering container cleaning and maintenance services. “This acquisition will enhance both companies’ offerings in the marketplace by further expanding the overall geographic footprint, capacity and capabilities,” says Quala.

“We feel that adding PSC to the Quala family will allow us to continue to grow our core service offerings while complementing our network across the US and Canada,” says Scott Harrison, CEO of Quala. “The team is excited about this significant addition and believes it is only the beginning of a great future for its customers and the communities in which we operate.” The transaction is expected to close within the next two months, following which Quala and PSC will prioritise the integration of the two operations. Quala, owned by Advent International, has 89 locations in the US and Canada, making it the largest independent provider of cleaning, testing and repair services for tank trailers, tank containers, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and rail cars in North America; PSC has a network of 38 parts and repair facilities across the US, with container cleaning offered at some sites. PSC is currently owned by Engineered Transportation International. quala.us.com

Your tank container experts TWS has more than 25 years of experience in renting out standard and special tank containers for liquid products to the chemical and food industries. TWS also provides various sizes of spill troughs. Customers rely on the outstanding quality of its fleet and value its flexibility in terms of volume and technical features. For more information: E-mail: tws@tws-gmbh.de and web: www.tws-gmbh.de

TWS_180x124_Kombi_ENG_NEU.indd 1

23.06.16 12:23

36 TANKS & LOGISTICS

GREEN CASH FOR PEACOCK

Peacock Container has converted its existing senior debt facility into a sustainability-linked loan (SLL), which it says is a first for the tank container sector. The move increases the alignment of its financing strategy with its principles and values, the company says. “Closing the SLL, the first in our industry, is an important milestone for Peacock,” says CEO Jesse Vermeijden. “Peacock takes a pro-active approach to sustainability, including, for example, spearheading the use of composite tank containers, which are lighter and better insulated and so reduce carbon intensity in use.” peacockcontainer.com DEN HARTOGH STRENGTHENS IN NORDICS

Den Hartogh Logistics has acquired Hedenskogs Åkeri and Hedenskogs Tankeri in Gothenburg, Sweden, strengthening its footprint in the Nordic region. Hedenskogs specialises in the transport, heating and storage of tank containers and has a 10,000-m2 storage depot capable of handling up to 200 tanks.

“Den Hartogh Nordics is in an expansion phase and through the acquisition we are now also established in an exciting region with its own home base, with strong growth,” says Fredrik Kimfors, general manager, Nordics at Den Hartogh. www.denhartogh.com VARO TAKES GATX TANKS

GATX Rail Europe has delivered 44 rail tank cars to Varo Energy Marketing, six months after the purchase order was placed. The new cars are already being used to move mineral oil products from its Amsterdam terminal, where its operator partner GPS has recently installed a new rail siding. Prior to commissioning the rail link, Varo was moving product by ship. GATX trained the GPS Terminal Amsterdam staff in handling the new tank cars, and on topics such as general contract of use, damages, loading and unloading procedures, labels, RID and brake systems. “We are delighted to be working with such a thorough and efficient team,” says Varo Energy Marketing. “They have proven to be an

indispensable transport link that makes its customers‘ activities both more efficient and safer. With GATX Rail Europe by our side, making the switch to rail is easy!” www.gatx.eu NEXXIOT PLUGS ATIR IN

Atir Rail, an independent rail car leasing and management company based in Paris, is to equip its 4,500-strong fleet, which includes tank cars for gases, chemicals and oil products, with Nexxiot’s TradeTech systems. This will increase the visibility of its fleet and help improve operational efficiency. Rollout of Nexxiot’s Globehopper 3.0 hardware is due to begin this month, with the full suite of data driven services being introduced to Atir’s clients over the coming year. All data collected will be sent to Nexxiot’s Connect Intelligent Cloud in real time to monitor and control actual mileage, rail car and cargo condition, and asset health. It will also be possible to monitor the quality of the cargo and other parameters that will be important for improving operational quality, service and sustainability. nexxiot.com www.atir-rail.com ANOTHER VALVE FROM FORT VALE

Fort Vale has introduced a new 4-inch ball valve for the bulk liquid chemicals transport sector. The DN100 valve (left), manufactured in 316-grade stainless steel, uses a contained seal carrier design for improved sealing and operational performance and has an MAWP of 16 bar, with an operating temperature range from -40°C to +200°C. “As with all of our products in the ball valve range, this 4-inch valve is designed to work simply and efficiently,” says Graham Blanchard, sales and marketing director. “We take pride in the fact all Fort Vale products are built to the same high standard for continued use in an industrial setting, with no drop off in quality and efficiency during their extensive life.” www.fortvale.com HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION 37

NEWS BULLETIN

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION

next to the existing strong position in ethylene glycols,“ says Axel Viering, member of the Executive Board of Helm. “The polyol project represents an important milestone in the history of the entire MOL Group for stepping forward in the value chain and producing high value-added petrochemical products,” adds Gabriel Szabó, executive vice-president, MOL Group Downstream. “We look forward to the collaboration with Helm and believe that it will also be essential for ensuring the successful ramp up of the polyol complex.” www.helmag.com MORE IN AFRICA FOR SAFIC-ALCAN

IMCD BUYS FOR GROWTH

IMCD has posted a 59 per cent increase in first-quarter operating EBITA to €139.9m, with gross profit up 40 per cent year-on-year at €277.4m and net profit ahead by 68 per cent at €78.6m. Commenting on the results, CEO Piet van der Slikke (above) says: “We continue to benefit from strong demand and increasing prices. Markets and supply chains remain unpredictable resulting temporarily in higher working capital requirements. We were able to successfully complete acquisitions in all regions and are very pleased with the projects on further expanding our product portfolio and digital initiatives.” For several years, IMCD has underpinned its business growth through acquisitions in all corners of the world, resulting in global revenues of €3.44bn last year. Since the turn of the year it has made further acquisitions in China, Australia/New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia, Austria and the UK. “IMCD remains focused on achieving earnings growth

by optimising its services and further strengthening its market positions,” the company states. “IMCD sees interesting opportunities to further increase its global footprint and expand its product portfolio both organically and by acquisitions.” www.imcdgroup.com HELM HELPS HUNGARY

Helm has signed a European marketing agreement with Hungary’s MOL covering output of propylene glycols from MOL’s newly built polyol complex in Tiszaújváros. As part of the agreement, MOL will contribute its extensive petrochemical production knowledge and Helm will provide its supply chain and commercial expertise. “Helm is proud to be selected as exclusive marketing partner by MOL to serve the north, west and south of Europe with high quality propylene glycols. The cooperation will strengthen Helm´s global set up and enables us to become a major player in propylene glycols

Safic-Alcan has extended its distribution agreement with Michelman to cover Africa. “This new cooperation is aligned with our ambition to strengthen our presence across Africa,” says Jean-Marie Schmuck, business development director, coatings and construction, at Safic-Alcan. “Michelman’s portfolio is a perfect match with our group strategy to offer coatings formulators specialty raw materials with sustainable advantages. Michelman is indeed a partner of choice for providing water-based surface modifiers and specialty polyurethane dispersions. The timing of this expanded partnership is excellent since Safic-Alcan will exhibit at the upcoming Coatings for Africa 2022 fair.” That event took place in Johannesburg on 4 to 6 May. www.safic-alcan.com UNIVAR EXTENDS DOW TO CHINA

Univar Solutions and Dow have extended their long-term partnership, with Univar Solutions China now to distribute Dow’s UNON polyalkylene-based synthetic products in mainland China and Hong Kong. “Our strategic relationship with Dow allows us to provide customers with access to a robust

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38 CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION

portfolio of industrial product components,” says Federico Montaner, global vice-president, Lubricants & Metalworking Fluids at Univar Solutions. “Working side by side as valued and trusted partners, we’re committed to staying ahead of market trends and regulatory shifts to support the multifaceted needs of customers in the lubricants and metalworking markets.” This latest deal between the two corporations builds on the existing long-term relationship in the Americas and Europe, creating a global reach, while also strengthening Univar’s portfolio in China. www.univarsolutions.com OQEMA TAKES OROSOLV

Germany-headquartered Oqema has acquired the Orosolv Group of companies in France, which operates out of its headquarters at Oyonnax in Ain and has a warehouse facility at Brignais, near Lyon. Orosolv will now be integrated into Oqema France. The deal expands Oqema’s infrastructure with the addition of two warehouses, while Orosolv’s focus on repackaging and the formulation of paints and solvents complements the current offer and market position of Oqema France. “The Orosolv Group with its warehouses, bulk storage, service facilities and its high level of technical expertise offers us great opportunities in the expansion of our portfolio and in value added services for our customers,” says Jean-François Daligault, managing director of Oqema France. “The Orosolv Group distributes all types of chemical products, lubricants, heat transfer fluids, surface treatment products, paints, and collects and processes industrial waste. This is a great addition to our existing portfolio in this region and to the dense and strong European network we already have,” adds Hartmut Kunz, Oqema’s CFO. oqema.com BIESTERFELD MERGES BUSINESSES

Biesterfeld Group has merged its Spezialchemie and International divisions under Biesterfeld Spezialchemie. The move is

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

aimed at leveraging internal synergies and opening up the ability to offer its international customers a broader product portfolio from a single source. “We have already made our sales activities at Biesterfeld International considerably more efficient and customer-oriented in recent years,” says Sergej Lazovic, who took over management of Biesterfeld Spezialchemie in October 2021. “With the merger, we are taking another big step in this direction. We will meet our customers’ needs for comprehensive and holistic advice, but remain true to the core of our successful business model: the distribution of specialties, high-performance materials and additives with a high level of technical application advice complemented by our range of essential chemicals.” www.biesterfeld.com MORE SPACE FOR MONARCH

Monarch Chemicals has embarked on a project to increase storage and blending capacities at its south-east UK distribution site in Sheerness, Kent. Work is already underway to built a new, 600-m2 warehouse with a racked storage capacity of pallet spaces (above), which Monarch says will allow it to give a better stock position on a number of its key products and streamline its supply chain. With sustainability

in mind, the new building will be lit with high-bay energy-efficient LED lighting and the company is due to take delivery of a new electric-powered forklift fleet this month. www.monarchchemicals.co.uk FIVE MORE FOR FECC

The European Association of Chemical Distributors (Fecc) has welcomed five new members over the past month, covering all aspects of the chemical distribution market. Chief among them is Paris-based Safic-Alcan, which was founded as long ago as 1847 and now has operations around the world. Also joining Fecc during April as an associate member is Packwise, a German technology company that has developed solutions for the tracking of packagings and is working with more than 40 companies from the chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries. Other companies new to Fecc are Julius Hoesch, a full-range chemical distributor based in Düren, Germany; Israel-based Lidorr Elements; and online B2B marketplace CheMondis. Fecc now has a membership of more than 1,600 chemical distribution companies, many of them small and mediumsized companies. www.fecc.org

SECTION SLUG 39

2022

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How to book: 1) Visit our website: https://bit.ly/dgseminar2022 2) Download and complete our registration form 3) Email it back to us at dgseminar@vca.gov.uk

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HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2018

COURSES & CONFERENCES 41

CONFERENCE DIARY The ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause the cancellation or postponement of many events planned for the next few months and many organisers are taking their events online. HCB is doing its best to keep on top of developments but readers should check the dates and locations shown below as things change rapidly.

MAY

CV Show

ILTA

MAY 24-26, BIRMINGHAM

JUNE 13-15, HOUSTON

ChemUK 2022

Annual commercial vehicle exhibition

MAY 11-12, BIRMINGHAM

https://cvshow.com/

Supply chain expo and conference for the UK chemical industry

41st annual operating conference and trade show of the International Liquid Terminals Association

GPCA PlastiCon

https://ilta2022.ilta.org/

www.chemicalukexpo.com/

MAY 25-26, RIYADH

11th GPCA conference on the polymers sector and recycling

Multimodal 2022

GPCA Supply Chain Conference MAY 17-19, DUBAI

https://gpcaplastics.com/

13th annual meeting of logistics professionals in the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association

JUNE

14th annual exhibition for the supply chain management and logistics sectors

www.gpcasupplychain.com

Chemspec Europe

UNITI Expo MAY 17-19, STUTTGART

JUNE 15-16, BRUSSELS

Annual conference and AGM of the Federation of European Tank Storage Associations

www.uniti-expo.de

SIL Barcelona

Hazmat 2022

Annual international logistics expo and congress

https://fetsa.eu/annual-conference/ MAY 31-JUNE 2, BARCELONA

www.silbcn.com/en/index.html

Transport Logistic China JUNE 15-17, SHANGHAI

Ninth international exhibition for logistics, telematics and transport www.transportlogistic-china.com

Posidonia 2022

https://the-ncec.com/en/events-en/hazmat-2022

JUNE 6-10, ATHENS

Oil & Gas Africa 2022

Biennial exhibition and conference for the global shipping industry

MAY 19-21, NAIROBI

www.posidonia-events.com

Ninth annual exhibition for the upstream and processing sectors in east Africa

VCA Dangerous Goods Seminar

www.expogr.com/kenyaoil/

FETSA Annual Conference

International exhibition for fine and speciality chemicals www.chemspeceurope.com/2021/

NCEC’s annual conference for those involved in hazmat response, incident management and crisis management

www.multimodal.org.uk/exhibition

MAY 31-JUNE 1, FRANKFURT

Fourth European convention for the retail petroleum sector

MAY 18-19, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

JUNE 14-16, BIRMINGHAM

PGLC JUNE 16-17, BARCELONA

Second annual Petrochemical Global Logistics Convention https://www.pglc.biz/

JUNE 7-8, DAVENTRY

ChemCon Europe

35th annual regulatory update conference

JUNE 20-24, LONDON

StocExpo 2022

www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/

MAY 23-25, ROTTERDAM

dangerous-goods/dangerous-goods-

Platform for discussion on international chemical legislation

The main annual exhibition and conference for

conference/

https://chemcon.net/

IAFC Hazmat Conference

Interspill

the European tank terminal industry www.stocexpo.com/en/

JUNE 9-12, BALTIMORE

JUNE 21-23, AMSTERDAM

MAY 23-27, DAEGU, KOREA

Annual international event for response teams

Third triennial conference on spill prevention, preparedness, response and restoration.

Triennial summit for the global gas sector

www.iafc.org/events/hazmat-conf

www.interspillevent.com

World Gas Conference

www.wgc2021.org

WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

INCIDENT LOG ROAD/RAIL/AIR INCIDENTS Date

Location

Vehicle Type

Details

Source

9/3/22

Muchin, road tanker gasoline Lagos, Nigeria

Road tanker with 33,000 litres gasoline caught fire in Idi Oro district, cause unclear; fire service was on site quickly, preventing blaze from spreading; no injuries reported; cause under investigation

Vanguard

Tank truck overturned, spilled load of acid on 92nd Street; local residents asked to stay indoors as fumes from spill could be irritant, though no formal shelter-in-place was ordered; no injuries reported

ABC

13/3/22 Lugari, road tankers gasoline Kakamega, Kenya

Road tanker exploded after being hit from behind by another tanker, which was engulfed in fire; both drivers suffered burns, one other person died in fire, which also spread to nearby Mukhonje market

Capital FM

15/3/22 Hebron, aircraft jet fuel Kentucky, US

Estimated 1,700 gal (6,400 litres) jet fuel leaked from aircraft while mechanics were changing fuel pump at Amazon hub at CVG Airport; spill was flushed into drain to oil/water separator; no off-site impact

WCPO

17/3/22 Ijora Badiya, road tanker LNG Lagos, Nigeria

Driver of road tanker with 20,000 tonnes LNG (LPG?) was alerted to leak from tank, attempted to use fire extinguisher; tanker exploded; fire crews prevented blaze from spreading to nearby shops; no injuries

The Eagle

17/3/22 Nashville, road tanker fuel Tennessee, US

Tank truck crashed into concrete barrier on I-24 after swerving to avoid accident, overturned and spilled (33.3 m3) unspecified fuel cargo; highway was closed for response; road surface badly damaged

Tennessean

21/3/22 nr Kwelera, road tanker fuel E Cape, South Africa

Road tanker and intercity bus crashed on N2 near East London; tanker caught fire; two people killed, 18 more injured - not clear if that was due to crash or fire

Sowetan Live

21/3/22 Mount Juliet, freight train propane Tennessee, US

12 cars of freight train derailed near elementary school; police advised nearby residents to shelter in place as car was thought to contain propane, though it would appear it was only residual gas

Tennessean

26/3/22 Pune, road tanker chemical Maharashtra, India

Driver lost control of tanker on Pune-Mumbai expressway; tanker overturned, manlid opened and spilled unidentified chemical, said to be viscous; subsequent crash of container truck that skidded on spill

Times of India

27/3/22 Lagos, road tanker gasoline Nigeria

Laden road tanker crashed head-on with another truck; tanker exploded, spreading fire to both vehicles; at least six people reported killed

BBC

27/3/22 Rosewood, road tanker gasoline Texas, US

United Petroleum Transport tank truck overturned while attempting turn off Central Texas Expressway; much of its 8,700-gal (33 m3) gasoline cargo spilled and proved difficult to contain; remaining cargo transferred

KDH News

30/3/22 nr Euless, road tanker jet fuel Texas, US

Tank truck with jet fuel caught fire, exploded at Flint Hills Resources site in east Fort Worth; fire was under control within an hour; no injuries, no evacuations necessary; blast was felt two miles away

FW Star Telegram

2/4/22

Nayagarh, road tanker LPG Odisha, India

Bus carrying 60 passengers collided head-on with LPG tanker in Daspalla; tanker driver killed in crash, 15 people on the bus were injured; no word of fire or explosion

Times of India

5/4/22

Buldhana, road tanker fuel Maharashtra, India

Road tanker and another truck with trailer collided head-on on Malkapur-Nandura road; both vehicles caught fire, both drivers killed in fire

Times of India

10/3/22 Houston, road tanker Texas, US

Substance

propionic acid

MARINE/INLAND WATERWAY INCIDENTS Date

Location

Details

Source

24/2/22 Pickensville, barge styrene Alabama, US

Barge carrying 17,700 bbl (2,800 m3) styrene ran aground in Tombigbee River; no indication of leak from barge; US Coast Guard requested support with hazard analysis

Incident News

8/3/22

Oswego, pipeline fuel oil New York, US

Up to 1,500 gal (5,700 litres) No 6 fuel oil spilled from transfer pipe at power station to Oswego harbour; SEC, USCG, Miller Environmental managed to contain spill within harbour; collection underway

WRVO

9/3/22

Bangkok, Smooth Sea 2 Thailand

Product tanker (3,000 dwt, 1983), after discharging gasoil, diesel at IRPC pier, suffered explosion, fire on cargo deck; one crewman injured, one missing; fire under control in an hour; negligence blamed

Splash 247

21/3/22 Qingdao, Arzoyi crude oil Shandong, China

VLCC (299,150 dwt, 2002), offloading cargo at Haiye Mercuria terminal, broke moorings, drifted aground; hose broke, causing small spill; some remaining cargo was lightered to allow tanker to be refloated

FleetMon

24/3/22 Volga-Caspian Geroy Rossii products Sea Channel, Russia Pyatnitskikh

Product tanker (6,400 dwt, 2013), in load with unspecified cargo from Astrakhan to Anzali, Iran, grounded in canal, blocking fairway; no breach of hull or leak reported

FleetMon

26/3/22 off Pichilingue, Sam Guillermo vehicle Baja Cal, Mexico

Fire broke out on cargo deck of ferry from Topolobampo on approach to Pichilingue; fire started in trailer of spreading to others on deck; 24 passengers, all truck drivers, were rescued without injury

FleetMon

27/3/22 Bangkok, Ampar 8 crude oil Thailand

Product tanker (3,500 dwt, 2007), with 3,000 t crude (presumably lightered), suffered explosion while mooring at Bangchak depot on Chao Praya river; one killed, three injured; tanker drifted until anchor was dropped

Splash 247

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

Vessel

Substance

gasoil, diesel

SAFETY 43

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS Date

Location

Plant type

Substance

Details

Source

22/2/22 Lawrenceville, pipeline diesel Georgia, US

Kinder Morgan pipeline leaked at least 10 bbl diesel to storm drain; leak was only found because residents reported smell; five homes evacuated to allow excavation of line, which is thought to have been damaged

WABE

11/3/22 Edwardsville, pipeline crude oil Illinois, US

Up to 4,000 bbl crude oil believed to have leaked from Marathon pipeline to Cahokia Creek, a tributary of the Mississippi; line shut in; US EPA issued orders for remediation and a corrective action plan

ABC

14/3/22 Baotou, I Mongolia, China

chemical unknown plant

Fire broke out in chemical plant (unidentified in reports) in Hondlon district; fire crews brought blaze under control within an hour; seven people missing were found dead; investigation underway

ANI

16/3/22 Giza, Egypt

chemical paints plant

Massive fire broke out in chemical and paint plant in Kerdasa district; responders prevented fire from spreading to nearby properties; investigation underway to determine whether fire was caused by arson

Daily News

20/3/22 Sialkot, garrison ammunition Punjab, Pakistan

Short-circuit sparked fire, massive explosion in ammunition shed near army base; fire was dealt with quickly with no injuries or other property damage; witnesses reported hearing several explosions

Hindustan Times

21/3/22 nr Grevena, Greece

dynamite dynamite factory

Three workers were killed by massive explosion at dynamite plant 30 km outside Grevena in north-west Greece; explosion could be heard several km away; cause under investigation

22/3/22 Williamson, New York, US

chemical unknown plant

Fire broke out in building at Thatcher Company site; fire crews had blaze under control quickly, said that no chemicals were in the area that burned; nearby road closed during response; DEC checking runoff

Spectrum News 1

23/3/22 Dallas, pipeline natural gas Texas, US

Car crashed into natural gas pipeline in Mansfield district; driver critically injured in crash, which sparked huge fire and evacuation of neighbourhood; fire out in a few hours

25/3/22 Kocaeli, oil refinery oil Turkey

At least four workers were badly injured by explosion, possibly in storage tank, at Tupras refinery; blast led to fire, which was quickly extinguished; investigation underway

Ilhas

27/3/22 Billings, oil refinery unknown Montana, US

Fire broke out at ExxonMobil refinery, said to be structural; not clear if any fuels were involved in blaze, which was put out in four hours; no adverse air quality readings, no injuries reported

CNN

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SAFETY 45

ASSAULT ON BATTERIES LITHIUM BATTERIES • RECENT SHIPBOARD FIRES HAVE RAISED CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY OF LITHIUM BATTERIES IN SEA TRANSPORT AND CARRIERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE RISKS, TT CLUB SAYS RECHARGEABLE EQUIPMENT IS a major feature of the 21st century. The ongoing technological development of rechargeable lithium batteries has enabled ever-growing use of portable computers, smartphones, power tools and electric vehicles. But that growth in the use of this technology has brought with it greater safety hazards, as illustrated by some recent high-profile incidents at sea generally suspected as having been caused – or at least made much worse – by fires in lithium batteries. “Understanding the risks is crucial,” comments Peregrine Storrs-Fox, risk management director at TT Club. “As with many successful technologies, market demand has outpaced the development of safety regulations. Since the mid-1980s lithium batteries have been classified under dangerous goods regulations for transport based on the weight of lithium contained in

the cells or batteries and the potential hazard presented by a given battery is also related to the amount of lithium it contains. However, as technology has advanced, the amount of energy derived from the active material has increased by up to 50 per cent, leading to regulatory mismatch where provisions are essentially framed around mass and energy output.” Lithium batteries must be certified to an international standard involving a rigorous series of tests performed by an approved independent testing laboratory, to ensure they can both withstand everyday use through their expected lifetime and the rigours of transport. Responsibility for testing and achieving certification rests with the shipper and/or manufacturer. The sharp rise in demand has been accompanied by supply of cheaper, poorer quality and untested batteries, including refurbished and even homemade

power banks. E-commerce platforms have facilitated a global trade in potentially lethal products, often circumventing global standards and regulations. Throughout their intermodal journey the primary risks exist when batteries are poorly manufactured, untested or defective; these have a higher propensity to malfunction. However, supply chain risk – at any point of handling, storage or transport – is compounded by used, fully or partially charged batteries. As such the reverse logistics of batteries must be carefully managed; damaged and faulty products being returned or shipped as waste for disposal or recycling present increased risk. UNFORGIVING FIRES The consequences of lithium-fuelled fires can be more extensive than others. They are very difficult to extinguish, prone to thermal runaway and present an explosion risk. Due to the heat generated, re-ignition once a fire has been extinguished is an additional risk. In the unforgiving maritime environment, where the crew’s capability to fight fire is strained, the hard lessons learned by land-based fire responders, particularly relating to electric vehicles, need to be assimilated. “The majority of shippers will take all practicable steps to ensure that their lithium batteries achieve certification and are classified, packaged, packed, labelled and declared correctly. A small – frankly criminal – minority are motivated to avoid compliance, entering cargo into the supply chain that presents great risk to all,” Storrs-Fox observes. “Once lithium batteries are placed into the intermodal supply chain, there is little opportunity for the cargo to be checked, visually or otherwise, to verify compliance. For all who are contracted to transport, handle or store lithium batteries, developing a thorough understanding of this particular cargo is a prudent step. Moreover, due diligence into the origin of manufacture and integrity of the shipper instigating the move of these potentially lethal power sources is critical.” www.ttclub.com

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COMING DOWN THE PIPE NORTH AMERICA • COSTHA’S 2022 ANNUAL FORUM PROVIDED THE IDEAL PLATFORM FOR DUTYHOLDERS TO LEARN ABOUT THE CHANGES TO THE REGULATIONS COMING FROM THE US AND CANADA

platform is that the training sessions that accompany each year’s Annual Forum do not have to be packed into the weekend before the event officially opens. As was the case this year, those sessions ran over the course of three weeks following the conference sessions, giving plenty of time for attendees to digest the information provided. The Forum itself, under the title ‘Navigating the Future of Compliance’, opened on 4 April with a meeting of the International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA) which, like COSTHA itself, is administered by Currie Associates. That session heard from a broad range of speakers on topics such as the new requirement to provide a safety data sheet (SDS) for highhazard chemicals when in the Shanghai area, new provisions for data loggers, enforcement by the Container Inspection Training and Inspection Team (CITAT), work of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and relevant activities of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). That packed session was followed by concurrent meetings of the North American Automotive Hazmat Action Committee (NAAHAC), a voluntary group of hazardous materials professionals working in the automotive sector, and the Air Carrier Roundtable, which featured presentations from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

FOR THE PAST 50 years, the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA) has provided a haven for the much put-upon members of the hazmat fraternity, primarily though not only in North America. Its annual forum and expo offers an ideal place to meet

the opportunity to talk dangerous goods late into the night around the bar (or pool or fire pit, as has been the case at some venues over the years), to discuss issues of common interest and to hang out with the regulators. It is to be fervently hoped that we will all be able

RULES IN PROGRESS Sam Moyers, associate vice-president and director of transportation safety at Arcadis and COSTHA president, opened proceedings on 5 April with an early morning (in North America, at least) annual membership meeting, before moving on to introduce the first conference session, a round-up of important developments

and hear from the most senior regulators from agencies in the US, Canada, Europe and elsewhere. Like other event organisers, though, COSTHA has had to take its Annual Forum online for the past two years; it is unfortunate that regular delegates (including HCB) miss

to get back to that next year but, in the meantime, at least COSTHA has been able to keep its audience informed about recent and upcoming regulatory changes and to arm them with the knowledge and tools they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability. One upside of the need to move to a virtual

in China, Australia and India. Concentrating on North America, however, the second session offered the much anticipated annual review of regulatory rulemakings by PHMSA and its counterparts in Canada. This year, the US element of the session was given by Glenn Foster, chief of the

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

REGULATIONS 47

Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch of PHMSA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Standards and Rulemaking Division. At the top of the list of priority items for the current year at PHMSA is to get the HM-224I rulemaking to final rule stage; this will introduce new regulations for the carriage of lithium batteries by air, bringing US domestic regulations into closer alignment with the international provisions. Glenn mentioned also that PHMSA is involved in a pro-active multi-agency group to look at the management of battery hazards as technology progresses. During the years of the Trump administration, PHMSA – as well as other Department of Transportation (DOT) bodies – fell behind with its work to maintain overall harmonisation with international rules. However, Glenn said, work to bring the HM-215P rulemaking to final rule stage is progressing well; indeed, the final text is currently under review and it should be published in good time to enter into force on 1 January 2023. HM-215P is the latest in the regular biennial updates and will align the US

 ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ARE SUBJECT TO THE REGULATIONS, WHETHER AS SHIPPERS, CARRIERS OR SERVICE PROVIDERS

Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) with the 22nd revised edition of the UN Model Regulations and the other international regulations that derive therefrom. PHMSA always reserves the right to vary from the Model Regulations and there will be some variations included this time round; HCB will look more closely at HM-215P when the final rule is published. Meanwhile, Glenn said, work has already started on the next biennial update, HM-215Q. Also on the priority list is HM-264A, which will suspend (temporarily, at least) the provisions that authorise the transport of LNG in rail tank cars, in response to an Executive Order. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) under HM-264A was published on 8 November 2021 and by the time the comment period closed on 23 December PHMSA had received around 7,000 comments. Those comments, along with the chance PHMSA took to consult with its colleagues at FRA and external technical experts on recent research, have provided valuable information that will help support any future rulemaking on the topic. Also currently in progress are two smaller rulemakings, both heading towards the final rule stage: HM-241, which will incorporate the provisions of ASME Code Section XII; and HM-260B, which contains editorial corrections to HMR.

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Glenn highlighted another rulemaking that will be of interest and relevance to a lot of stakeholders – HM-265, which will aim to enhance modal safety. This is another initiative that cuts across various agencies and it will be very interesting to see what its NPRM contains. AROUND THE MODES There are several other rulemakings working their way towards NPRM stage. HM-250A on radioactive materials, which aims to align HMR with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Transport Safety Standards, is already drafted and will be published soon. HM-263 will address real-time train consist information and HM-264B will look more broadly at the safety of LNG in transport. Some others aim to streamline and improve PHMSA’s regulatory work: HM-253G is another rulemaking to convert long-standing Special Provisions into HMR; HM-219D will respond to petitions for rulemaking; and HM-257A will streamline the approvals process for energetic substances. PHMSA is also working on HM-265A, which will look at regulatory reform initiatives and will appear first as an advance notice of proposed rulemaking. “We’re getting there, little by little,” Glenn added. Glenn was followed by Don Burger, chief of PHMSA’s Special Permits and Approvals branch, who appealed for applicants to provide all the necessary (and correct) information and to use the online submissions portal. He noted that the branch has lost around one-third of its staff over the last two years, while the volume of applications is as big as ever. Later in the day, COSTHA delegates enjoyed a suite of presentations from modal authorities, beginning with FAA’s Michael Cameron, division manager for Policy, Standards and Stakeholder Engagement, and Victoria Lehman, branch manager. They described FAA’s three-pronged strategy to improve safety in the transport of dangerous goods by air, covering packing, cargo awareness and operational safety. But, as might be expected, FAA’s focus over the past two years has been on the transport

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

of Covid-19 vaccines. The agency established a dedicated team in October 2020, which works in coordination with DOT, other federal agencies, the airline industry, pharmaceutical manufacturers and other stakeholders; the aim is to ensure that vaccines are not only transported safely but also in an efficient and timely manner. FAA actively engages with external stakeholders through the Vaccine Distribution Engagement Meeting (VDEM) to share ideas and learn about successes and challenges. More information on this work can be found at www.faa.gv/coronavirus/vaccine_ transport/. Work on that subject is ongoing – as is the Covid-19 pandemic. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) granted FAA emergency approval to allow the voluntary collection of information from parties that have experience in the transport of Covid-19 vaccines, in order to support continued operational safety and efficiency. In early February this year, FAA published a notice regarding the information collection programme, which ran from 15 March to 29 April. FAMILIAR FACES Also on the programme was long-time COSTHA presenter James O Simmons, transportation specialist at the Federal Motor

Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), who described how the agency goes about its business of maintaining oversight of the nation’s trucking industry. FMCSA has also responded to the Covid-19 crisis, issuing several waivers to provide relief for operators unable to meet the normal requirements for licensing, reporting and testing, and to enable the transport of emergency relief materials. Some of those waivers expire at the end of May 2022. FMCSA is also attempting to ameliorate the current driver shortage, introducing a new Entry-Level Driver Training programme this past 7 February. This establishes new minimum training standards for new entrants to the profession as well as to those upgrading or seeking an endorsement (hazardous materials, passengers and school buses) for the first time. Those obtaining a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) after that date must complete the relevant training from a registered training provider, before taking a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) skills or knowledge test. There is also a system of information management, which involves training providers registered on the Training Provider Registry (TPR) and self-certifying that they meet all FMCSA and State requirements. The

REGULATIONS 49

TPR system is free of charge to users. Once a driver successfully completes the required training, the training provider must then electronically submit the driver’s certification to TPR. James highlighted another issue of urgent concern to the trucking industry, resulting from the closure of 3G networks by telecommunications providers, as from February 2022; this is affecting those electronic logging devices (ELDs) that rely on 3G communication, which will no longer function properly. Motor carriers need to verify that their ELDs continue to meet FMCSA technical standards since, unless an extension is granted, they have only eight days to get a malfunction resolved. James explained the required details for obtaining an extension – which only relate to a malfunction caused by the ‘3G sunset’ – but noted that those issued thus far were to expire by the end of April at the latest. Moving to the water, Lt Joseph Kolb, staff engineer within the US Coast Guard’s (USCG) Hazardous Materials Division, explained the

 PHMSA AND OTHER MODAL BODIES WORK IN CONCERT WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN CANADA TO HELP ENSURE SEAMLESS CROSS-BORDER TRANSPORT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

agency’s organisation and its activities in the hazmat arena. began by noting Who do He you contact forthat there are the changes at the top at USCG planned for latest DG compliant this summer, with Admiral Karl Shultz taking labels? over as Commandant. The Hazardous Materials Division’s current priorities, Joe explained, are to improve education and compliance in relation to undeclared and mis-declared hazardous materials, to review compliance with HMR in ferry operations, to improve its outreach and education efforts, and to ensure US interests are well represented at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). As part of that remit, USCG works with its modal partners and with PHMSA in the development of rulemakings; it was involved in HM-215P and the HM-260B final rule, which made some editorial corrections and clarifications to HMR. USCG is also, perhaps surprisingly, involved in the development of the NPRM under HM-263, which derives from the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and will require Class 1 railroads transporting hazardous materials to generate accurate electronic train consist information in real time. Joe brought delegates up to speed with recent activity at the IMO, although as with other regulatory bodies it has moved towards virtual meetings and the USCG team have not

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had the opportunity to visit London lately. The Editorial & Technical Group (E&T) on the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code conducted its 36th session virtually on 7 to 11 March and is due to meet again – perhaps in person this time – for its 37th session in the last week of September. The COSTHA meeting came just as the Sub-committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) was holding its ninth session, and the Sub-committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC), which has responsibility for the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, is scheduled to hold its eighth session from 19 to 23 September, though this may be extended depending on the outcome of the upcoming sessions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). NORTH OF THE BORDER Over the past two or three years, Canada has upped the velocity of its rulemaking under its Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) and Christopher Blain, executive director at the TDG Directorate’s Regulatory Frameworks and International Engagement division, gave a detailed presentation of the latest developments. The overarching feature of current activity is the ‘TDG Transformation’ programme, which aims to implement a suite of 18 initiatives that will enable the TDG programme “to innovate alongside industry” and improve Transport Canada’s ability to effectively and efficiently oversee the safe and secure transport of dangerous goods. Those initiatives cover regulatory, legislative and organisational changes and are being introduced after extensive consultation with stakeholders. One important initiative is what Chris called ‘TDG Core’, which is designed to modernise IT systems within the TDG Directorate. As part of that, its inspectors are now using cloud-based systems to write and upload reports. It will all help the TDG Directorate to become a more data-centric and agile department and to produce evidence-based regulations. One external but fundamental part of the transformation programme is the

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

development of the Client Identification Database (CID), which is designed to create an accurate and reliable inventory of those companies and the sites where dangerous goods are handled, offered for transport, transported or imported into Canada. The policy phase has been completed and a digital solution is under development; Chris said he expected publication of proposals in Canada Gazette Part I (CG I) for comments this spring, with the final rule likely to appear in Part II (CG II) in spring 2023. Of more immediate import to dutyholders, perhaps, is the planned publication in CG I this spring of Canada’s major international harmonisation rulemaking. This has been an extensive undertaking, with consultation going back as far as 2016 and the final rule unlikely to appear until the third quarter of 2023. The TDG Directorate has had to coordinate with several other national agencies as well as industry and its US counterparts. The rulemaking will modernise some outdated requirements for the transport of dangerous goods by air as well as taking updates from the IMDG Code, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Technical Instructions and the UN Model Regulations into TDGR. Canada also plans to harmonise certain parts of TDGR more closely with HMR, in order to improve cross-border

transport, in areas such as the recognition of PHMSA Special Permits, placarding requirements and toxic inhalation hazard (TIH) substances. MORE TO COME FROM CANADA Already published in CG I this past December, following the publication of the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) Standard 192.3 in November 2020, is an update and expansion of the training requirements in Part 6 of TDGR, which will introduce a competencybased training and assessment approach, similar to that being introduced by ICAO in the air transport sector but here applied to all modes. The consultation period is now closed and comments are being analysed, with the aim of getting the final rule into CG II in spring 2023, at which point CGSB 192.3 will enter into force (though there will be a 12-month transitional period). Transport Canada will prepare and publish guidance documents on its website to help dutyholders assimilate the new provisions. The TDG Directorate is also working on what it calls a ‘fee modernisation’ plan, which will introduce new fees and service standards for its means of containment (MOC) Facilities Registration Program. This aims to cover some of the costs of administering the programme, rather than leaving it all to the

REGULATIONS 51

Canadian taxpayer, and has been subject to specific provisions for the transport and extensive consultation with stakeholders. delivery of dangerous goods by drones, which Who do you contact for Who do you contact for Regulatory development is now complete, is currently not allowed under civil aviation the latest DG compliant DG Regulations? Chris reported, with publication in CG I rules in Canada. labels? planned for spring this year. The proposals Finally, Chris came to the ‘regulatory also include development of a digital system sandbox’ that Transport Canada has been by which stakeholders can make applications running to assess the feasibility of the use of online, while Transport Canada is also electronic shipping The project IATA’s Leadingdocuments. Distributor preparing guidance materials and outreach came to an end on 31 March 2022 after the Free Worldwide Shipping on the 63rd Edition efforts. participation of seven carriers in four studies, A more general update of TDGR is planned, two live simulations andADR oneavailable table-top in spiral format following consultation going back to 2015; simulation exercise. A simulation using more detailed consultation was held at the drones is planned for the third quarter of this end of 2021. The TDG Directorate is seeking to year. Transport Canada is continuing to work *** EWand is aiming to N update and clarify TDGR to more closely align with PHMSA on the subject *** with new industry practices and to address publish its report later this year. comments that have been received in recent At this point, it appears that there will need IATA available years. Chris acknowledged that the to be changes in Part 3 of TDGR andin that they spiral format rulemaking has been a long time in will focus on rail transport. This will require development and that some aspects contained outreach to raise awareness among first in earlier drafts have been overtaken by later responders and wider use of the expertise events. He now expects publication in CG I in provided by Canutec. Transport Canada has spring of 2023 and noted that it may include taken onboard the message that a ‘single window’ approach is crucial and is continuing to work with the UN Sub-committee of  Experts on TDG and PHMSA to identify a IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE PRESENTATIONS AT THE COSTHA harmonised solution. ANNUAL FORUM THAT THOSE INVOLVED IN HAZMAT HCB will report further on discussions TRANSPORT WILL SOON FACE A LOT OF REGULATORY during this year’s COSTHA Annual Forum CHANGES in a forthcoming issue. Free DG Label ID poster with every order

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CALM WATERS INLAND WATERWAYS • THE ADN SAFETY COMMITTEE’S JANUARY SESSION ADOPTED SEVERAL AMENDMENTS FOR ENTRY INTO FORCE IN 2023, ALONG WITH SOME CORRECTIONS AND REVISIONS THE JOINT MEETING of Experts on the Regulations annexed to the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways – the ADN Safety Committee – held its 39th session this past 24 to 28

Community, and nine non-governmental organisations. The first part of this two-part report on the Committee’s session in last month’s HCB covered questions on implementation and interpretation of the provisions of ADN along

January. It was chaired by Henk Langenberg (Netherlands) with Bernd Birklhuber (Austria) as vice-chair. The meeting was attended by representatives of 13 countries, the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR), the Danube Commission, the European Commission and Transport

with some proposals for amendments to be included in the 2023 text.

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

FURTHER PROPOSALS CCNR had been doing a lot of work to ensure harmonisation between the different language versions of ADN and had spotted an issue in

the text in 3.2.3.1 on the use of stabilisers. There was a difference between the French and German wording and it seemed to the Commission that the German text was correct. The Safety Committee agreed and also changed the English version of ‘1’ under remark 33 (n) in column (20) to read: “The addition date of the stabilizer and the duration of its effectiveness,”. CCNR had also noticed that the German, French and English texts of special provision 651 were slightly different, and also that they varied from the same provision in ADR. It asked whether it was appropriate to keep SP 651 in ADN and, if so, whether it should be aligned with ADR. The Safety Committee felt it should stay but adopted a change to the text. The English version will now read: Special provision V2 (1) of ADR does not apply if the net explosive mass per transport unit does not exceed 4 000 kg, provided that the net explosive mass per vehicle does not exceed 3 000 kg. An informal document from the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), the European Barge Union (EBU) and the European Skippers Organisation (ESO) addressed those dangerous goods that cannot be detected with a toximeter, suggesting the extension of the requirements of ADN to cover those substances if other methodologies of determining toxicity could be applied. The Safety Committee preferred to pass this idea on to the informal working group on substances and it was agreed to resume discussion at the next meeting. EBU and ESO also put forward formal proposals to amend the provisions for cofferdams in inland tank vessels, following discussion at the previous two sessions. It was felt that the existing provisions do not reflect current vessel designs and, indeed, in some places are based on very old riveted designs. Most delegates supported the proposals in principle, although some clarification was called for. On the basis of revised wording put forward by EBU and ESO, the changes were adopted. Paragraph 7.2.3.1.1 is amended to read: The cofferdams shall be empty, as long as the adjacent cargo tanks are not empty. They shall be inspected before each filling and if not filled

REGULATIONS 53

they shall be inspected frequently, at least once a week, in order to ascertain that they are dry (except for condensation water). The beginning of 7.2.3.20.1 is amended to read: Cofferdams fitted out as service spaces, and hold spaces containing insulated cargo tanks shall not be filled with water. Cofferdams, not fitted out as service spaces, may be filled with water, provided that: (a) the adjacent cargo tanks are empty; (b) this has been taken into account in the intact and damage stability calculations; and (c) filling is not prohibited in column (20) of Table C of Chapter 3.2. Double-hull spaces, double bottoms and hold spaces which do not contain insulated cargo tanks may be filled with ballast water provided:… An editorial change to the transitional provision in 1.6.7.2.2.2 has been made to reflect these amendments. The secretariat had checked the amendments already adopted and came with a few corrections; Austria also noticed an error in the Dangerous Goods List and the Safety Committee agreed that ‘VE04’ should

 THE ADN SAFETY COMMITTEE, IN COMMON WITH OTHER MODAL REGULATORY BODIES, IS HAVING TO ADDRESS THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS BOTH FOR VESSEL PROPULSION AND FOR CARRIAGE AS CARGO

be added in column (10) against UN 1950 Aerosols, toxic, flammable, corrosive. EBU and ESO reminded the Safety Committee of discussions at the January 2021 session on the installation of low-pressure valves or additional vacuum valves and the need to clarify the relevant provisions in ADN. Germany and the Netherlands agreed to prepare a joint proposal for the next session. WORKING GROUP REPORTS Much of the detailed work to update the regulations annexed to the ADN Agreement is carried out by informal working groups, generally meeting (in person or by correspondence or online) inter-sessionally. The informal working group on loading on top in barges, for instance, had held its sixth meeting on 13 and 14 October 2021 and the Netherlands introduced a report of that gathering. The working group had agreed that the informal working group on substances should continue to develop a ‘positive list’ of those dangerous goods that can be loaded in a cargo tank in one or more batches; this will apply only to cargoes with the same UN entry. There will need to be a definition of what is meant by ‘same cargo’ and a method by which new substances can be added to the positive list. Cefic offered to supply a list of such substances to act as a starting point.

The Safety Committee felt that the informal working group on loading on top should refrain from further discussion on the loading of different substances. It confirmed, however, that this does not apply to the addition of inhibitors, colourants or other additives to a cargo. FuelsEurope was invited to develop a proposal to make this explicit in the regulations. In the meantime, it appeared that the informal working group had completed its tasks. The chair of the Group of Recommended ADN Classification Societies reported on the outcome of the group’s online meeting of 20 October 2021. The Safety Committee was particularly interested in two topics, namely the acceptance of deepwell pumps for use in Zone 0 cargo tanks on gas tankers, and transitional provisions for electrical and non-electrical equipment in Zones 1 and 2, and asked the Group to continue its work. Belgium urged more work on electric propulsion systems and energy storage and offered to prepare a proposal for consideration at the next meeting. There had been some discussion on the wording of 1.15.3.8 on the recognition of classification societies under ADN. The Safety Committee, after a long exchange of views, felt that classification societies should undergo a recurrent assessment by an accreditation body in order to retain their

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54 REGULATIONS

 AS WELL AS THOSE SHIPPED IN BULK IN TANK VESSELS

Committee welcomed its offer to lead the group, with the first meeting tentatively scheduled for April 2022.

status under ADN. The Committee recalled that the Group had been asked on more than one occasion to prepare a detailed document with their views on the accreditation process. The correspondence group on fumigated cargoes had held positive discussions with consignors of such cargoes and with carriers on the possible risks and measurement methods for their carriage. The Netherlands underlined the importance of the issue and pledged continued cooperation. CCNR offered some terms of reference for an informal working group on certificates and other onboard documents in electronic

ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE Following the ending of the ADN Safety Committee’s session, delegates continued under the ADN Administrative Committee, with the same chair and vice-chair. This body gave the Recommended ADN Classification Societies another nudge for evidence of their certification in accordance with EN ISO/IEC 17020:2012. The Administrative Committee noted the details of the special authorisation granted by the Netherlands for the transport of UN 1288 Shale oil in tank vessels as well as the discussions in the Safety Committee. Germany reported that it was experiencing difficulties in complying with the new card format for the ADN specialised knowledge certificates and had been unable to meet the

the signing of a multilateral agreement and invited other Contracting Parties to countersign the agreement once it has been circulated. Romania, France, Germany and the Netherlands supplied examination statistics, which the Administrative Committee found very useful; it invited all countries to submit such data regularly. The Administrative Committee endorsed and adopted all the amendments and corrections for ADN supplied by the Safety Committee and asked the secretariat to take the necessary steps to communicate the corrections to all Contracting Parties. It also asked for a consolidated list of all the amendments adopted for entry into force on 1 January 2023. The Safety Committee is due to hold its 40th session on 22 to 26 August 2022; the 28th session of the Administrative Committee will take place on the last day of that session. The

format, which was accepted by the Safety Committee. The Netherlands volunteered to lead the work, with CCNR offering secretariat services. The Netherlands submitted draft terms of reference for an informal working group on loading and unloading instructions. The Safety

1 January 2022 deadline. The Federal Waterways and Shipping Agency was continuing to issue these documents in the ‘old’ format and asked other Contracting Parties to refrain from objecting to their ongoing use until the end of 2022. The Administrative Committee felt it would require

Safety Committee will only consider for adoption in the 2023 edition of ADN additional amendments and corrections to texts already adopted, or proposals to ensure harmonisation with the 2023 editions of RID and ADR. All other matters will be held over for consideration during the next biennium.

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HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

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56 BACK PAGE

NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BOMBS AWAY Some years ago, the Back Page took a midwinter break to Israel, to see the ample historical sites and get some much-needed beach time in the sun. Understandably, security is high on the agenda in the country and we had prepared ourselves, reading all the information and alerts. Indeed, our guide book included an admission from the writer, who clearly knew the country well, that he had absent-mindedly packed an inflatable Yasser Arafat at the top of his luggage – which, of course, was found on inspection before he boarded his flight back to the UK. Not surprisingly, he missed his flight. So we were very surprised to see a story last month on the BBC about an American couple who, visiting the Golan Heights on a tour of Israel, had found an unexploded artillery shell and decided to take it home with them as a souvenir of their holiday. One might excuse the couple for not being fully au courant with the stringent restrictions on the carriage of military ordnance on passenger aircraft but they probably ought to have been aware of what might happen when they took the shell out of a backpack at Ben Gurion Airport security to ask if it could go in a suitcase. The officer responded by ordering the vicinity to be cleared but only succeeded in triggering a mass panic among other passengers waiting to be screened. A video posted on Twitter showed people running in all directions and some trying to shelter on the floor behind seating and suitcases. One man was injured after falling on a luggage conveyor belt. The two tourists were whisked off for interrogation but afterwards were cleared to fly by security staff, who perhaps just wanted

HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2022

rid of them. We suspect the shell itself was not allowed to board. BANG TO RIGHTS Sometimes security personnel have problems and solutions presented to them on a plate at the same time. That happened recently in Florida, when a man called 911 to complain about some methamphetamine he had bought from a man he met in a bar. A seasoned drug user, he felt that the material he had purchased was not up to scratch and, perhaps already under its influence, felt that the police might be able to help him locate the seller and also prevent other innocents like him being sold poor quality goods. Police called on his home, where they were given two bags of powder, which they tested. As both bags of powder tested positive for methamphetamine, the man was arrested on charges of possession and taken into detention. Speaking to reporters, a spokesperson for the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office said: “If any person has doubts about the authenticity of any illegal narcotics they have on hand, or have obtained from another person, the Hernando county Sheriff’s Office is pleased to provide this field test service – free of charge.” UNDER THE INFLUENCE Legal intoxicants can also get you into trouble in the US. Earlier this month two people were badly hurt and 13 others injured when a mobile boozer - a ‘pedal pub’ overturned while negotiating a turn. One witness told reporters that “the public just intervened so quickly”. We expect they did, seeing as no one was keeping an eye on the beer bucket.

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