HCB Magazine November 2023 by Enhesa Product

M O N T H LY

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SMELLING SALTS AMMONIA GETS THE THUMBS UP FOR MARITIME APPLICATIONS UN EXPERTS MAKE MORE CHANGES SUSTAINABILITY IS THE WORD DISTRIBUTORS FACE THE FUTURE

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I N F O R M AT I O N

D A N G E R O U S

S O U R C E

G O O D S

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

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

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UP FRONT 01

CONTENTS VOLUME 44

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NUMBER 10

UP FRONT

People for progress

Solid crew

Letter from the Editor

Odfjell to trial SOFC

30 Years Ago

It takes two

Learning by Training

Bertschi, Dow decarbonise last mile

CBA attracts the talent

Busy bees 28

Brenntag offers more space in Benelux

Experts in chemicals REGULATIONS Step on the gas UN experts get moving

Code crackers What’s next for the IMDG Code

Looking ahead

News bulletin – chemical distribution

Hoyer drops fuel distribution

30 INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING

Gooch elected new ITCO president

Van Moer adds services in Antwerp

Loop the loop

News bulletin – tanks and logistics

LC starts FIBC cycle

STORAGE TERMINALS

Logistics united

Feels like home

Implico links digital tools 18

Stolthaven progresses in Kaohsiung

Vopak repurposes in California

Make the shift

36 37

Out of the blue BlueBox tracks pharma by air

LA sunshine

Berry gets recyclate in jerrycans

Know your onions Nexxiot, Deloitte offer compliance help

Taiwan tankage

Let’s go round again DIGITALISATION

TSA back in Coventry

New and used Reconditioners discuss threats at IIPC

Where it’s at

That’s all we’ve got Five years is enough, says Canada

Industry backs Dachser

Man for the job

Tighten the screw US EPA aims for lower emissions

TANKS & LOGISTICS

BACK PAGES Conference Diary

Incident Log

Not otherwise specified

Where’s the wagon IMT bags ERR deal

Koole increases biofuel storage

Ready to roll

News bulletin – storage terminals

MAC offers Clarience trailer telematics

40 NEXT MONTH 41

Report from the Joint Meeting Lithium battery safety

SUSTAINABILITY

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION

Tank container equipment

Channelling low carbon

Talent show

More from the IIPC event

Ammonia plans for Houston

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

Fecc Congress looks at sustainability

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

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HCB Monthly is published by CW Research Ltd. While the information and articles in HCB are published in good faith and every effort is made to check accuracy, readers should verify facts and statements directly with official sources before acting upon them, as the publisher can accept no responsibility in this respect. ©2023 CW Research Ltd. All rights reserved

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UP FRONT 04

EDITOR’S LETTER

September was a busy month for us here on HCB. As markets have settled down following the disruption of the Covid years, so has the events calendar, with attendance figures at many conferences and exhibitions back to pre-pandemic levels. Indeed, so busy was September that we had to ration our travel and missed out on some shows we really wanted to be at. There was also a salutary reminder that Covid has in fact not gone away and when it does bite it can lay you low for days, if not weeks – as I discovered after I came back from the IIPC conference in Ghent bringing the virus along with Belgian chocolate and a notebook full of insightful comments. Before that, I did have the opportunity to spend time with chemical distributors at the Fecc Annual Congress in Spain, with bulk liquids terminal operators and their service suppliers at the TSA Annual Conference in Coventry, and with global industrial packaging and packaging reconditioning specialists at the IIPC meeting in Belgium. This month’s HCB includes reports back from all three of those events – each of which featured two major topics in common: sustainability and the search for new talent. Within industry events, players at all links in the chemical supply chain are keen to stress the steps they are taking to reduce their carbon footprints and it seems that many are indeed making good progress. Many chemical producers – though not all, it must be said – are also well on the path towards a low-carbon future, though whether they will meet their net-zero targets remains to be seen. Having said that, I have heard some chemical executives

giving speeches that appear to pass off responsibility for reducing emissions to their partners up and down the chain, which does not accord with the commitments they are merrily signing up to – not least Responsible Care. Nor does it show that they are taking notice of extended producer responsibility (EPR) concepts, which are bound to loom larger in boardrooms in the years to come. More impressive have been some logistics operators, who spotted early on that their activities contribute a large slice of the total carbon emissions of end products and who took proactive decisions to reduce their CO2 output. They are closer to the end users and, as was highlighted during the Fecc meeting, distributors also find that they are the party on which pressure is brought to bear by the end of the chain. It also seems that consumers (whether industrial or domestic) are prepared to pay a premium for greener products – not that this willingness is open-ended. But it also looks likely that, if prices do not rise because of the necessary investment in decarbonisation, then they will rise in response to environmental disturbances. This month, the Panama Canal responded to a massive drop in rainfall, which has seen Gatun Lake fall to unprecedented low levels, with a cut in the number of available transits. Prices for auction slots have shot up, while brokers suggest that tankers – including VLGCs – will be effectively barred from transit altogether. That will have a massive impact on the cost of moving vital raw materials and on the price of all types of intermediate and end products – all as a direct result of climate change. Peter Mackay

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30 YEARS AGO A LOOK BACK AT NOVEMBER 1993

THIRTY YEARS AGO, the world was changing. Coming out of a deep recession, hard-pressed economies were beginning to be called upon to behave more responsibly. Improvements in safety and environmental protection were all the rage and our November 1993 number included a lengthy piece on tanker inspections, marking the end of the easy ride that had been experienced by substandard ship operators and their substandard vessels. Widening port state control regimes and the arrival of the SIRE and CDI tanker inspection databases would, in quite short order, make a big difference in that market. There was action too in the regulatory arena, where ADR in particular was becoming more aligned with the structure of the UN Model Regulations and ICAO Technical Instructions. Indeed, in response to an earlier article in HCB criticising the disharmony among the modal rules, Lance Grainger, who at the time was chairman of the UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, wrote a stiff letter pointing out that “certain modal organisations are still lagging behind … primarily because of a stubborn determination by some to resist harmonisation” and that all international sea and transport and many countries’ domestic land transport regimes “manage perfectly well” without the ‘item number’ scheme so beloved of ADR and RID. Another letter, from Chris Potts, works manager at UK-based packaging reconditioner Drumrecon, complained that the long-term benefits of using reusable packagings had been understated, especially at a time when all parts of industry were being encouraged to “clean up their act”. Potts noted that the development of internationally agreed industry codes of practice and ISO 9000 had

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER APRIL 2022 2023

allowed the reconditioning industry to get definitive guidelines adopted into the UN Model Regulations and that all this had made it extremely difficult for cowboy operators to carry on in business. Potts also mentioned that the reconditioning industry was looking towards the draft EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste to provide some encouragement to society at large and drum users in particular to adopt reusable packagings. Sadly, in the draft Directive at the time, there was no mention of the reconditioning industry and no recognition of the benefits to be derived from a healthy, committed reconditioning sector. Regulators in the European Commission seem to have learned little in the past three decades, as the current draft Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste – as we report elsewhere in this issue – also has a blind spot when it comes to the established reconditioning sector. Apropos of packaging recycling, the November 1993 issue of HCB included a half-page advertisement announcing the opening of E Pease & Son’s new purpose-built drum and tank recycling factory. The ‘Son’ in E Pease & Son, who was largely responsible for developing the new facility in the north of England, was Phil Pease, who is now secretary of the European Association of Fibre Drum Manufacturers (SEFFI) and a senior figure in the promotion and professionalisation of the industrial packaging business. E Pease & Son was taken over some years ago by a local waste disposal company, WasteCare, and it is noticeable how many other names quoted in our survey of industrial packaging – Evans Industries, Mailbox Mouldings, Mulox, T&D Industries, among others – are also no longer in the business.

UP FRONT 06

LEARNING BY TRAINING by Arend van Campen

DISINFORMATION, CYBER-SECURITY OR CYBER-ETHICS?

EUROPEAN LEGISLATION ON cyber-security and disinformation is terrifying. An unelected body of so-called experts on science, data and information will be deciding what is true or untrue. Who read 1984? On the website of the EU you can read: The Commission is tackling the spread of online disinformation and misinformation to ensure the protection of European values and democratic systems. EDMO, the European Digital Media Observatory, is an independent observatory bringing together fact-checkers and academic researchers with expertise in the field of online disinformation, social media platforms, journalist-driven media and media literacy practitioners. My question is: who are these people? I Googled but could not yet find a list of people and or the companies they work for. In previous columns I asked this question: ‘who checks the fact checkers?’ several times. The risk of cyber-security can however be alleviated by using cyberethics as information and to learn more about people’s motivation to act unethically online. Cyber risks for our industry are real. A while ago an oil terminal became inoperable due to a cyber attack. This leads to another question: why would people attack other people using the cyber space? What motivates the EU to ‘decide’ for us what is true or false, by telling us which information is misinformation? If you, for example, believe that forever chemicals are to be banned or that an electric car is not as sustainable as proclaimed, someone in EDMO could determine this as misinformation because 25,000 lobbyists roam the area around the Wetstraat in Brussels where the European Parliament is seated. Could vested interest interfere with the reality or surreality of (dis)

information? Questions like these are valid, because apparently those who share ‘disinformation’ could be fined or jailed. But, as demonstrated earlier, information can’t be destroyed, nor censored, nor ignored, because information is always a part of the energy-matterinformation trinity needed for functionality. You see, information is equivalent to energy. Suppression of information means suppressing of energy, which renders the EU dysfunctional due to an energy shortage to do work. Control of information is physically impossible. What it will cause is entropy (disorder) because a living system, in this case European society, will not be able to express ideas or thoughts any longer if they oppose the mainstream consensus on truth. This will inevitably lead to less creativity, less freedom of expression and speech, because if you dare to speak your heart and this is determined as disinformation, you may be penalised. In such a world life is no longer free. Just look back at history. The dark ages were caused by enforcement of religion. Anyone who tried to express his or her thoughts that resisted the Church dictates risked being burnt at the stake, causing 500 years of lack of progress. Control by the few of the many can’t work because it never worked. Be aware, because when ideas become forbidden, life ceases to function. This is no misinformation but a physical and biological truth. 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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and transport of explosives and a range of other classification matters. This second and final part of HCB’s report covers the remainder of the discussions, which included the transport of gases, global harmonisation and, as ever, lithium batteries.

STEP ON THE GAS MULTIMODAL • THE UN EXPERTS’ FIRST SESSION OF THE BIENNIUM WAS SHORT BUT PACKED IN A LOT OF DISCUSSION. SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE MODEL REGULATIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN AGREED THE UN ECONOMIC and Social Council’s (Ecosoc) Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) held its 62nd session in Geneva this past 3 to 7 July. One week was felt sufficient for the Subcommittee to complete the work in front of it, as this was the first of four planned meetings for the 2023/24 regulatory biennium and the regulators were in no rush. The July session was the first for a while to take place in person only. Experts from 21 countries took part, along with observers from Luxembourg and Turkey and representatives from the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 19 non-governmental organisations. Duane Pfund (US) continued to act as chair of the Sub-committee, with Claude Pfauvadel

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

(France) as vice-chair, although Claude is due to retire soon and a replacement will need to be found. The July session of the TDG Sub-committee began its work to agree the changes that will appear in the 24th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations, which is due to be adopted by the parent Committee at its December 2024 session and be published in 2025; the various modal authorities and regional/ national regulators will then transpose the changes for entry into force in the different regulations beginning in 2027. It may be thought, then, that the changes agreed now can be safely put aside for a while; however, these things have a habit of turning up unexpectedly in the end, while dutyholders should also be alert to the Sub-committee’s discussions in case they disagree, as there is still time to have decisions reviewed. The first part of this two-part report on the July session of the TDG Sub-committee covered matters relating to the classification

ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS The Advanced Rechargeable & Lithium Batteries Association (Recharge) and the Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA), in an informal document, reported the problems being experienced with meeting the requirement of the T.5 test in 38.3 of the Manual of Tests and Criteria, which states that cells and batteries must be tested “as designed”. In modern, large batteries, there is now often a protective unit that prevents the battery from being tested as designed, as it specifically protects against an external short-circuit. Dismantling the battery assembly for testing could result in unsafe conditions. The two associations petitioned for an additional paragraph in 38.3.3(b) to exempt such batteries from the T.5 test. While the Sub-committee recognised the difficulties being experienced, most experts did not favour a general exemption from testing. It was, though, agreed that a differentiation was needed so as to clarify the existing provisions. Recharge offered to return with a revised proposal at the next session. France and Recharge reported on April 2023 meeting of the informal working group on the hazard-based classification of lithium batteries, which had taken place in Seoul. The working group has gone back to basics and developed a new way of classifying the hazards presented by lithium cells, based on the capability of a cell to: • Propagate a thermal runaway • Generate fire • Generate significant quantities of toxic and/or flammable gas, and • Produce high temperatures. The informal document presented by France and Recharge included a classification tree based on these hazards, which identified the various testing requirements and then outlined the various test methods and criteria, and assigning each cell to one of nine

REGULATIONS 08

categories. A draft test protocol was also offered, though this needs further work. The Sub-committee agreed the principles proposed and it was recommended that the informal working group go forward with a two-step approach: (a) finalise the hazard classification for the Model Regulations and the test protocol for the Manual of Tests and Criteria, including the drafting of amendments, and (b) develop the transport conditions for each hazard category, taking into account the assessment at a reduced state of charge and the conditions related to packagings. The informal working group is due to meet again after the December 2023 session of the Sub-committee. China had presented an informal document at the previous session, seeking amendment of the wording relating to the use of the Model 9A label in special provision 384. It felt it would be valuable to retain the 9A label on large packagings, rather than the Model 9 label to be used on cargo transport units. China now returned with an official proposal but, as written, it did not receive the support of the Sub-committee; China will review the proposal for further consideration at the next session. China also sought a change in 5.2.1.9.1 to require the lithium battery mark to be located on the same surface of a package and close to

the hazard label(s) and proper shipping name. It feels that, if the lithium battery mark is located elsewhere on a package, it could be missed during transport. China also noted that there is a requirement in 5.2.1.6.2 for the environmentally hazardous mark to be located adjacent to the hazard label(s). It suggested the addition of a Note at the end of 5.2.1.9.1. Some experts supported the proposal in principle but felt that the text of the note could equally be included in the provisions. Others wanted more time to study the proposal. China will review the proposal in light of the comments made and submit a new paper at the next session.

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TRANSPORT OF BATTERIES The Medical Device Transport Council (MDTC) sought to open up a discussion on the safe transport of medical devices and their components, including lithium batteries and lithium battery-powered medical devices. The Council’s paper noted difficulties being experienced in air transport, for example, where standalone lithium ion and lithium metal batteries (UN 3481 and 3090) are forbidden as cargo on passenger aircraft; there are good safety reasons for this to be so but it does present a significant barrier to providing life-saving care to patients in countries or regions not regularly served by cargo-only aircraft.

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Medical devices that include batteries are often subject to additional safety standards and regulatory oversight from multiple non-transport related governmental agencies (such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) and these medical devices comply with standards, such as ISO 13485. In the EU, Asia, Australia and other parts of the world medical devices that include batteries must undergo a conformity assessment to ensure they are safe and perform as intended. Industry has responded by forming the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF), a voluntary group of medical device regulators from around the world who have come together to build on the strong foundational work of the Global Harmonization Task Force on Medical Devices (GHTF) and aims to accelerate international medical device regulatory harmonisation and convergence. Given these developments, it may be possible to develop some generic UN entries to cover medical devices in transport. MDTC did not submit an official proposal but did outline how it could foresee these articles being included in the UN Model Regulations, and invited a discussion. There was a divergence of opinion within the TDG Sub-committee, with some preferring a new special provision as a more appropriate way of dealing with the issue. Overall, though, most experts felt the definition of ‘medical device’ offered by the Council was too broad and that there is, in fact, no need to differentiate the transport of such devices from other lithium battery-powered equipment. It was, though, noted that the work on hazard-based classification of lithium batteries might provide a solution. In the meantime, MDTC was encouraged to pursue the matter with the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel, since most of its concerns relate to air transport. At the previous session, China had brought up the topic of hybrid batteries consisting of both lithium ion and sodium ion cells. Some experts had questioned whether these batteries include an electrical connection between the two types of cell, though this does seem to be the case. China returned with further suggestions, noting that a hybrid battery has more in common with a lithium

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

ion battery and it is more plausible therefore for them to be dealt with in the same manner. China now proposed a new sub-paragraph for 2.9.4 to deal with hybrid batteries and a new special provision to state that hybrid batteries should be assigned to UN 3480 or 3481. The Sub-Committee noted general support for the intent and approach of the proposal. Some experts were of the opinion that further work was needed on testing and special provisions and China offered to develop the proposal further. Belgium sought a discussion on the provisions introduced in the 20th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations to deal with damaged or defective lithium batteries. In particular, the last sentence of special provision 376 states: “Alternative packing and/ or transport conditions may be authorised by the competent authority”. Belgium queried what this might cover and what might be understood as “alternative packing” or “alternative transport conditions”. In addition, how can alternative transport conditions be communicated along the transport chain? The Sub-committee recalled that, for the transport of critically damaged cells and batteries, its initial intention was to introduce packing and transport conditions aimed at

making these cells and batteries inert and non-reactive during transport. Since the Sub-committee could not come to a harmonised text describing the wide range of possible solutions to achieve this goal, it was decided to introduce packing instructions P911/LP906 with a set of requirements aimed at containing any dangerous reaction during transport. In addition, it was decided to introduce the last sentence of the fifth paragraph of special provision 376 to allow the competent authority to approve alternative packaging methods and/or alternative transport conditions, which achieve an acceptable level of safety. Belgium volunteered to come back at the next session with a revised proposal taking account of the comments received, including a clarification on the communication and a detailed justification. ICAO reported that its Dangerous Goods Panel had run up against some problems when attempting to adopt the new provisions for sodium ion batteries of UN 3551 and 3552. Special provision 400 lays down some conditions under which these batteries are not subject to regulation but, the Panel said: • If the cell or battery needs to be shortcircuited in such a way that there is no

REGULATIONS 10

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Do you consign Dangerous Goods? electrical energy remaining, why does it should any revisions to the UN Model need to comply with other conditions? Regulations be worded? • The special provision limits the type and There were still those who queried whether quantity of dangerous goods contained there is any need to place a pV limit for in each cell or battery to those permitted pressure receptacles, but the European to be transported in limited quantities, Industrial Gases Association (EIGA) stressed but how would anyone other than the that there is a clear market trend towards manufacturer know the types and larger pressure receptacle with higher quantities contained in the cell? pressures. Indeed, the chair of the working • The limited quantity thresholds are lower group said that new high-pressure in the air mode than other transport containments with a very high water-capacity Free DG Label ID poster with every order modes and it will be challenging to apply open new categories of consequences and will any exception that is based on LQ values. need a different and possibly more complex ICAO communicated some proposals for approval approach. For now, the value of 1.5 editorial amendments to the classification million bar litres does not limit the market and criteria in Chapter 2.9, which the Subnew developments but defines a limit for committee largely agreed to. These will return unaccepted consequences in the case of an at the next session in an official document incident, which is important for the acceptance from ICAO. As regards the other queries, of gas transport in pressure receptacles. Recharge offered to provide information, It was agreed that containers with a water particularly as regards the type and quantity capacity of more than 3,000 litres or a higher of electrolyte in each cell or battery. pV-product than 1.5 million bar litres should be approved and operated under additional TRANSPORT OF GASES requirements such as a risk assessment for Germany presented a report of the the design under accidental loads, fatigue and intersessional working group on the pVservice conditions. product limit for pressure receptacles, which The working group850 offered four specific Tel: +44 (0)870 50 51 Email: sales@labeline.com had so far met six times, the last of which was proposals for amendment, which were on 8 February. This focused on two main adopted by the Sub-committee though kept in www.labeline.com questions: is the already determined pV value square brackets for now, pending of 1.5 million bar litres acceptable? And how confirmation. All amendments are found in

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1.2.1, where “with a test pressure volume product not exceeding 1.5 million bar litres;” is added at the end of the definitions for ‘Cylinder’ and ‘Tube’, and “the product of test pressure and total water capacity shall not exceed 1.5 million bar litres” is added at the end of the definition of ‘Bundle of cylinders’, and “having a total test pressure volume product not exceeding 1.5 million bar litres” is inserted in the definition of ‘Salvage pressure receptacle’. In addition, “with a water capacity not exceeding 3 000 litres” is deleted from the last of these definitions. Germany also proposed in an informal document additional text for 6.2.3.5 to clarify the meaning and applicability of the pV value; there were some comments made on this proposal, which will be discussed further at the December session. The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) had circulated a paper detailing three revised standards relevant to the transport of gases but had asked that this be held over to the December session. MISCELLANEOUS PROPOSALS Belgium, responding to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and earlier discussion in the Sub-committee about allowing an increased use of recycled plastics in dangerous goods packaging, arrived with a formal proposal to amend the current wording of 6.5.5.2.8 so as to, inter alia, extend permission to use recyclate in flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), along with a consequential amendment in 6.5.2.1.2.

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

Most experts who spoke supported the proposal in principle, although some felt that the current text suffices and already allows the use of recycled plastics. Belgium invited comments in writing to allow it to prepare a revised proposal for the next session. In July 2021, the Sub-committee had agreed, on the basis of a proposal from Spain, to update its reference to the latest (2014) version of ISO 535, which relates to the Cobb method for determining the water absorptiveness of paper and board. There is now a 2023 version, which – in Spain’s view – offers better definitions and greater detail. Most experts who spoke supported changing the reference to ISO 535:2023 but some felt they needed more time to thoroughly check the amendments. An electronic copy of the revised standard will be circulated so that the Sub-committee can make a final decision at the December session. Poland, while translating the 2023 edition of ADR into its national language, had identified that the definitions for fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) tanks and shells deviate from the existing model for ‘tank’ and ‘portable tank’; it offered revised text in English to align the UN Model Regulations, after having already taken the issue to the Joint Meeting in March. The informal working group on FRP service equipment offered other changes, which were accepted but kept in square brackets pending a revised proposal from Poland and further discussion at the next session. Those changes provisionally adopted appear in Chapter 6.9; in 6.9.2.1, the

definitions of ‘FRP shell’ and ‘FRP portable tank’ are amended to read: FRP shell means the part of the portable tank constructed from FRP, which retains the substance intended for transport (tank proper), including openings and their closures, but does not include service equipment or external structural equipment. Openings and their closures may be manufactured from metallic materials or FRP; FRP portable tank means a portable tank constructed with an FRP shell; In addition, ‘FRP tanks’ is replaced by ‘FRP portable tanks’ in 6.9.2.2.3.14.1 and 6.9.2.8.1, subject to confirmation. The informal working group on FRP service equipment submitted its own report, based on discussions since December 2022, which contained seven concrete proposals for the Sub-committee’s consideration. This was supplemented by an informal document containing the outcome of a further meeting of the group that took place immediately before the Sub-committee’s session, containing further proposals for amendment and clarification. Most experts supported the proposals in the informal document to amend the Model Regulations and the Manual of Tests and Criteria. Others preferred to have a final review with their national experts before adoption. It was decided to resume discussions at the December session on the basis of a consolidated official document. The International Dangerous Goods and Containers Association (IDGCA) raised the issue of the use of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) for the transport of UN 1789 hydrochloric acid, to which packing instruction IBC02 is assigned. This does not prohibit the use of IBCs with bottom openings and does not specify any requirements on discharge or shut-off devices. Contrarily, UN 1789 is assigned portable tank instruction T8, for which bottom openings are not permitted. As IBCs are allowed in a volume of up to 3,000 litres, comparable to the volume that might be transported in a portable tank, it seems odd that the transport conditions differ so markedly. IDGCA reported that the issue had come to light as the result of an incident. The Sub-committee confirmed IDGCA’s

REGULATIONS 12

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reading of the relevant provisions but most The Sub-committee agreed to a lot of the Dangerous Goods? experts preferred to keep the provisions as proposal from Spain, including the deletion they stand. IDGCA added that it will share the of the ‘Force’ and ‘Stress’ sections in note outcome of the incident investigation with the a to 1.2.2.1 and the deletion of some other Sub-committee, once it is concluded, which conversion factors. What caused more may encourage a change of mind. problem were the scientifically correct but not China came with a proposal to clarify the obviously needed proposals to amend the text use of the stacking load symbol when IBCs relating to the stacking test for IBCs, large are carried as part of an overpack; in such packagings and bulk containers; more work All UK consignors must have an cases, it said, the maximum permitted needs to be done on this. Further, Spain’s appointed DGSA by 1st January 2023 stacking load symbol may not be visible and it proposal to remove the term ‘net explosive For aweight’ local, professional consultant should, therefore, be replicated on the outside as an equivalent of ‘net explosive DGSA, contact Labeline of the overpack. Some experts thought that mass’ did not find favour: the Working Free DG Label ID poster with every order ‘Biennial’ returns! further work was needed on the proposal but The Group on Explosives admitted that it is it also raised alarm that overpacks might be more accurate but also observed that ‘net being stacked at all. It may be that the explosive weight’ is a term in widespread use proposal results in the stacking of overpacks in the industry. being prohibited but, in the first instance, In a second paper Spain queried the wider China will go away and come back with a use of the terms ‘weight’ (in English) and more detailed proposal at the next session. ‘poids’ (in French) when it thought ‘mass/ Spain arrived with some observations masse’ was more correct.update The Sub-committee THE multimodal regulatory webinar 18thinOctober 2022 about the units of measurement presented agreed and, the English edition, changed in 1.2.2.1 of the Model Regulations, including ‘weight’ to ‘mass’ in 6.9.2.2.3.16.2 and the footnote that gives conversion factors. It 6.4.11.2(d). Spain had also identified some noted some inconsistencies and errors, cases where ‘weight’ is used rather than including the use of ‘kg’ as a unit of force and ‘mass’ in the Manual of Tests and Criteria; the inclusion of the obsolete unit of after an informal discussion, this will be the measurement for pressure, torr. Its paper subject of a revised paper for the next session. included some detailed proposals for Tel: +44 (0)870 850 50 51 Tel: +44 (0)870 850 50 51 Email:amendment, sales@labeline.com Email: sales@labeline.com to align the Model Regulations GLOBAL HARMONISATION with the International System of Units and to IMO’s Sub-committee on the Carriage of www.labeline.com www.labeline.com delete definitions of units that are not used in Cargo and Containers (CCC) and its Editorial the Model Regulations. & Technical (E&T) Group had made some

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changes to the text of section 5.5.4 on the transport of data loggers and other batterypowered equipment intended for use during transport. France felt that the text developed by the E&T Group was superior to the original version in the Model Regulations and proposed some changes that it said would be appropriate for all modes of transport. Many of the experts who spoke disagreed, feeling that at least part of the proposed new text was applicable only to maritime transport. On the other hand, the proposed changes to the existing text did meet with the Subcommittee’s approval. The title of 5.5.4 is changed from ‘Dangerous goods in equipment in use or intended for use during transport’ to ‘Devices containing dangerous goods, which are in use or intended for use during transport’. That change is repeated at the beginning of 5.5.4.1, and the middle part of that paragraph will now read “… such as data loggers, sensors and cargo tracking devices, attached to or placed in packages, overpacks, bulk containers, freight containers or other types of cargo transport units …”. In 5.5.4.1(a) and (c) and in 5.5.4.2, ‘equipment’ is replaced by ‘device’ and “and shall be safe for use in the dangerous environments to which it may be exposed” is added to the end of 5.5.4.1(c). The US offered to work with IMO to prepare for the next session a paper with a more detailed justification for the new provisions in 5.5.4.3 and 5.5.4.4. IMO’s secretariat meanwhile provided in an informal document some details about the outcome of the E&T Group’s 38th meeting in March, which had been preparing draft corrections to the current Amendment 41-22 to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code and beginning work on Amendment 42-24. The paper provided some indication of the reasons behind some variation from the Moel Regulations and also details of the assignment of segregation groups. The UN ECE secretariat provided a digest of the decisions made by the Ad hoc Working Group on the Harmonisation of RID/ADR/ADN with the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, which met in Geneva on 26 and 27 April. The aim of the

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paper was to alert the TDG Sub-committee to some places where additional changes might be made and also to ask some direct questions. Some of the additional amendments were taken to be purely editorial and have been adopted by the TDG Sub-committee for inclusion in the UN Model Regulations. These include: • In the definition of ‘Filling ratio’ in 1.2.1, the replacement of “a pressure receptacle” by “the means of containment” • Deletion of “for lithium cells or batteries or equipment with installed lithium cells or batteries” from the note in 2.9.4(g) • A new Note to go at the end of 2.9.5(a): NOTE: Batteries shall be of a type proved to meet the testing requirements of the “Manual of Tests and Criteria”, part III, sub-section 38.3, irrespective of whether the cells of which they are composed are of a tested type. • A new Note to go at the end of 2.9.5(f): NOTE: The term “make available” means that manufacturers and subsequent distributors ensure that the test summary is accessible so that the consignor or other persons in the supply chain can confirm compliance. • A new third sentence is inserted in special provision 363(f), and the same text is added asto the ninth paragraph of SP 388: Furthermore, sodium ion batteries shall meet

the provisions of 2.9.5, except that 2.9.5 (a), (e) and (f) do not apply when batteries of a production run of not more than 100 cells or batteries, or pre-production prototypes of cells or batteries when these prototypes are transported for testing, are installed in machinery or engines. • In the last sentence of SP 401, after ‘UN 2795’, “BATTERIES, WET, FILLED WITH ALKALI, electric storage” is deleted and a new sentence is added at the end: “Batteries containing metallic sodium or sodium alloy shall be carried as UN 3292.” • In SP 403(b)(i) and (ii), “according to” is replaced by “in accordance with” • SP 405 is amended to read: Vehicles that are fully enclosed by packagings, crates or other means that prevent ready identification are subject to the marking and labelling requirements of chapter 5.2. • In 4.1.3.6.5, first sentence, “level of filling” is replaced by “degree of filling” • In P006(5), first sentence, “or sodium cells or batteries” is added after “lithium cells or batteries” twice • In P200(4)(d), “degree or pressure of filling” is replaced by “filling ratio or pressure of filling” • In P912(c), “where the vehicles” is replaced by “where they” • In 4.2.2.8(a) and 4.2.3.8(a), “an ullage condition” is replaced by “a filling condition” • In the heading of 5.2.1.9 and Figure 5.2.5, “battery” is added after “lithium” • In 5.2.1.9.1 and 5.2.2.1.13.1, “lithium or sodium ion cells or batteries” is replaced by lithium cells or batteries or sodium ion cells or batteries” The question was also raised as to whether the ‘lithium battery mark’, which will henceforth also be used for sodium ion batteries, should have a new name along the lines of ‘lithium ion, lithium metal and/or sodium ion battery mark’ or whether, to avoid being verbose, it should just be called the ‘battery mark’ (there being no such mark at present). The Sub-committee clearly liked the idea but asked for an official proposal so the change could be made. Another question was generated by the new UN 0514 entry for fire suppressant dispersing

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devices and the correct alphanumeric code to be assigned for mixed packing. The Ad hoc Working Group sought some direction from the Sub-committee so that it could make the right decision. Interested delegations were invited to send comments to the secretariat. OTHER BUSINESS China alerted the Sub-committee to a proposal it intended to put before the sister Sub-committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonised System of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS), which was to meet directly after the TDG Sub-committee, recommending the inclusion of hazard communication elements for substances or mixtures that can emit volatile and flammable vapours but do not themselves meet any physical hazard classification criteria. Some of

these substances, such as expandable polystyrene (UN 2211) or plastic moulding in dough form (UN 3314) are classified in the UN Model Regulations under Class 9 but fail to meet any criteria for classification in GHS. China felt that, while they cannot be classified according to the GHS Part 2 physical hazard determination, their hazard should nevertheless be communicated in the safety data sheet in view of the potential loss of life, property damage and environmental impact in the event of an accident. The Sub-committee welcomed China’s initiative, agreeing with the principle of its proposal. Depending on the outcome of discussions at the GHS Sub-committee, China may return with a formal proposal at a future session. FAO, in collaboration with the Dangerous

Goods Trainers Association (DGTA) and the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA), raised the topic of the transport of infectious substances, noting that the Sub-committee had frequently had to revise the provisions in the Model Regulations in response to disease outbreaks. The three bodies proposed holding a lunchtime working group for delegates to the TDG and GHS Sub-committees during the December sessions and provided an outline list of topics for discussion. The Sub-Committee endorsed that request and invited the organisers to arrange in advance some virtual preparation meetings. The TDG Sub-committee’s 63rd session is due to take place from 27 November to 6 December 2023; a report on that meeting will appear in a forthcoming issue of HCB.

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CODE CRACKERS MARITIME • THE LATEST VERSION OF THE IMDG CODE BECOMES MANDATORY AT THE START OF 2024 BUT, AS TT CLUB POINTS OUT, THE PROCESS CONTINUES AND MORE CHANGES ARE COMING IN THE YEARS AHEAD AMENDMENT 41-22 OF the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, which provides the regulations for the transport of dangerous goods in packaged form and in tanks by sea, becomes mandatory on 1 January 2024. While it has been available for use since the start of this year, those subject to its provisions may need a reminder of the changes that will take effect. TT Club, the mutual insurance provider that provides a lot of information on the transport of dangerous goods by sea, has issued a reminder to its members, along with a resume of other ongoing work at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London. It has also, in collaboration with the UK P&I Club, updated its Book it Right, Pack it Tight guide on container packing to reflect the incoming IMDG Code changes. For those who need a reminder of the main changes that are now soon to be mandatory,

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TT Club points to the summary issued a year ago by Exis Technologies (now part of NCB), which is available on its website at https:// existec.com/hazcheck/imdg-code-freesummary-of-changes-41-22/. ONGOING ISSUES Some of the changes that appear in Amendment 41-22 have led to further debate and proposals at the inter-governmental level. IMO’s committees are, for instance, currently seeking to bring to a conclusion a revised safety framework regarding the transport of UN 1361 Carbon – which is also on the agenda at the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) for likely inclusion in the next, 24th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations. In recent years there have been a number of fires attributed to the carriage of cargoes declared as non-regulated charcoal. These

fires have occurred on board ships as well as on land. Inevitably, shipboard fires are of grave concern to the industry, not least because of the adjacency risk, where large numbers of containers are located in close proximity. The adequate classification and declaration of this particular cargo may not yet have given rise to a major conflagration, but there have been an increasing number of incidents identified. This has been particularly evidenced from the findings of the liner shipping industry and has led to protracted debates at IMO. The concerns relate in particular to lump charcoal, designed for burning on barbecues and which has sometimes been pre-treated with an accelerant. While tests and research are ongoing to determine particular hazards, it appears that there is agreement at IMO over key safety measures that may be adopted. These will, however, only become mandatory from 1 January 2026 in Amendment 42-24 in the IMDG Code. There remain some concerns relating to the differentiation between this cargo and activated carbon (UN 1362), which is produced from the raw material. Further, there are non-lump forms of charcoal, such as those produced for artists materials, that have quite distinct burning, cooling and packaging processes; deft handling of such issues will be required by regulators, carriers and enforcement agencies, TT Club says.

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BATTERIES AGAIN While the hazards posed by lithium ion batteries in the supply chain are particularly critical in the air transport chain, they also affect the shipping industry and there have been a number of fires in which lithium batteries have been identified as playing a significant role. TT Club itself was involved in the publication of a joint white paper on the topic in 2022 and, since then, the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) and the International Union of Marine Insurers (IUMI) have both published guidance and best practice documents that demonstrate the current thinking on the topic and identify the need for further research, especially in light of the increasing number of battery-electric vehicles being moved by sea. The global need for decarbonisation and the related demand for effective battery storage drive research towards power output and speed of recharge, but not necessarily enough towards safety through the supply chain and end-to-end life cycle, TT Club says. It continues to lobby for engagement between manufacturers and the transport industry to reach a common understanding of the hazards presented and how these can best be controlled. In part, this requires thorough independent scientific research – as much for the existing and legacy chemistries as for what is emerging, since the former will continue in circulation for many years, including in increasing states of degradation. “Incident investigations – such as following the serious fire aboard Freemantle Highway – will doubtless shape diverse regulatory change, but there must surely be opportunity to get ahead and in the meantime implement safety innovations to protect seafarers, broader workforce, assets and the environment,” TT Club says.

count over the last two decades), while demonstrating continuing concerns in key safety issues such as placarding and effective packing. TT Club says it is heartened that NCB is repeating a broad-based inspection initiative to shed more light on general container packing safety; TT Club is also a partner in the Cargo Integrity Group, which continues to promote safe packing practices linked to the Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code). In addition, the World Shipping Council’s (WSC) recently announced Cargo Safety Program seeks to standardise cargo screening across the liner shipping industry, combining this with container inspections and creating a machine learning-powered feedback loop, linking also to a Verified Shipper Database. There are a number of

technology providers that deliver parts of such a matrix, but combining all elements has the potential not just to tackle non- or misdeclaration, but also beneficially segregate and reward those actors who habitually adopt good practice. It is in everybody’s interest to improve certainty of outcome, TT Club says; innovations and initiatives such as these have the potential to deliver far beyond regulatory change. The Club also reminds industry of the outcome of the MSC Flaminia case, which stressed that regulations merely set a baseline for safety. In other words, it is insufficient merely to comply where you have reason to believe that other factors need to be taken into account. www.cinsnet.com www.ttclub.com

BETTER DIRECTION The UN and IMO regulators are necessarily constrained by the submissions that are raised, either by member states or affiliated organisations. Relevant here are the container inspection findings that are reported to IMO annually, although the number of reports lodged for 2022 continue to be too sparse to guide decision-making (and below the annual average

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storage vessels in scope of NSPS subpart Kb in 2022 and that a further 240 tanks become subject to the requirements each year.

TIGHTEN THE SCREW EMISSIONS CONTROL • US EPA HAS PROPOSED TIGHTENING THE VAPOUR EMISSIONS LIMITS FOR STORAGE TANKS USED TO CONTAIN CERTAIN PETROLEUM AND CHEMICAL LIQUIDS

THE US ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency (EPA) has issued proposals to amend the new source performance standards (NSPS) for volatile organic liquid storage vessels, including petroleum tanks. The proposed amendments would further reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fulfil EPA’s responsibility under the Clean Air Act to periodically review emissions standards. In short, the existing NSPS require 95 per cent control efficiency of VOC emissions and the proposed update would increase this to 98 per cent, to reflect the best system of emissions reduction (BESR) for storage tanks. The amendments also include a requirement for monitoring of internal floating

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roof tanks to ensure continuous compliance; degassing emission controls; clarification of startup, shutdown, and malfunction requirements; requirements for electronic reporting; and other technical improvements. EPA’s NSPS for storage vessels for petroleum liquids, found in subpart K, were first promulgated in 1974 and were amended several times before a major update in 1980, subpart Ka, which extended the scope to cover synthetic organic chemicals. A new subpart Kb was added in 1984, applicable to storage tanks constructed or modified after that date and setting definitions for minimum size and vapour pressure. EPA estimates that there were some 9,100

WAYS TO COMPLY The proposed new subpart Kc assumes that the BSER for tanks used to store liquids with a maximum true vapour pressure of 11.1 psia (76.6 kPa) is an internal floating roof (IFR). As an alternative, EPA is proposing to permit either the use of an external floating roof or a closed vent system and control device that meet an equivalent level of control. For tanks storing liquids with a maximum true vapour pressure above 11.1 psia, EPA says the BSER is a closed vent system with a control device. In order for the closed vent system and control device to meet 98 per cent control efficiency, the storage vessel must not vent to the atmosphere. To ensure direct venting from the storage vessel does not occur, EPA is proposing to require storage vessels have a design operating gauge pressure no less than 1 psi greater than the maximum vapour pressure of the liquid being stored and any back pressure anticipated when the storage vessel is filled at its maximum rate. EPA is also proposing to require that any vacuum breaking device has a close pressure no less than 0.1 psig vacuum to prevent losses from the vacuum breaker vent. Because the NSPS reflects BSER under conditions of proper operation and maintenance, EPA has also evaluated and determined the proper testing, monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements needed to ensure compliance with the requirements of subpart Kc. In particular, EPA proposes to allow the use of periodic lower explosive limit (LEL) monitoring within the headspace of an IFR as a means to readily identify malfunctions. The Agency anticipates that annual LEL monitoring can be undertaken in conjunction with a top-side inspection. EPA’s proposed rule contains a great deal of detail about how it arrived at its proposed requirements. Comments on the proposals are invited by 20 November. The proposals were published in the Federal Register on 4 October and can be found at https://www. govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-10-04/ pdf/2023-21976.pdf.

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THAT’S ALL WE’VE GOT IBCS • WOULD IT NOT BE A GOOD IDEA TO ALLOW IBCS TO BE USED BEYOND THEIR FIVE-YEAR LIMIT, TO REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION OF POLYMERS? TRANSPORT CANADA RECKONS NOT IT HAS LONG been the case that plastics intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and the plastics inner bottles of composite IBCs can only be used in dangerous goods service for the first five years of their life; after that, the plastic material must be scrapped or the IBC downgraded to non-hazardous uses. But, in these times when sustainability has come to the fore, the question has arisen: is this five-year limit necessary? If IBCs can continue to be used safely after that, then it would make a contribution towards reducing emissions through the manufacture of virgin polymer. In order to determine whether the five-year limit can be overturned, Transport Canada asked the National Research Council of Canada Automotive and Surface Transportation (NRC-AST) Research Centre to carry out a testing programme, evaluating the performance of a selection of rigid plastics and composite IBC designs beyond their prescribed period of use of 60 months when subjected to a range of performance tests as prescribed in CAN/CGSB-43.146-2016. The tests included bottom lift, top lift, stacking,

leak-proofness (air), hydraulic pressure (water), cold drops, and vibration. In addition, material testing was conducted to evaluate the composition and condition of the IBCs. Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) reference the CGSB standard, which mirrors the provisions set out in the UN Model Regulations. Transport Canada hoped that the results of the study would help it better understand the durability and performance of IBCs beyond their prescribed period of use and assist in any future decision making. ALL-ROUND FAILURE NRC-AST tested 31HA1 composite IBCs and 31H1 plastics IBCs donated by a user, produced by three different manufacturers. All were past the five-year limit; all had been used for a single dangerous good through their lifetime. The results were not good: apart from the bottom lift and stacking tests, most IBCs failed most of the other tests. Some that failed the initial leak-proofness and hydraulic tests were retested after gaskets had been replaced

or closures tightened and several then did pass the test. However, there were incidents of “unexpected failure” of the metal frames when composite IBCs were subjected to the top lift test. Materials testing of inner bottles generally showed some degradation or oxidation of the outer and inner surface of the bottle walls but the bulk materials were intact. Gaskets did show significant material degradation. Examination of bungs indicated that over-torquing was the likely cause of observed failures. Transport Canada concluded that none of the IBCs tested as part of the study was able to pass all the performance tests required of a new IBC design; there was no difference according to manufacturer or design. Several performance tests and materials testing also indicated general issues relating to closures and gaskets. Transport Canada acknowledges that the test programme did not involve a statistically significant number of IBCs; however, it says those used in the tests were representative of common IBCs exposed to normal dangerous goods service. In the end, it was clear that there were safety concerns about the potential for service life extension beyond the current five years, without additional mitigation measures. A copy of the research summary report can be downloaded from the Transport Canada website at https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/2023-10/ MOC_2_ibc_life_cycle_summary_EN.pdf.

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FEELS LIKE HOME CONFERENCE REPORT • TERMINAL OPERATORS ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION. TSA’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE TOOK THIS AS ITS JUMPING OFF POINT “APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY to sit together and discuss things, it’s very valuable,” said Ian Travers, chairing this year’s Annual Conference of the Tank Storage Association (TSA), which took place at its usual venue, the CBS Arena in Coventry, this past 21 September. Travers, formerly deputy director, chemical regulation, of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and now an independent consultant, welcomed the very healthy audience by reminding them that they should be glad to have government departments such as HSE and trade bodies such as TSA; “some countries lack a collective endeavour to improve safety,” he said; “they don’t think it’s necessary.” Travers’ opening words established the framework for the day, following a welcome by Wilma Kelly, TSA president, who noted that the 64 exhibitors outside the conference room had filled the show, indicating an appetite to get back to normal after the Covid-related

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disruptions of recent years. The conference programme, she said, reflected the issues that industry faces, from the energy transition to the mental health of its employees. PEOPLE POWER There is growing awareness of mental health issues, especially in the UK, and TSA had once again asked Mandy Rutter, an independent consultant on mental health and the human aspect of business continuity, to explain how she sees the tank storage sector’s performance in mental wellbeing. Rutter had appeared last year at the TSA Conference but at the end of the day and it was good that she had the chance to face the audience first thing this year, when there were more bums on seats. Rutter’s opening comments echoed what Ian Travers had already said: “Isolation is bad,” she began. “Make more connections!” Overall, too many people in the storage

business are isolated and that can affect mental wellbeing. And mental health is an integral part of safety – operators need to be in a position to help their employees look after themselves. It might be relevant that the European Parliament has recently (earlier this month) recommended establishing an integrated EU Mental Health Strategy – clearly this is a topic that will loom larger on the business agenda in the years to come. Looking after employees is also getting more important all the time, not least in light of the difficulty in attracting people to the industry in the first place. Simon Thorpe, managing director of Expressions Partnership, offered some ideas on how to attract, train and retain talent, advising companies in the storage sector to “get fit for purpose!”. First off, do a cultural audit; leadership from the boardroom is not an option and leaders need to get onto the work floor regularly. This will help business leaders understand that different generations have different opinions of ‘work’. Employers also need to remove the obstacles to attracting people, starting with a structured work experience programme (not just “free child labour”, Thorpe said). He advised employers to think differently about restrictive job descriptions – young people may not be clear about what they are good at and may well want to be moved around the organisation to see where they fit best. STORING RENEWABLES After a long coffee break to allow delegates to browse the exhibition area, the TSA Conference then moved on to consider what the drive to sustainability and decarbonisation means for the bulk liquids terminal business. One viewpoint was provided by William Tebbit, chairman of Green Biofuels Ltd (GBF), the leading UK supplier of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which since 2022 has been 30 per cent owned by BP. The major benefit of HVO, including the Gd+ brand supplied by GBF, is that it is a direct drop-in replacement for diesel, so no engine modification is necessary, and is produced from waste streams. HVO also burns more cleanly than fossil diesel, raising the possibility of longer engine life.

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To get its production to market, GBF has had to develop a network of terminals, inland bunkers and barges. This supply chain has to be completely segregated from fossil fuels, which means that GBF has to have sufficient capacity available at all times. As an illustration, Tebbit said that total bulk liquids storage infrastructure in the UK amounts to some 14.8m m3, of which advanced biofuels currently require around 1.0m m3, or 8.2 per cent. That will increase – Tebbit estimated that the UK will soon need 1.5m m3 of segregated capacity, which indicates more tankage will need to be built. Some terminals are looking at providing dedicated biofuels tank capacity on a co-mingled basis but this does not help when it comes to proving sustainability – and as carbon pricing becomes more widespread, this will be vital: there will need to be a trail of proof. Mass balance in the supply chain is possible but would require a lot of buy-in from

 MANY STORAGE TERMINALS IN THE UK HAVE ALREADY BEEN RE-TOOLING TO HANDLE BIOFUELS BUT MORE WORK - AND MORE TANKS - WILL BE NEEDED IN COMING YEARS

governments, customers and the International Sustainable and Carbon Certification (ISCC) scheme to retain integrity. The best solution, Tebbit said, is a dedicated biofuels terminal. This will become more viable as the biofuels mandate increases and volumes grow. Storage at a dedicated terminal is also cheaper, since there is less need for spare capacity to maintain segregation. GBF has already started on this route, acquiring and repurposing a former molasses terminal at Ringaskiddy, near Cork, Ireland. “If you believe in renewable fuels, you have to buy into the whole chain,” Tebbit said. “You can’t be half-pregnant.” HYDROGEN HAZARDS As decarbonisation progresses, attention is turning towards the potential offered by hydrogen as an energy source – but this will present some difficult safety issues. Dr Chris Jackson, director of Phy-Consulting and chair of the Energy Institute’s (EI) Hydrogen Import/ Export Working Group, said this is “a steep hill for us to climb to decarbonisation” but that it is also “a tremendous opportunity for us all”. EI set up its Hydrogen Steering Committee as far back as 2019, realising the need to address some priority issues. It quickly

became apparent that this work needed to be global in scope. So far, six reports have been completed, pointing the way towards more work, covering skills and skill gaps, lifecycle analysis of hydrogen and carriers, the development of safety cases, asset integrity and infrastructure integration. Hydrogen (or green ammonia) is most likely to be used in difficult-to-abate applications, such as for industrial feedstocks and marine fuels, Dr Jackson said. But there is a lot going on: around 60 bilateral trade agreements have been signed for moving green hydrogen from countries with plenty of renewable resources (Australia, North Africa, the US, India, Russia, Chile, etc) to those with high demand but low local availability (Japan, Indonesia, Germany, South Korea, China and the rest of Asia). This hydrogen will most likely move in the form of ammonia, which is much easier to handle. Dr Jackson said that green methanol is unlikely at scale without the availability of major carbon capture, utilisation and storage projects. On the other hand, Dr Jackson said, it looks likely that most countries will be able to be self-sufficient in green hydrogen, much like the gas industry, where only 33 per cent of output is traded internationally (compared to 75 per cent for crude oil). But there are still a

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 NEW ENERGY STREAMS MAY DEMAND NEW TANKAGE BUT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR OPERATORS TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLS

lot of uncertainties on the road to getting there, especially in the supply chain. Where is the infrastructure needed? Where are the skills to make this supply chain work? Whatever the case, it is not going to be cheap. Dr Jackson estimated that the necessary investment between now and 2050 will total something in the region of $4 trillion, of which $40bn will be needed in storage-related infrastructure development. VIEW FROM THE REGULATORS As ever, TSA had brought in speakers from the main regulatory agencies, with Sally Lloyd Davies, head of major accident hazard policy and the Net Zero Hub at the HSE, talking about the challenges to health and safety in the new energy landscape. “’Net zero’ isn’t a thing,” she began, “it’s an idea – and includes a lot of ‘things’.”

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Up to now, the industries covered by the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) regulations are well established, with mature technology, public acceptance of risk, safety competence and mature regulatory oversight. “We know where we are,” Davies said. But future technology will be different. “New and shiny is great,” she added, “but we still have to invest in maintaining the existing infrastructure, skills and so on.” Industry – and HSE – needs to understand the new risks posed by alternative energy streams and establish new standards and regulations. Engagement between industry and the regulatory bodies will be vital. Industry will also have to engage with communities to build understanding and trust. It is no good just saying “everything is fine”, especially in these days of social media. And, harking back to earlier discussions, Davies stressed that the skills landscape will also change. Industry needs to prepare for that. The day was rounded off by Charlie Sholl, Environment and Business (E&B) Regulated Industry Energy and COMAH manager at the Environment Agency (EA), who reminded the audience that COMAH exists to protect the

environment as well as people – as do other safety management systems. “The move to Net Zero will be complex,” Sholl said. “We don’t have all the right answers or even questions as to what it will mean for COMAH and the regulated industry.” However, she urged the audience to maintain their focus on primary containment: there is a collective duty to ensure that risk does not escalate. Sholl’s message was that COMAH already covers safety and that safety management systems are important to EA – they are the umbrella that protects people and the environment. And that is something that will become more important yet during the rapid changes that will be part of the decarbonisation process. We have come a long way in just a few years and the pace of change is accelerating. It will be interesting to see how different the perspective is when TSA gathers once more for its 2024 Annual Conference, which will take place on 19 September, once more at the CBS Arena. Exhibitors will be able to book their stands later this month; full details can be found at https://tankstorage.org.uk/ conference-exhibition/.

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TAIWAN TANKAGE CONSTRUCTION • STOLTHAVEN HAS BEEN BUSY IN ASIA LATELY AS IT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP ITS GLOBAL NETWORK TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS SISTER COMPANIES AND THE INDUSTRY AT LARGE STOLTHAVEN TERMINALS AND its joint venture partner Revivegen Environmental Technology are progressing well with the construction of the Stolthaven Revivegen Kaohsiung Terminal (SHRVK) in the port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The first phase is on track to be operational by the end of this year, Stolthaven says. The location of the new terminal positions it to meet growing customer demand for high-quality bulk liquids storage in the region and to introduce more international trade to Taiwan. It is also ideally located to provide storage to support the transition to more sustainable energy and fuel alternatives,

 THE FIRST TANK CAPACITY AT THE NEW TERMINAL IN KAOHSIUNG WILL BE READY EARLY NEXT YEAR

including ammonia for local power generation and green methanol for greener marine bunker fuel. The first phase, which includes a logistics facility for warehouse and drumming filling services, is expected to open towards the end of this year. Initial tank storage capacity of 48,000 m3 will be available from early 2024, with construction of a subsequent phase to begin soon after. “Ultimately, SHRVK will be a one-stop-shop for customers, providing integrated storage, drumming, warehousing and distribution solutions for chemical and bulk specialty liquid customers,” says Mark Lim, commercial manager of Stolthaven Singapore and Stolthaven’s business development manager, Asia. “And, in keeping with Stolthaven Terminals’ focus on innovation and digitalisation, the facility will be highly

automated, placing it at the cutting edge of the industry in Taiwan.” The SHRVK project began late in 2021 after Revivegen, which is involved in the recycling and processing of chemicals for the semiconductor industry, was granted an 11-ha plot of land in the port and asked Stolthaven to help develop the site. PASSING THE TEST Guy Bessant, president of Stolthaven Terminals, says of the Kaohsiung project: “We are proceeding against a challenging schedule, but we have just celebrated 200,000 hours of construction work without lost time injury (since the project began in late 2022), which is a testament to the combined effort by our local team in Taiwan, project team in Singapore and experts from across our global network. “SHRVK enables us to increase the reach of the supply chain solutions that we can offer our customers, providing resilience for local manufacturers and global customers who have business in Taiwan or would like to use the terminal as a distribution facility for the Asia Pacific region,” Bessant adds. “The partnership also connects Taiwan to our broad customer base and the integrated ship-toshore services we can provide in collaboration with our sister companies Stolt Tankers and Stolt Tank Containers.” Stolthaven Terminals has also expanded capacity in New Zealand, where it has commissioned two new 8,100-m3 storage tanks at its Mount Manganui site. The tanks have been designed to store very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) for one of its customer and were built by Culham Engineering in Whangarei. The tanks were delivered to Mount Manganui by sea, involving a five-day, 290-nautical mile trip. Stolthaven’s customer plans to use the IMO 2020-compliant VLSFO to replace heavy fuel oil bunkering at the nearby Port of Tauranga. “The Mount Maunganui terminal is perfectly located to serve the port,” say Brent Metson, general manager of the Mount Manganui terminal. “We are now doing the final preparations on the two tanks, including the insulation and tank pit walls, and they will soon be ready for our customer to use.” www.stolt-nielsen.com

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LA SUNSHINE STRATEGY • THE ENERGY TRANSITION WILL PLACE NEW DEMANDS ON STORAGE TERMINALS. VOPAK IS GETTING READY EARLY TO HAVE THE RIGHT TANKAGE AVAILABLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE VOPAK IS MOVING fast in its mission to realign its terminal infrastructure to cope with future demands. At the end of September, the company finalised the repurposing of 22 storage tanks at its Los Angeles terminal in California, US, to offer 148,000 m3 (39m gal) of tankage for renewable fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel. Vopak Los Angeles has a long-term agreement for this storage infrastructure with Neste, the world’s leading producer of SAF, renewable diesel and renewable feedstock solutions for various polymers and chemicals industry uses. “Neste is fully committed to supporting the energy transition in the US as well as globally via working closely together with partners to increase the availability of our renewable fuels. Our cooperation with Vopak shows how repurposing existing fuel distribution infrastructure can accelerate the much needed

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

transition to renewable energy,” says Annika Tibbe, acting president of Neste US. “California has been at the forefront of adopting and endorsing climate-friendly policies and solutions. We are glad to enable more cities, businesses and individual travellers in the state to take advantage of Neste’s renewable solutions to reduce their emissions and help fight against climate change.” The Vopak Los Angeles Terminal is strategically located in the Port of Los Angeles and is well-connected for logistics via various modes of transport, including vessel, barge, truck, pipeline and rail. The repurposed storage capacity at the terminal significantly increases the availability and accessibility of Neste’s renewable fuels at critical hubs in the Los Angeles area, such as SAF for airlines at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and surrounding airports, and renewable diesel for fuelling stations serving road transport.

TURN IT OVER Maria Ciliberti, president of Vopak US and Canada, says: “We are proud to serve Neste! Repurposing Vopak’s assets from oil and traditional fossil fuel products to low carbon energy solutions is right on target with our strategy. We are happy that our services and infrastructure have been selected and are committed to be a part of the Los Angeles energy transition.” Vopak has invested approximately €30m in repurposing existing conventional oil storage capacity over the last months into biofuels storage. As previously announced, Vopak will accelerate its portfolio investments towards new energies and sustainable feedstocks by allocating €1bn in growth capital to these activities by 2030. This is half of Vopak’s growth capital allocation to 2030. Vopak’s focus is on infrastructure solutions for low-carbon and renewable hydrogen, ammonia, CO2, long duration energy storage and sustainable feedstocks. This strategy will help shape the future of Vopak, but also contribute positively to the transition within key industrial clusters and the shaping of energy hubs of the future. As part of that process, Vopak is also shedding facilities that no longer meet its ambitions. In September it announced it had reached agreement with Infracapital, the infrastructure equity investment arm of M&G Plc, for the sale of its three chemical terminals in its home town of Rotterdam – Botlek, TTR and Chemiehaven - for some €407m. The three sites offer a combined capacity of some 1.4m m3. Speaking about the sale, Patrick van der Voort, president of Vopak’s Netherlands business unit, says: “Although within Vopak we will surely miss our colleagues at the chemical terminals in Rotterdam, we are convinced that our customers and colleagues will be well served by partnering with Infracapital who is a long term and an experienced infrastructure investor. We would like to thank everyone involved for their trust and contribution to Vopak and will work together, with among others the works council, towards a closing and smooth ownership transfer to Infracapital.” www.vopak.com

STORAGE TERMINALS 24

MAKE THE SHIFT EXPANSION • GROWING BUSINESS IN THE RENEWABLE FUELS SECTOR HAS PROMPTED ANOTHER ROUND OF WORK BY KOOLE TERMINALS AT ITS MAASTANK TERMINAL IN ROTTERDAM

LATE LAST YEAR , Koole Terminals took the decision to expand its Maastank bulk liquids terminal in the Botlek area of Rotterdam. A new Tank Pit 8 is now nearing completion, with the 13 new tanks expected to be in service in January 2024, bringing another 29,000 m3 of storage capacity and taking the site’s overall capacity up to 116,000 m3. The work responds to rapid growth in the renewable fuels sector, with Maastank reporting additional demand from a number of customers. As such, careful consideration had to be given to the layout and design of the new tank pit, including its pump chambers, docks, jetty lines and container heating areas, which are needed to ensure that product arrives in the tanks at the right temperature. Having all this in place from day one will allow Koole to provide a complete service to its customers, explains Marijn Kuiper, director of the Maastank terminal. Kuiper sees the expansion as an opportunity to work more with renewable resources and less with minerals. He explains: “Historically, our terminals have been well suited for housing raw materials needed for vegetable oil. This allows us to grow, expand, and adapt to the transition.” Kuiper adds that their focus with Maastank is on the food, feed, and technical products sectors, aiming for broad involvement in the industry to establish long-term and effective collaborations with their customers.

personnel required. This will lead to some team adjustments to accommodate the expansion.” But the new tankage is coming at a good time, as Verheul explains: “Our tanks are often filled to capacity. With the arrival of these tanks, we can plan for the future, benefiting our customers.” The first piles were driven in the second quarter of 2023 and the project has – so far, at least – proceeded smoothly, due in no small

part to the fact that Koole is working with the same contractor as in previous projects, which means the two parties know how best to work together. This continuity is crucial both in terms of getting the project completed on time and getting it done safely, Koole says. Contract personnel are well versed in the site’s procedures and safety protocols, daily work permits are issued with explanations and expectations, and daily safety meetings are held to minimise incidents. “Safety is always a prerequisite in any collaboration,” Kuiper stresses. Koole is confident that Tank Pit 8 will be available on schedule and thoughts are now turning to the next project at Maastank. Verheul explains more: “As soon as it’s up and running, we want to start on Tank Pit 9. This expansion will include an extension of the dock, allowing two ocean vessels and two inland barges to arrive and be unloaded simultaneously. This is a significant step forward for the Maastank terminal,” he concludes. koole.com

RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE Jouri Verheul, supervisor of operations at Maastank, says: “Operationally, there won’t be many changes, except for the additional

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STORAGE TERMINALS

STOLT GOES FOR US GROWTH

Stolthaven Terminals has confirmed an expansion and upgrade programme for its US terminals to meet its customers’ growing needs for specialist storage and handling services. The work will include increasingly automated operations, additional specialist services for customers and the installation of new tanks, which will significantly increase Stolthaven Terminals’ current total US storage capacity of 954,491 m3. Guy Bessant, president of Stolthaven Terminals, says: “We are pleased to be able to expand our US operations and enhance our offering to customers, especially given fluctuating market conditions. We remain committed to meeting the needs of our customers in the bulk liquid and gas industry, so we are continuing to invest in our state-ofthe-art storage and handling services for these products. At the same time, we are exploring new opportunities for value-add services, both for the storage of chemicals and to support the green-energy transition.” www.stolt-nielsen.com LBC, SHELL JUMP ON PYROLYSIS OIL

LBC Tank Terminals and Shell Chemicals have begun a collaboration for the storage of

pyrolysis oil derived from plastic waste in the Port of Rotterdam, signing a five-year deal that will, the two companies say, represent a significant milestone on the journey towards a sustainable future. “Shell is excited to start this collaboration with LBC; the five-year agreement supports our strategy to supply our customers with more circular chemicals and to help the development of a viable plastic circular economy in Europe,” says Liz Allen, general manager of Shell Chemicals Business Management Northwest Europe. “This dedicated storage will help grow the market for pyrolysis oil by delivering much needed capacity which will enable Shell to aggregate and process pyrolysis oil from multiple suppliers and improve value chain flexibility.” Frank Erkelens, CEO of LBC Tank Terminals, shares the enthusiasm, saying: “This collaboration reiterates LBC’s dedication to making impact by driving positive change within the industry. Storage solutions play a crucial role in advancing and supporting long-term growth in the circular chemicals value chain, and we look forward to combining forces with Shell in making significant progress towards achieving a carbon-neutral future.” www.lbctt.com

ULTRACARGO HEADS INLAND

Ultracargo, Brazil’s largest independent liquid bulk storage company, is continuing its drive inland with two new facilities. Firstly, it is acquiring an existing terminal in Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso state, which it plans to double in size and add additional rail and road loading facilities to enable larger volumes of ethanol to be moved. The terminal is currently served by a rail link to the port of Santos, passing through Paulínia, where Ultracargo has a 50 per cent stake in a terminal. Ultracargo says its presence in the Brazilian Midwest will speed up the movement of fuels to local agri-business operators. “Our strategy aims to provide increasingly integrated logistics solutions for our customers, with eco-efficiency and safety,” says Décio Amaral, president of Ultracargo. “By investing in terminals with multimodal connections, we are optimising the logistics of fuels and biofuels, which is currently a bottleneck in Brazil. Taking fuel by rail to the Midwest and contributing to the flow of ethanol produced in this region brings more agility, sustainability, safety and efficiency to this operation.” Ultracargo is also expanding operations in the north of Brazil, where it is currently planning an expansion of the Itaqui terminal. It is now planning for another new terminal at Palmeirante in Tocantins state, which will be connected to Itaqui by rail. The Palmeirante terminal will handle biodiesel, ethanol, gasoline and diesel and is expected to be fully operational in 2025. www.ultracargo.com.br ONEOK, MAGELLAN MERGE

Magellan Midstream Partners and ONEOK Inc have completed their merger, via the acquisition of Magellan by ONEOK, following approval by both sets of shareholders and unitholders.

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STORAGE TERMINALS 26

director Filip de Dycker said: “The demand for additional storage is high due to the increased import traffic. High energy prices and labour costs in Europe have put the European process industry at a competitive disadvantage. Production cost is currently cheaper in America, Asia and the Middle East. Because the raw materials – which are normally transported directly between the factory and the downstream user in Europe – are now mainly imported, additional tank storage is required.” www.adpo.com BOOST FOR BRAZIL

“This is a significant day for Tulsa and the industry as we bring together the talented ONEOK and Magellan teams and look to the future as one company,” said Pierce H Norton II, ONEOK’s president/CEO, on the merger completion. “Our expanded products platform will present additional opportunities in ONEOK’s core businesses and further enhance the resiliency of our company. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition aimed at delivering on the many benefits of this combination for our customers, employees and shareholders.” www.oneok.com SALTY IN SWEDEN

Inter Terminals Sweden is to store calcium chloride solution at its facility in Södertälje (above) in a unique sustainability initiative in partnership with Nordic mineral distributor GC Rieber Salt. The calcium chloride, which will be stored in solution in water, is extracted from fly ash and used for dust control on gravel roads and in industrial processes. “We aim to be the most sustainable mineral distributor in the Nordic region, and with this project we are going from words to action,” says Per Gunnar Syrdalen, marketing director of GC Rieber Salt. “We look forward to working

together with Inter Terminals and Ragn-Sells in a collaboration that will enable us to offer calcium chloride with a significantly lower climate footprint. Circular salts represent an important step towards achieving a society without net emissions and reducing the use of fossil products.” Johan Zettergren, managing director of Inter Terminals Sweden, adds: “The Salt-i-Tälje project is completely in line with our strategy of playing a leading role in the green transition in our industry, and working with recycled materials is a completely new and very interesting segment for us. We are full of enthusiasm at the prospect of being able to implement this project together with GC Rieber Salt and other parties.” interterminals.com ADPO ADDS FINE TANKAGE

ADPO has begun steel works at its latest expansion project, tank pit 26. Sited next to the recently built tank pit 25 on land cleared by the demolition of an old warehouse, the new tank pit will offer a total of 8,100 m3 of storage capacity for fine chemicals in 23 tanks of 300 m3 and 600 m3 capacity. Speaking at the time the project was announced earlier this year, ADPO’s managing

Fertisanta has inaugurated a new liquid bulk terminal in the port of Imbituba in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state. Fertisanta, part of the Belgium-based Manuchar group, is a prominent tenant in the port and has overhauled its terminal infrastructure and added new tanks, more than doubling the port’s liquid bulk handling capacity. The work meets growing demand for liquid bulk cargo handling and the loading of road transport vehicles. “To be able to serve exporters and importers, you have to have tools, preferably within the port, and it is a great pride to be able to inaugurate this terminal, as it was the piece that needed to be completed for us to offer the complete logistics service,” said Philippe Huybrechs, CEO of Manuchar, at the opening of the new facility. Manuchar will be one of the main users of the liquid terminal for its chemical distribution platform. The investment has broader implications, as Beto Martins, Secretary of State for Ports, Airports and Railroad Infrastructure of the Sate of Santa Catarina, explains: “The commissioning of the Liquid Bulk Terminal at the Port of Imbituba marks a boost for the State of Santa Catarina. It not only diversifies the port’s cargo offerings but also addresses the vital need for increased capacity in handling liquid bulk cargo. This strategic development is set to strengthen Santa Catarina’s industry and pave the way for economic growth and prosperity in the region.” www.manuchar.com

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with Air Liquide, LSB and Vopak Moda, we are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon world, while solidifying our position as a pioneer in energy transformation and a responsible global energy player.” A joint statement from Maria Ciliberti, president of Vopak US and Canada, and Moda Midstream’s CEO Jonathan Ackerman adds: “The worldwide movement to decarbonise industry and transportation will drive strong global demand for low-carbon ammonia. Vopak Moda has invested in our talented, experienced workforce and state-of-the art storage and marine infrastructure to be a leader in the emerging low-carbon ammonia export market. We believe the unbeatable combination of project expertise, technology, off-taker relationships and market credibility position Vopak Moda, Air Liquide, Inpex and LSB to be first movers for a new wave of low-carbon energy exports.”

CHANNELLING LOW CARBON AMMONIA • PLANS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO SET UP A MAJOR LOW-CARBON AMMONIA PROJECT IN TEXAS, LEVERAGING THE EXPERTISE AND EXPECTATIONS OF A WIDE RANGE OF PARTICIPANTS INPEX CORP, JAPAN’S largest upstream oil and gas company, has roped in cryogenics specialist Air Liquide and Oklahoma-based ammonia producer LSB Industries, to look at the development of a large-scale, low-carbon ammonia production and export project on the Houston Ship Channel, which would rely on existing and build-out storage and transfer infrastructure provided by Vopak Moda Houston. The parties completed a feasibility study on the project earlier this year and the preferred facility’s location on the Houston Ship Channel, the second largest petrochemical corridor in the world, leverages existing infrastructure assets. Vopak Moda has invested in storage and handling infrastructure for bulk liquid products and

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currently operates an ammonia terminal that includes storage tanks and a newbuild dock with multiple deep-water berths. The project also has access to utilities and would be close to several pipelines that could supply raw materials, including natural gas and water. “As we approach the achievement of our net zero target by 2050, the unveiling of our low-carbon ammonia project in Texas stands as a momentous testament to Inpex’s strong commitment to environmental leadership,” says Takayuki Ueda, president and CEO of Inpex. “This innovative endeavour marks a significant milestone to create a clean fuel supply chain for a sustainable future. By harnessing the power of cutting-edge technologies and collaborative partnerships

WHO DOES WHAT Inpex and Air Liquid plan to collaborate on the production of low-carbon hydrogen, using Air Liquide’s AutoThermal Reforming (ATR) technology; when used with carbon capture, ATR can eliminate at least 95 per cent of direct CO2 emissions from the production

process. This hydrogen will be converted to low-carbon ammonia by LSB and Inpex, with LSB handling the choice of technology and the operation of the plant. Inpex and LSB are also responsible for selling the ammonia; several potential off-takers are already lined up, some of which may also take equity participation in the project. Vopak Moda will maintain its ownership of the existing infrastructure and plans to build additional storage capacity as required to handle the low-carbon ammonia production of the proposed new facility. The terminal, jointly owned by Vopak and Moda Midstream, already features two 15,000-tonne tanks for the storage of ammonia and has plenty of waterfront land available. It also is already equipped with a deepwater dock capable of handling VLGCs. lsbindustries.com www.airliquide.com www.inpex.co.jp www.modamistream.com

SUSTAINABILITY 28

SOLID CREW FUEL CELLS • SOLID OXIDE FUEL CELLS OFFER AN INTRIGUING OPTION FOR MARINE POWER, SOMETHING THAT CHEMICAL TANKER MAJOR ODFJELL HAS SPOTTED AND PLANS TO TRIAL

SHIPOWNERS ARE BEING offered a wide range of solutions to help them reduce their emissions and meet carbon reduction targets, but for an owner looking to invest in decarbonisation there is a significant financial risk when making the choice of technology to adopt. Future prices and fuel availabilities are major worries, as is the extent to which the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) may impose additional restrictions. Odfjell, one of the largest chemical tanker operators, is taking a fuel-agnostic approach and, as part of a long-term collaboration, is to test the use of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) developed by Alma Clean Power, a Norwaybased technology firm with more than 30 years’ experience in SOFC systems. As a first step, an 80 kW natural gas-fuelled SOFC will be installed on one of Odfjell’s tankers in October 2024, in order to begin to gather practical onboard experience with the technology. SOFCs can be fuelled with ammonia, LNG, hydrogen or methanol, with a potentially higher energy efficiency than internal

combustion engines. Using them in maritime applications means that shipping companies will be able to reduce their emissions in the short term and, once alternative fuels become available, to operate completely emissionfree. Alma Clean Power has received Approval in Principle from DNV for a 1 MW ammoniafuelled SOFC system. “We’ve been working structured and actively with energy-efficiency technologies and decarbonisation for more than a decade, and this project represents another progressive step in energy efficiency, fuel flexibility and zero emissions capability innovations,” says Harald Fotland, CEO of Odfjell. “We look forward to continuing the collaboration with DNV and Alma Clean Power, and to document the impact this technology can deliver in our common quest to decarbonise deep-sea shipping,” READY TO BE TESTED Odfjell first started looking at SOFCs as an alternative to diesel-powered auxiliary engines

but, as Alma Clean Power has developed the technology, it has become apparent that it could offer an alternative for main engines too. While other transport and industrial sectors have the option of using hydrogen or large batteries, that is not feasible for an oceangoing ship, as space is at a premium on board. Alma Clean Power is currently running its first full-scale test using a 6 kW SOFC at the Energy House testing centre in Norway. At the end of the test, the unit will be transferred to one of Odfjell’s newer tankers, likely during a scheduled drydock. Alma Clean Power intends to run the test both with and without carbon capture, which is an added advantage. Even as a simple replacement, use of SOFCs can reduce fuel consumption by nearly half and, if the fuel input is from a renewable source, the result is a zero-emission solution. Alma Clean Power is working with Ceres to build a modular power system using SOFC stacks to create the 80 kW output needed. While LNG will be in the onboard trial, it is likely that ammonia would be the fuel of choice, since it is widely available and supply chains are well established. The bunkering and carriage of ammonia is also likely to be the most critical aspect from a safety point of view, as the fuel cells themselves present little risk. Odfjell will be interested to see how the fuel cells behave over time and what the cost will be to buy and run a commercial SOFC engine. almacleanpower.com www.odfjell.com

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29 SUSTAINABILITY

significantly enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of our logistics operations.”

IT TAKES TWO DECARBONISATION • BERTSCHI IS AIMING TO MINIMISE EMISSIONS FROM DOOR TO DOOR, NOT JUST IN THE INTERMODAL TRANSPORT LEG. DOW IS HAPPY TO TAKE PART IN AN INNOVATIVE PILOT PROJECT BERTSCHI, WHICH DESCRIBES itself as the market leader in European intermodal chemical logistics, has long been committed to improving sustainability in its operations. Today, it operates 90 per cent of all its European land transport by intermodal rail, saving some 230,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Like all operators, though, it faces the issue of how to decarbonise the first- and last-mile legs, which are mostly carried out by road transport. Bertschi has now found a like-minded partner in Dow to explore how to decarbonise those road transport legs. The two companies have initiated a pilot project for sustainable transport from the Netherlands to Italy, using intermodal rail transport for the main leg and

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hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as fuel for the trucks at either end. The key advantages of integrating HVO into logistics operations include a notable reduction in CO2 emissions for the first and last mile by up to 90 per cent, a reduced dependency on fossil fuels, and potential enhancements in engine performance, since HVO burns cleaner than fossil diesel. “We are enthusiastic about the potential of HVO as a sustainable substitute for diesel during our first and last-mile road deliveries,” says Santiago Gonzalez, managing director of Bertschi Liquids. “This pilot programme strongly affirms our dedication to environmentally responsible practices,

COMMITTED TO REDUCTIONS Emphasising substantial CO2 reductions during the last-mile transport, the pilot programme is based on a specialised fleet of Bertschi trucks powered by HVO. The project involves the sustainable transport of Dow products from Terneuzen in the Netherlands to a receiver in northern Italy. Biofuel-engine yard shunters first execute the loading in Terneuzen. The main leg to Italy is then carried out by intermodal rail departing from Bertschi’s intermodal terminal in direct proximity to Dow’s plant. The last mile is then completed by a Bertschi biofuel-engine truck from the Italian intermodal terminal. This initiative showcases the viability and effectiveness of sustainable door-to-door supply chain with the integration of intermodal rail and bio-fuelled trucks. The aim is to comprehensively analyse the emissions reduction and environmental benefits facilitated by HVO compared to traditional diesel, with a dedicated focus on minimising the carbon footprint linked to transport activities. “We firmly believe in the collective responsibility for sustainability. Initiatives like this pilot programme exemplify our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and fostering a positive impact on the environment,” says Chloé Sanders, senior sourcing manager at Dow. As a partner in the Responsible Care Initiative in conjunction with the European Chemical Transport Association (ECTA) and the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), Bertschi is pursuing clearly defined and measurable targets to improve resource efficiency, safety and the ecological and social impact of the transport and logistics industry. Improvements are monitored annually by ECTA. Bertschi was also one of the first logistics service providers to become a member of the ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ programme and has further signed up to the goal of achieving ‘Zero Pellet Loss’. The aim of the programme is to help all organisations which operate with plastic pellets to adopt the correct measures to protect the environment. www.bertschi.com

Logistics Simplified

Chemical logistics, a division of Goodrich, has grown rapidly over the years and now boasts of an impressive list of customers. Chemical logistics' activity segments include equipment adjuncts such ISO Tanks, Swap Tanks, Lined Tanks and a state of the art storage and distribution facilty loated at the Free Trade Zone in Jebel Ali.

CHEMICAL STORAGE FACILITY JAFZA Storage of Chemicals under class 3,6 8,9 & Non-regulated. Drum / IBC Filing

SERVICES OFFERED ISO TANKS Chemical carriage (hazardous & non-hazardous) Tailormade solutions specific to the need T11 ISO Tanks with capacities between 24 KL to 26 KL

Temp controlled storage Transloading from ISO-ISO/ Flexi & Road Tankers

T14, T20, T22 & T50 Tanks are available on dedicated basis. Dedicated Technical Team to provide support in all situations and contingencies

ISO tank cleaning , storage & repair depot alongside thru Road tanker cleaning

SOC Tank Management

Blending and Heating Tanks

Complete End to End Logistics SWAP BODY TANKS for carriage of higher payloads

NETHERLANDS |

ROMANIA | RUSSIA | SAUDI ARABIA SENEGAL | SINGAPORE |

UKRAINE | UNITED KINGDOM |

UZBEKISTAN | USA |

VIETNAM | YEMEN

LOOKING AHEAD STRATEGY • THE HOYER GROUP HAS DECIDED TO SPIN OFF ITS FUEL AND BITUMEN DISTRIBUTION BUSINESSES AS IT SETS A COURSE FOR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY

THE HOYER GROUP has taken a strategic decision to hand over its regional service station supply and bitumen logistics businesses to an independent investor, Auctus Capital Partners. The activities involved largely comprise road tanker operations in Germany and the UK. The transaction is subject to approval by relevant competition authorities but, assuming it goes through, Hoyer says the new arrangement will “support the further professional development of its activities in order to seize the existing opportunities in this challenging market”. The newly independent operation, to which existing staff will transfer, will be called Oxalis Logistics. The move is one result of a global strategic review of its businesses in light of current trends and the impacts they will have on its customers’ businesses. CEO Björn Schniederkötter explains more: “For Hoyer as a family business, quality, safety and reliability are a benchmark and a matter of course at the same time. However, we consider that the true added value of our services for our customers

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lies in the early further development of our own services in order to recognise the changing requirements of the producing industries at an early stage, and in developing suitable solutions as a strong partner.” RIGHT TANKS, RIGHT PLACE Divestment of the petroleum distribution business will, therefore, be more than matched by investment in other areas of Hoyer’s global business: the company says it is planning to put more than €100m into infrastructure, assets and digitalisation. This is likely to be focused on its global tank depot network, to help maximise asset utilisation, and Hoyer has already announced the opening of a new tank container storage area at its Houston hub. Work has also been announced for the depots in Pinthong, Thailand and Ludwigshafen, Germany. In addition, Hoyer is expecting to expand its intermediate bulk container (IBC) and tank container fleets, so as to be able to fulfil customer demands for suitable equipment

more quickly. In October Hoyer announced that it will take around 3,000 new tank containers by the end of this year, as part of a fleet update to meet the demand for specialist equipment for chemical products and liquid foodstuffs in European road and intermodal transport as well as in overseas logistics. The new tanks are being sourced from both China and South Africa. In addition to physical assets, Hoyer is looking at the services it can offer. Schniederkötter says: “The creation of added value for our customers along the whole of the supply chain is important to us. That begins with our Supply Chain Solutions employees in the filling plants and extends to expanding our digital services in our customer portal.” Giving more background to the broader strategy, Thomas Hoyer, chairman of the group’s advisory board, says: “We are setting our course for the future. As a family-managed business, we always approach these topics in a strategic, forward-looking way. We think and act in terms of generations. In the new arrangement, we will be able to concentrate on the further pursuit and direction of all of our European and global activities.” “With the further development of the business models and the investment measures, the Hoyer Group is following its principle of long-term sustainable orientation and setting course for the coming years,” adds Schniederkötter. www.hoyer-group.com

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MAN FOR THE JOB ASSOCIATION • REG LEE, PRESIDENT OF ITCO, HAS HANDED THE BATON ON TO PAUL GOOCH, WHO IS SET TO LEAD THE ORGANISATION FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS ITS MEMBERS FACE SOME TOUGH CHOICES

WHEN REG LEE announced his intention to step down as president of the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) and to begin enjoying a well earned retirement, thoughts immediately turned to finding a suitable successor. It would not be an easy job: Lee had been a major contributor to the growth of the tank container industry during his time as president of Stolt Tank Containers and, after leaving the company, established the Asian Tank Container Organisation (@TCO), believing that ITCO did not fully appreciate the role that Chinese tank manufacturers and tank users in the region were beginning to play. He then brought the two organisations together under the ITCO umbrella and has led the organisation since then. ITCO did not, in fact, have to look very far to find its new president, who is Paul Gooch, director of the supply chain and logistics consultancy The Logical Group and a man with more than 45 years of experience in oil and chemical logistics. Prior to founding The Logical Group, Gooch worked for Esso Petroleum and Petrofina, and then spent nearly 30 years with Dow Chemical Company, where he was European logistics director and global director for Dow’s international trade and marine container activities. He has been a member of the European Petrochemical Association’s (EPCA) Supply Chain Committee

and the European Chemical Industry Council’s (Cefic) Logistics Committees, and chairman of the Board of the Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI). SEE YOU THERE Gooch will serve a two-year term as president, beginning on 1 January 2024. “It’s a great honour for me to be elected by the ITCO Board to this important role, to be entrusted with the task of building on the exceptional legacy that the current President Reg Lee is leaving, and to work in support of all the ITCO members,” he says. “I have known Paul for more than 30 years, working with him first as part of the EPCA Distribution Committee and also as a service provider during his time working for Dow Chemical in Europe,” says Lee. “When Paul retired from Dow Chemical and started his own consultancy service, ITCO used his

expertise on selected projects, because of his unique understanding of the international bulk liquid distribution network and his great skill at solving logistics challenges. “I could not leave ITCO in better hands, as I know that Paul will take the organisation to the next level when communicating with our chemical customers and understanding their distribution requirements,” Lee adds. “I wish him every success in taking ITCO to the next stage in representing the benefits of the tank container in international bulk liquid distribution. Good luck to you, Paul!” For those who don’t know Gooch yet, he will be at the 2023 ITCO Members Meeting, which takes place in Amsterdam this month. ITCO’s mission is to promote and represent tank containers as safe, cost-efficient and flexible means of transport. Its focus is on enhancing technological and business developments to permit quality, health, safety, environment, and corporate responsibility in the tank container industry. It has more than 180 members, representing tank container logistics companies, lessors, manufacturers and providers of a wide range of technical services. www.international-tank-container.org

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WHERE IT’S AT SERVICES • VAN MOER HAS ADDED AUTOMATED DRUM AND IBC FILLING AT ITS ANTWERP LOGISTICS HUB, CREATING A ONESTOP-SHOP FOR THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IN THE PORT

VAN MOER LOGISTICS has opened a new drum and intermediate bulk container (IBC) filling unit at its Antwerp logistics hub, following a €14.5m investment. Van Moer says it can now offer ‘The Perfect Flow’ for its customers via a unique set-up within Europe where the transport, storage, heating, filling, cleaning and repair of tank containers is managed by one service provider at one location. Thanks to this arrangement, the company takes trucks off the road and saves shippers up to 60 per cent in transport costs. Construction work started in August 2022 at the site in the Zwijndrecht district of Antwerp. The resulting fully automatic lines are designed to handle a range of both toxic and non-toxic liquids, decanting from tank containers into drums or IBCs. The unit also has integrated gas filters, allowing highly odorous of foaming products to be handled. The unit currently has three filling lines, which can handle up to 200 drums per hour; there is the potential to add another two lines

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if demand calls for expansion. In addition, as part of the project Van Moer built a 6,000-m2 ADR warehouse, bringing up total warehousing space at the Antwerp hub to 76,000 m2. A large part of the logistics hub’s operation is dedicated to serving a contract with Ineos Oxide, which has a production plant located next door to the Van Moer site. Expanding warehouse capacity has allowed the to companies to centralise storage of packaged chemicals, which were formerly scattered across a number of sites. This has reduced the necessary truck mileage to get Ineos product to the market, which also makes a contribution to reducing Antwerp’s well known traffic congestion and reducing CO2 emissions. STOP ONCE “In Antwerp, we offer a complete one-stop shop for our customers. From transporting, stocking, heating, filling and cleaning to repairing tank containers, we provide

everything at one 27-hectare site in the middle of the Antwerp chemical cluster. We call this set-up ‘The Perfect Flow’, which makes us unique in the European market,” said Jan van Moer, founder and CEO of Van Moer Logistics, during the opening ceremony last month, which was attended by customers, partners and port alderman Annick de Ridder (pictured above with Jan van Moer). The company called the move “a major step forward in anchoring chemistry and life sciences within the port of Antwerp”, a process that it has also recently promoted through an arrangement with tank coating specialist Hüni+Co. Since the summer, the companies have been providing a more comprehensive service, including the complete interior coating of tank containers as well as minor repairs to tank coatings. This is the first time that Hüni+Co has provided this level of service outside its headquarters in southern Germany. Speaking at the time the partnership was announced, Jan van Moer said: “We are very pleased to be able to offer our customers further and more comprehensive services with this new cooperation.” Tank container operators and leasing companies based in the Antwerp region in particular will benefit from the proximity to the workshop. This now offers short transport routes, lead times, downtimes and significantly lower transport costs. In addition, CO2 emissions are reduced. vanmoer.com

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TANKS & LOGISTICS

COLD STORE IN JUBAIL

Aldrees Bertschi Logistics Services has opened a temperature-controlled warehouse at its container terminal in Jubail, Saudi Arabia (below). “With the ability to withstand the extreme desert heat, this facility presents a game-changing solution for customers seeking to protect and cool their products,” the joint venture says. “Equipped with state-of-the-art features and a dedicated team of logistics professionals, the warehouse sets new standards in the industry.” The Aldrees Bertschi container terminal in Saudi Arabia operates as a vital logistical hub, catering to global and Middle Eastern customers. Alongside its tank container repair workshop and advanced cleaning facility, the new temperature-controlled warehouse can accommodate up to 124 containers. Built to adhere to Bertschi’s high standards, this facility ensures that products are stored and transported under optimal conditions; the desert heat in Jubail can reach close to 50°C while the

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warehouse can keep containers at 25°C. www.aldreesbertschi.com TELL ECTA THE NEWS

The European Chemical Transport Association (ECTA) has released its new Drivers App to all full members. The app allows drivers to rate more than 500 loading/ unloading sites across Europe for their safety, waiting times, driver treatment and driver facilities. The app aims to give drivers a voice and promote improvement in their working conditions, with the overall aim of encouraging drivers to stay in the business and so address the growing driver shortage. The Drivers App has been developed by ECTA’s Task Force on Driver Shortage and has been finalised after extensive testing. ECTA notes that, currently, some 30 per cent of all chemical shipments are held up for at least three hours, costing truck drivers a lot of working time at loading/unloading locations. This has a direct impact on their work-life

balance, which is below average compared to other sectors. “With the Drivers App, ECTA wants to give drivers a voice and listen to their daily experiences,” the Association says. ecta.com VDB IN SENEGAL

Van den Bosch has entered into a partnership with the CSTT-AO Group in Senegal to help it expand its liquid bulk logistics network in West Africa. “Working with CSTT in Senegal will enable us to further develop the West African market”, says Mark Ashton, commercial director of Van den Bosch DMCC. “Increasing our presence and working with the right partners is essential to our strategy of redirecting traditional transport flows towards more sustainable bulk transport solutions. We see significant potential in West Africa in liquid bulk for the food industry, meaning foodstuffs, but also vegetable oils, for example.” Joaquin Gomez, CEO of the CSTT-AO Group’s Logistics Division, is proud of the new partnership: “The connection with Van den Bosch goes beyond a simple supplier/customer relationship. We are delighted with their confidence in the new adventure. This partnership strengthens the position of both parties with regard to innovative solutions for the development of the local economy in Senegal. The mutual trust and support will inspire our organisations to look to the future together and to develop our leading position in liquid bulk logistics in Senegal.” Van den Bosch says the first tanks to serve the new partnership have already arrived in Senegal. The new partnership in Senegal comes just a few weeks after Van den Bosch expanded its network connections on the other side of Africa, with a cooperation with Celero Group opening up links between East Africa and the Indian Ocean. The deal focuses on liquid bulk

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logistics for the food industry and, from the Van den Bosch side, will also be handled out of Dubai by Mark Ashton’s group. www.vandenbosch.com TRISTAR IN QATAR

Tristar has opened a new location in Qatar to expand its road transport operations. The 10,000-m2 facility at the Logistics Park B in Birkat Al Awamer has a yard that can accommodate safe parking of its trucking fleet, an office administration block, warehousing facility, multi-activity automotive service infrastructure, and staff housing. Tristar’s operations in Qatar involve the local and regional transport of petroleum fuels and cryogenic products on behalf of such companies as Linde, Air Liquide, ExxonMobil and Gulf Cryo. www.tristar-group.co TANK HUB BY ALKION

Alkion Terminal Marseille has opened a new tank container storage platform (above), which it says is the first of its kind in the south of France. Construction began in September 2022. The facility is located between the Marseille and Fos-sur-Mer container terminals, with access via road and rail. “Isotank containers can store between 20 and 35 m3 of product; a much smaller quantity than

our regular tanks. They can also be accessed on demand within 24 or 48 hours,” notes Aurélien Jakalski, sales engineer and project developer at the terminal. This means tank container storage is an ideal solution for those customers who require smaller quantity or short-term storage and flexible access to their product. “The Isotank storage platform will store a large range of liquid bulk products,” Jakalski continues. “Chemical products, such as methanol, caustic soda and bitumen, but also foodstuffs, like oil and wine. We have a large range of products that we’ll be able to store securely.” There is more to come for Alkion Marseille, including tank container heating, cleaning, repair and maintenance. “We want to provide our customers with everything they need when it comes to Isotank, in our convenient location in the heart of the Lavera petrochemical cluster and offer it all in the same location which reduces transportations,” adds Jakalski. “Alkion Terminal Marseille is proud to become the first Isotank hub in the region and, in the future, the main actor in the Isotank market in the south of France.” www.alkion.com MORE FROM MILKYWAY

Milkyway has put a new bonded warehouse into operation in Ningbo Meishan Bonded Port Area. The facility is the only site in the

bonded area that can store liquid chemicals and is situated some 25 km from the Daxie chemical industry park. “The operation of Milkyway Ningbo Meishan Port Chemicals Bonded Integration Base will make all efforts to provide logistics supporting services for Beilun Port and Meishan Port, and at the same time it can also offer one-stop chemical supply chain services for the surrounding petrochemical industry parks such as Daxie and Zhoushan,” said Justin Jia, assistant president of Milkyway Group, at the opening ceremony. “Through the Milkyway Intelligent Park, we will deeply plow in the business development of integrated warehouse and distribution, comprehensively improve the efficiency of warehouse and distribution operations, reduce costs and provide the customers with more professional and better chemicals logistics services.” The new facility is ideally placed to offer convenient and highly efficient chemical supply chain services, including storage in the 46,400-m2 warehouse, cross-border e-commerce, sorting, packaging, import and export of FCL and LCL shipments, container storage and international rail and maritime transport. www.mwclg.com STOLT FEELS THE SQUEEZE

Stolt Tank Containers (STC) has reported third-quarter (to end August) revenue of $166.4m, down from $189.3m in the prior period. Transport revenue was down 8.8 per cent as a result of lower rates and a drop in demurrage revenues, partly offset by a 2.7 per cent increase in shipment numbers. Operating profit fell 40 per cent compared to the second quarter to $23.9m as margins continued to be squeezed. “Although the drop in margins that we have recently seen at Stolt Tank Containers is stabilising, we expect to see our results weaken slightly for the fourth quarter. We continue to focus on increasing volumes to compensate for some of the margin lost this year,” the company states. www.stolt-nielsen.com

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LOGISTICS UNITED SUPPLY CHAINS • IMPLICO IS LINKING ITS DIGITISED SYSTEMS TO GIVE THE ENERGY LOGISTICS SECTOR A FULLY AUTOMATED TOOL TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY

IMPLICO, WHICH HAS made its name providing digitalised business processes in the energy sector, is repositioning itself to support companies on their path towards a sustainable future through efficient software solutions bundled under the name Supply Chain United (SCU) – the industry platform for the supply chain – and practical consulting services. “For the past 40 years, Implico has been known for providing quality digital solutions in the energy and raw materials industry. We want to do our bit to usher in the digital transformation for companies and actively help the energy sector unleash the full potential of its data,” says Rolf Adam, CEO of Implico GmbH. “Principles such as cocreation and partnership have always played a central role at Implico, which is one reason why our international partner network includes well-known names such as SAP, Microsoft and AWS. As part of our rebranding, we are working to develop a global network of experts and an industry platform along the entire supply chain.” Going forward, Implico’s new focus will incorporate strategic consulting for logistics companies. This means identifying swift and effective ways and means – across the entire value and supply chain – for companies to increase their profitability, establish competitive advantages in a dynamic industry, and meet the substantial challenges involved in the energy transition. Implico’s consulting service will also offer help in adopting new energy sources, including LNG, ammonia and hydrogen. The repositioning also includes a new logo and image for the company.

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END TO END The aim is for all key logistics and economic processes in the supply chain of energy and natural resources to be resolved via SCU, which has been developed by Implico. This global industry platform paves the way for the seamless integration of individual IT systems and enables them to be linked to each other quickly and easily. Taking the Software as a Service (SaaS) principle as its basis, the platform offers a host of key innovations for all participants, including a subscription-based, open framework of cloud-based products along with an array of business applications. As the platform’s initiator, Implico offers professional partner management for software producers and system integrators.

The market players in the supply chain are connected to each other and consolidated within a network via UnitedDAT. This intelligent data management service helps companies to meet complex legal requirements of the kind encountered when preparing sustainability reports, and enables them to gain maximum value from their data. Companies can use UnitedDAT to automate the exchange of data and integrate various IT systems. Complex tasks – such as managing, integrating and analysing huge volumes of data, the transparent preparation of company and business data, and reporting end-to-end processes – are made simple through the targeted use of cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning and AI. The corresponding data can then be used for business process automation within UnitedBPA, a new addition to Implico’s portfolio. The Implico portfolio also contains established products, such as the terminal management solution OpenTAS for tank farms. In future, this product will be amalgamated along with various AddOns under the name UnitedTMS. Meanwhile, SAP S/4HANA SDM and SAP S/4HANA RFNO, two SAP standard solutions developed and maintained exclusively by Implico, will be integrated into the categories of UnitedSDM for secondary distribution and UnitedRFO for fuels retailing. www.implico.com

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covering all aspects of KYX from door-to-door, internationally.”

KNOW YOUR ONIONS TRADE COMPLIANCE • NEXXIOT AND DELOITTE ARE TEAMING UP TO PROVIDE GREATER VISIBILITY IN SUPPLY CHAINS TO HELP THEIR CLIENTS MEET THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER TRADE REGULATIONS NEXXIOT, ONE OF the leaders in logistics telematics, is taking its digitalised systems to another level through a strategic partnership with major consulting firm Deloitte. The ‘KYX’ concept they are developing moves on from the established ‘know your client’ (KYC) idea by adding a ‘know your cargo’ capability, with the intention of enhancing global trade compliance and improving operational efficiency. This strategic partnership, the two companies say, will provide a robust, scalable infrastructure rooted in a strong commitment to regulatory excellence and trust. It leverages Deloitte’s established KYC services and implementation capabilities with Nexxiot’s cutting-edge asset intelligence technology and trusted CINFONI (Client Information Network Intelligence) platform. CINFONI has regulatory approval for generating, implementing,

recycling and exchanging ‘Golden Records’ within the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sectors. “The strategic partnership with Deloitte and Nexxiot represents a significant step forward for supply chain participants,” says Stefan Kalmund, CEO of Nexxiot. “It will accelerate the adoption of fleet-wide technologies, fostering visibility, transparency and operational excellence.” Deloitte’s James Yearsley, lead partner for the Transportation, Hospitality and Services Sector at Deloitte North & South Europe (NSE), adds: “Through this partnership, we aim to set a new global standard for KYX services, benefitting all stakeholders in the logistics sector, including trade finance, banking, and insurance. Deloitte and Nexxiot offer new services based on real-time data,

A VISION OF TRADE Under the partnership arrangement, Deloitte will leverage Nexxiot’s expertise in digitalising supply chain assets, especially containers and rail cars, using Nexxiot’s network of sensors and AI to offer valuable insights into supply chain inefficiencies and thereby reducing uncertainty and operational costs. Deloitte says it will play a crucial role as the integration partner responsible for delivering these digital transformations. Deloitte and Nexxiot say they are committed to enhancing global trade compliance and operational efficiency through this partnership. It offers the logistics industry a means to embrace a future marked by improved efficiency, resilience, and integrity, all made possible by this strategic collaboration. Deloitte NSE is a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd; one of its affiliates is Deloitte Consulting AG, whose Deloitte Managed Services operations is a leading European RegTech provider of end-to-end managed services for KYC and anti-money laundering (AML) requirements. The firm says it combines its extensive expertise with advanced technology, high-quality data and unique mapping intelligence into easy-to-use solutions for a wide range of industries and jurisdictions. The KYX concept also complements Nexxiot’s mission to remove uncertainty from global supply chains, empowering its clients to achieve their growth and sustainability goals. Nexxiot provides real-time asset intelligence for railcars and shipping containers through its highly reliable hardware, software and analytics. The technology automatically detects location, shocks, movements, modalities, border crossings and more. These capabilities enable users to monitor the condition of an asset, automate business processes, and provide new services to stakeholders. Nexxiot currently has more than one million assets equipped with its telematics devices, with a list of major clients that includes Hapag-Lloyd, Knorr-Bremse, VTG, Ermewa, Deutsche Bahn, SBB and Class I and II railroads in the US and Canada. www.deloitte.com nexxiot.com

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39 DIGITALISATION

supply chains. In addition, access to visibility data and its analysis provide necessary insights so that supply chains can be optimised. The airfreight solution offered by BlueBox Systems contributes to meeting the demanding requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. “Our solution combines state-of-the-art technologies and advanced data analytics to provide a comprehensive view of the condition and the location of pharmaceutical transports,” says Martin Schulze, CEO of BlueBox Systems.

OUT OF THE BLUE PHARMA • THE SPECIFIC DIGITAL NEEDS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN ARE BEING ADDRESSED BY BLUEBOX SYSTEMS THROUGH ITS AIRFREIGHT TRACKING PLATFORM SFS PHARMA LOGISTICS has adopted BlueBox Systems’ airfreight tracking platform, which provides a real-time overview of all necessary freight logistic data, to offer real-time supply chain visibility for shipments of regulated pharmaceuticals. Every year the pharmaceutical industry transports goods worth more than a trillion dollars. Airfreight plays a key role in this, because it enables transport over long distances in the shortest time possible. For sensitive goods that require regulatory approval, a stable and functioning supply chain is essential. Comprehensive visibility is the decisive factor. But in air freight, visibility is often lacking for a seamless supply chain. BlueBox Systems enables air cargo to be tracked in real time. What was previously a black box now becomes transparent: an

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airfreight consignment can now be followed digitally all the way to its destination in real time. The sender knows where the shipment is and can provide information about the expected time of delivery at any time, allowing the consignee to plan for onward transport in advance, avoiding delays and damage. In the pharmaceutical chain there are a lot of strict requirements: many pharmaceutical and biotechnical products require a reliable cold chain. For the most sensitive products, environmental conditions such as humidity, light, oxygen, shocks, pressure, vibrations, and X-rays have to be taken into account and controlled during the transport by truck, rail, ship or air freight. These quality risks during transport must be minimised as far as possible and it is therefore very important to have available modern technologies for robust

AVOID DELAYS “Due to our data, pharmaceutical logistic companies are able to track the temperature and the condition of the transports, for example. By doing so, they can avoid costly damage or delays,” Schulze continues. “Furthermore, they can also proactively intervene in the transport progress – thanks to predictive analytics of the transport data – in order to deliver products faster while preventing delays. In addition, data sharing along the supply chain ensures more trust between all parties.” Singapore-based SFS Pharma Logistics, a specialty courier company, has its own branches across the Asia-Pacific region and is the regional market leader in the transport of temperature-controlled goods. “When transporting temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical goods, we rely on extensive use of technology to ensure a seamless monitoring and transparency. By integrating BlueBox Systems‘ data into our system, we now offer our customers an even better visibility of their transports,” says Guan Zhengyi, regional business process manager at SFS Pharma Logistics. In addition, specialised data trackers for pharmaceutical deliveries can be integrated into BlueBox Systems’ platform BlueBoxAir. This allows data on temperature, humidity, light or information about vibrations to be combined with real-time location data, which enables a seamless tracking of sensitive freight. This can indicate very quickly, for example, where exactly an increased temperature or a strong vibration has occurred. This kind of data is valuable for optimising the supply chain and choosing the best cargo airline. bluebox-systems.com/en/

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EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FOR LEASE OR SALE WORLDWIDE

OUR MOST DIVERSE TANK FLEET THE RIGHT TANK FOR THE RIGHT CARGO Seaco offers a modern and diverse tank fleet, suitable for the storage and safe transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous bulk liquids, gases (including Cryogenics) and bulk powder products. Why choose Seaco: • • • • • •

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Quality build Fully intermodal T11-T75 tank types Dedicated technical team support Flexible leasing plans Customised tank solutions available Global network of specialised depots

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ERR’s customers to respond promptly to any potential issues, guaranteeing the security of their cargo.

WHERE’S THE WAGON RAIL • INTERMODAL TELEMATICS HAS SIGNED UP ANOTHER MAJOR NEW CLIENT IN THE RAIL SECTOR BUT ALSO CONTINUES TO LOOK AFTER ITS EXISTING CUSTOMERS

EUROPEAN RAIL RENT GmbH (ERR), a Germany-based freight wagon rental company, has entered into a long-term partnership with Intermodal Telematics (IMT), one of the world’s leading companies in tank container and rail car telematics, based in the Netherlands. ERR has built a solid reputation for its extensive selection of rail wagon types and flexible rental models, catering to a diverse range of customer requirements. This strategic alliance with IMT takes digitalisation at ERR to new heights, thanks to IMT’s state-of-the-art telematics and sensor technology. The decision to partner with IMT for full-fledged telematics solutions, including the solar-powered Communication and

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Location Terminal (CLT20-Ex) and the Temperature Sensor (WT22-Ex), was motivated by a variety of compelling factors: • Safety is a top priority for ERR, and IMT’s telematics solutions contribute to a higher safety by remotely monitoring the fleet. • Transparency is paramount in the rail logistics industry. This partnership enhances ERR’s ability to provide even more transparency and optimise operations. • IMT’s remote monitoring capabilities enable ERR to maintain a close watch on rail car conditions and content values, regardless of location. • Immediate alert notifications empower

CLOSE TO THE CUSTOMER This strategic collaboration underscores ERR’s commitment to delivering up-to-date service, embracing cutting-edge technology, and ensuring the highest standards of safety and transparency for its customers, the company says. ERR has more than 7,000 wagons in its fleet, including intermodal wagons, standard freight wagons, bulk freight and sliding wall wagons, construction site wagons as well as rail tank wagons. Its size and range mean that customers have access to all types of wagon whenever the need it. Adding a telematics capability is part of ERR’s commitment to customer service. The partnership with ERR also illustrates the benefits that IMT’s telematics systems can bring to those shipping by rail, especially in remote areas. IMT says that the speed of innovation and intelligent technologies are essential for operational success. Its smart rail sensors and data-driven solutions enable rail operators to gain valuable insights, enhance availability and optimise maintenance costs. IMT offers a versatile portfolio of sensors that can monitor cargo temperature and pressure, load-unload status, brake conditions, doors and hatches, allowing wagon owners to set customised alert notifications for individual rail wagons or the entire fleet. IMT, meanwhile, is also continuing to support its clients in the intermodal arena. It recently took part in a customer training day organised in Antwerp by tank container leasing giant Eurotainer, where 150 of its customers were introduced to the world of tank container design and operation. As part of that, the training day provided visitors with hands-on experience and insights into the equipment, components and systems that make up today’s telematics solutions, whether for liquids, gases, cryogenic gases or small portable tanks. Eurotainer is planning to do the same training in Houston this month and IMT will be taking part again. railrent.com www.intermodaltelematics.com

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READY TO ROLL TANK TRUCKS • BULK LIQUIDS SHIPPERS IN NORTH AMERICA CAN NOW TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ROAD READY TRAILER TELEMATICS THROUGH A NEW ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN MAC LTT AND CLARIENCE MAC LIQUID TANK Trailers (LTT), a leading manufacturer of trailers and tanks for the safe transport of liquids and other bulk cargo, has partnered with Clarience Technologies to provide its Road Ready advanced trailer telematics systems as a factory-installed option. “Bulk transporters hauling heavier and more hazardous cargo stand to benefit from the operational safety and cargo security insights provided by Road Ready,” says Mark Johnson, executive vice-president and Chief Marketing Officer at Clarience Technologies. “The MAC Liquid Tank Trailers brand is respected by transportation professionals everywhere, and we are pleased to partner with them to make Road Ready a factoryinstalled option on their trailers.”

“We are proud to offer Road Ready advanced trailer telematics as a factory-installed option on our tank truck trailers,” adds Jim Maiorana, co-owner and president of Ohio-based MAC LTT. “We believe the Road Ready technology will bring value to our customers by giving them access to comprehensive and accurate information about their trailers. This will enable them to make better decisions, increase productivity and enhance customer satisfaction.” PART OF THE FAMILY Road Ready advanced trailer telematics solutions require the installation of a proprietary telematics device named the Road Ready Master Control Unit. This allows customers to

take advantage of a variety of location-based safety and tracking features of the Road Ready advanced telematics system. Fleets can customise how often each fleet asset communicates its location status. Fleets can also set up custom landmarks to create geofences for established routes, triggering alerts to help fleets protect their assets and their customer’s cargo. Customers can work with their Road Ready sales representative to configure their solution to the exact needs of their fleet, selecting from a list of features that leverage either Road Ready sensors and devices, or those devices from the Road Ready LogIQ smart trailer partners that monitor critical aspects of the trailer including cargo temperature, weight, tyre pressure and wheel-end health, and more. Additionally, all Road Ready telematics solutions are now Powered by Fus1on, a modern and powerful cloud-based IoT platform from Clarience Technologies that integrates data from multiple sources and provides actionable insights to fleet managers and drivers. With Fus1on, Road Ready telematics will adapt as a fleet, or the industry, changes over time. Road Ready offers custom telematics solutions to help fleets see, manage and optimise their fleet assets. Coupled with an expansive network of premier integration partners, customers can do more through a single interface, Road Ready continues to implement groundbreaking research and development to make impactful contributions to the transportation industry. “We know smart trailer technology is coming and need to adapt to the changes our industry is seeing. A telematics solution like Road Ready is a great way to start,” says Matt Niemeier, vice-president of sales at MAC LTT. Clarience Technologies is a global transportation technology solutions provider serving vehicle manufacturers, aftermarket retailers, commercial fleets and consumers worldwide. Founded in 2020 and based in Southfield, Michigan, the company’s mission is to bring total visibility to transportation by delivering the technologies that keep the world moving forward. www.clariencetechnologies.com www.macltt.com

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TALENT SHOW CONFERENCE REPORT • THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY IS UNDERGOING GREAT CHANGES, AS ARE ITS SUPPLY CHAINS. FECC’S ANNUAL CONGRESS LOOKED AT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR RECRUITMENT

“THIS YEAR IS tough for our industry – but we need to think about the future,” said Neville Prior, chairman of Cornelius Group, at the opening of the 2023 Annual Congress of the European Federation of Chemical Distributors (Fecc) in Sitges, Spain this past 12 September. Prior (above), was appearing for the last time as president of Fecc, having come to the end of his term, but he was not lacking in energy, describing the chemical distribution business and agile and flexible. “This is our time,” he announced. Distributors sit in the middle of the supply chain and stand to do well out of the move to a circular economy, Prior added. “Sustainability is an opportunity for our business.” And the move to sustainability will require innovation – something that means different things to different people. It’s not just about making new things, it has to be relevant. How does it

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affect the customer experience? “We’re always evolving, moving forward, doing things better,” Prior concluded his introduction. “The success of this Congress will be measured on how many ideas can be taken away and used for innovation.” ROAD TO SUSTAINABILITY The 2023 Fecc Annual Congress had been arranged under the theme of ‘Diving into the Future’ and it began with some opinions from economic analysts and forecasters (HCB October 2023, page 50). But the framework for discussion was founded on the basis that the drive for sustainability can only accelerate, which leads into growing problems in attracting new talent. That was the background for a panel discussion featuring four experienced leaders from different sides of the business. Richard

Jenkins, senior vice-president of Arkema began by saying that the good news is the worst is over. However, an international upturn is not here yet and chemical producers need to wait for more evidence before any investment decisions can be made. An important consideration, when looking at changes in the business environment, is distinguishing between what is ‘cyclical’ and what is ‘structural’ – but there is certainly a case for change. “We can’t stay as we were,” he said. Another major producer, Borealis, was represented on the panel by Thomas van de Velde, senior vice-presider of hydrocarbons and energy, who pointed out that chemicals will be vital to provide the tools to meet sustainability targets. However, will current production methods still be viable? Will production continue to be based on steam crackers? By raising that question he seemed to suggest the answer is ‘no’. But we may have to wait a little longer for a definitive answer. Van de Velde said the current business cycle has another two or three years to go, though in his opinion the chemical industry has a lot of upside potential in the long term. Representing the logistics sector, HansJörg Bertschi, executive chairman of the Bertschi Group, echoed Prior’s earlier comments, saying that Europe will have to be

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innovative to help decarbonise the world. He doubted the opinions of those consultants who said that the age of globalisation is over, noting that the chemical industry came late to globalisation and still has a way to go. Speaking more specifically about the tank container market, Bertschi said that the containerisation of liquid chemical flows will increase, helped by a forecast decline of 30 per cent in ocean shipping costs next year as more capacity comes onto the market. Under such conditions, moving material in tank containers becomes cheaper than using parcel tankers, even for large volumes. From the parcel tanker side, Jan Eghøj, managing director of E&S Tankers, said he sees a lot of opportunities in the changing environment, especially in terms of developing longer term relationships with customers, which will help support planning for decarbonisation. Jenkins commented that it is hard to know sometimes who is in charge of moving sustainability forward in the supply chain – the pressure goes all the way down to the end consumer. That pressure will, he said, see around half of Arkema’s product portfolio being outlawed over the next five to ten years. Van de Velde extended the concept of the supply chain, noting that nowadays it extends all the way to waste collectors. Industry is moving towards a circular economy and is already finding ways of producing chemicals from waste – the issue is whether such streams can be consistently available and whether buyers are willing to pay the inevitable premium to be green. Industry does, though, appear to be willing to move towards a sustainable future – and Eghøj said the chemical industry needs to let people know what it is doing. Bertschi also pointed out that, in order to survive in that future, businesses will need to invest. His company has spent a lot to reduce – and eventually eliminate – emissions, “but we have to do that”. This investment will pay off, he insisted, but maybe not for ten years.

Jenkins made the very good point that the carbonised economy has had a century to optimise itself; the post-carbon world is only now getting started and, as new solutions emerge, the old ways of doing things will get more expensive. But industry has to be careful, he said: many consumer-facing businesses have made promises to their customers and shareholders about being more sustainable and they will not all manage to meet those promises. “There could be losers,” Jenkins warned. “We’re all on a long-term learning curve,” Bertschi commented. “The idea that we can transform the entire supply chain quickly is not viable. I don’t know quite how long it will take but those who have started on that path will have a competitive advantage.” Time is of the essence, Jenkins agreed, saying that some companies in the US are moving ahead of the regulatory deadlines because they know it will take time. WHERE’S THE PEOPLE? Introducing a focus on sustainability into a supply chain company is, though, not just about the technology; management of change is more important, Bertschi said. Furthermore, having started investing in sustainability initiatives around ten years ago, the company has become a lot more attractive

to young people. Jenkins agreed: people coming into the industry want to see it making a change for good – but they also expect it to be equipped with the same level of technology they have in their own homes. “Young people expect sustainability to be at the heart of the business conversation,” offered Eghøj. “We need to give them the responsibility to take that conversation to customers.” If those in the audience were also looking for ways of attracting young people to the industry, Andreas Ogrinz was on hand to give an idea of the very difficult recruitment environment they face. Ogrinz, managing director of education, innovation and sustainability at the German Chemical Employers’ Federation (BAVC), presented the results of a study it had undertaken, ‘Chemical Industry Workspaces 2030’, which identified something of a blind spot. What does transformation mean for the chemical industry? It means sustainability, technology and digitalisation, responding to demographic and geopolitical changes, and so on. Does this mean more jobs? Fewer jobs? Or just different jobs? What skills will be needed in 2030 – and what does the HR department have to do? Ogrinz was clear: transformation is not just about business decisions, it affects how people work. A ‘skills shift’ is already

 FECC MET ONCE AGAIN IN THE ATTRACTIVE LOCATION OF SITGES, WHERE GOOD WEATHER - ALONG WITH GOOD CONVERSATION AND GOOD INFORMATION - CAN ALMOST BE GUARANTEED

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 YOUNG PEOPLE WILL BE NEEDED TO TAKE THE INDUSTRY INTO A CHANGING FUTURE BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE WILL NO LONGER BE A PLACE FOR AGE AND EXPERIENCE

underway, with more people needed to work with IT and sustainability projects; careers in laboratories and sales will be less important. And, he warned, “We will have a problem getting out of the downturn without the necessary skills.” Companies will need to become more creative about recruiting – HR needs to approach people as individuals and be prepared to invest in re-skilling. “Smart companies are those that work to develop and get the best out of their people,” Ogrinz said. “We have to become less narrow in hiring and reflect society.” That comment was picked up by Katharina Kasper, group sustainability manager at Brenntag and co-winner of Fecc’s Young Talent Contest 2022. “The most important thing is to look at culture and get the right structure to lead and train young employees,” she said, adding that young people are more prepared to change jobs but also to change roles within a company.

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Just when the older heads in the audience were wondering if they had much of a future, Ogrinz came to their aid, saying: “We need young people – but we also need people in their 50s, 60s, even 70s! It’s not all about young people.” BACK TO THE CHANGE There was plenty of talk about sustainability during the two days of the Fecc conference, but perhaps there was a need to clarify just what it is that we mean by the term. An explanation was offered by Clarisse Chang (pictured opposite), environmental methodology lead at EcoVadis, the industry’s go-to verification body for sustainability performance. Chang defined sustainability as: meeting the needs of today without impacting the ability of generations to come to meet their own needs. This is what companies are signing up to but, Chang said, there is a gap between commitment and action. For example, quoting figures from The Economist, Chang said that 50 per cent of companies have set long-term sustainability targets but only 10 per cent have short-term targets – and only 7 per cent are on course to meet them. The public is increasingly demanding more transparency about what companies are

doing, Chang added; they are also calling out ‘greenwashing’, which can hurt an organisation. There is also a lot of regulation coming in, but a lack of global standards, so companies operating internationally can be facing overlapping and potentially conflicting demands. EcoVadis has developed tools to help companies examine their own sustainability performance and to identify how to make improvements, which is particularly needed in terms of policies for chemicals and wastes, she said. Chang’s presentation moved into a discussion on the diversification of chemical supply chains in response to the sustainability imperative, with Jens Assmann, vicepresident of sustainability strategy at BASF’s monomers division, saying: “Everything is going to change!” Feedstocks will be increasingly circular, processes will have to become CO2-free, products will have to be designed for re-use, and customers will need training. But, he added, sustainability – “the mother of all buzzwords” – drives people; they want to learn and be part of the process. Looking at the current position, all sustainable raw materials are short, so operators have to diversify. Assmann advised the audience to ignore CO2 as a product – “it’s

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a dead horse”, he said – as it needs a lot of energy to make It do anything useful. Energy from heat (i.e. steam) is no longer sustainable, he added; producers need to get their energy from renewable electricity. Drop-in products are attractive but it is not possible to find ‘green carbon’; as a result, and to avoid having to duplicate its entire infrastructure, BASF applies a mass balance approach. Assmann also stressed the need to work together on sustainability. There are always companies willing to try new products – they are not going to switch their entire production line but will start making progress. But a chemical producer can only influence the supply chain from the cradle to its ‘out’ gate; what happens downstream of that is out of its control. Assmann encouraged his audience to start with their customers and to train their own sales teams to find out what journey towards sustainability they are on. OPTIONS AVAILABLE Another perspective was provided by Babette Pettersen, vice-president of LanzaTech, which is developing system to use captured carbonrich gases in an attempt to mimic the carbon cycle in nature. “Sustainability is not all about technology,” she began, “but there are not

enough options available – there is a need for more technology!” LanzaTech’s bacterial treatment approach is already producing ethanol from CO and CO2 captured from industrial processes in China, where it has three plants mainly focused on producing road fuels. Pettersen noted that it is much quicker to get such facilities up and running in China than in Europe, though it has a plant due to open in Ghent later this year. LanzaTech is responding to user demand, largely from consumer-facing industries such as clothing, detergents and beauty products, to reduce their Scope 3 emissions. Offering a drop-in alternative to high-carbon products makes it simple for such industries to make strides towards meeting their decarbonisation targets for 2040 and 2050. This will mean they will still have a licence to operate – and will have a good story to tell to their customers. Consumer brands are committed to sustainability, Pettersen said, though they do not have the expertise in-house. It is also hard for chemical producers to get that close to the end consumers. Jens Assmann agreed with Pettersen that customers making conscious decisions to buy sustainable products is in itself a growing market – compared to a flat or weak market for traditional chemicals in

Europe. That is also attractive to investors. LanzaTech is moving on to look at new production stream, such as acetone and monoethylene glycol; these have been tested in the laboratory and are moving to scale. Pettersen accepted that much bigger scale will be needed if the company’s output is to be competitively priced against conventional products, but it is priced for value and, at the moment, that value is high. The Fecc Annual Congress closed with more presentations on sustainability in action, with Nikolaos Koutras, global R&D director, surfactant materials and sustainability at Procter & Gamble, giving a very upbeat picture of his company’s activities. Like Pettersen, he stressed the importance of value – and while consumers see value in sustainable products, the top priority is that those products have to work. “Irresistible superiority + sustainability = value creation,” is how he described it. For a company such as Procter & Gamble, what that means is going on a journey with its customers. Koutras said that 83 per cent of Procter & Gamble’s total carbon footprint derives from consumer use. That means that, to reduce that footprint, it has to provide products that promote sustainable use, such as, for example, detergents that work optimally in shorter or colder washes. “Customers think plastic is evil,” said Paul Earnshaw, leak packaging manager at major retailer Tesco. “But plastic is valuable,” such as in reducing food waste. The company therefore takes a pragmatic approach to sustainable packaging – and not just because it will make a difference to how it is seen by consumers but, Earnshaw stressed, because it’s the right thing to do. “We’re trying to save the planet,” he concluded. That seemed a fitting comment to round off this year’s Fecc Annual Congress. Sustainability as a business imperative is here to stay – and not just because it is becoming mandatory. Chemical distributors lie at the heart of the supply chain and will have a critical role in passing information up and down that chain. We look forward to hearing more at next year’s Congress, details of which are yet to be released. Keep an eye out on www.fecc-congress.com for more information early next year.

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PEOPLE FOR PROGRESS SUSTAINABILITY • TIM DOGGETT, CEO OF THE CHEMICAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, EXPLAINS HOW CHEMICAL SUPPLY CHAINS ARE MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY ON SEVERAL FRONTS CHEMICALS ARE THE fundamental building blocks of societies and economies around the world - more than 97 per cent of manufactured goods have a chemical input. However, not only is their manufacturing both resource- and energy-intensive, some are hazardous, which if not correctly managed can pose significant risks to people and the environment. Considering this, the chemical industry is increasingly taking steps to do its part on the road to net zero, with sustainability commitments and initiatives across the chemical supply chain - and the sector as a whole - increasing in both extent and rigour. Organisations in the chemical supply chain are increasingly realising that sustainability is an opportunity instead of a burden, and that performance does not have to be sacrificed for

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the sake of the environment. However, delivering on sustainability and net zero ambitions at the scale and pace needed requires investment, collaboration, and partnership. The Chemical Business Association (CBA) continues to be extremely proactive in assisting its members in making a green transition. As part of its many commitments to the chemical supply chain industry, it has been supporting industry with safe chemicals management, improving the environmental safety and impact of chemical supply chain processes, and seeking innovative solutions to several sustainability challenges. SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY The chemical sector has faced criticism

around sustainability for many years. Contrary to popular belief, however, companies across the chemical supply chain have been developing sustainable strategies and strengthening their net zero commitments for a very long time. CBA itself has been actively involved with the Responsible Care (RC) programme, a global, voluntary initiative that provides an ethical framework for the safe use and handling of chemical products and seeks to deliver continual improvements in health, safety, security and environmental performance across the industry, for 30 years. Last year, with the aim of demonstrating the chemical industry’s commitment to the safe and sustainable management of chemicals, it published its own vision for RC in the 21st century. Furthermore, as the chemical industry has a key and leading role to play in decarbonisation – both as a consumer of energy and in developing sustainable solutions for the future – understanding carbon and other greenhouse gases and their role in climate change has become increasingly vital for the sector. CBA has taken a proactive approach to supporting members in this regard, with several members of staff becoming certified as Carbon Literate, enabling them in turn to

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train members on Carbon Literacy. The certified training, which provides insight to help individuals and companies make informed choices to reduce their carbon impact, enables members to roll out Carbon Literacy to their organisations. The association has also hosted Online Clinics supporting companies with sustainability practices such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging regulations and how to report sustainability data. SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABILITY Another consideration in sustainability for the chemical supply chain is attracting and retaining the right talent, with current perceptions of the industry and an increasing war on talent potentially leading to a skills gap. As a vital sector that contributes significantly to the nation’s economic output and which employs millions – CBA’s distributor, manufacturer and logistics membership base alone employs more than 10,000 people and makes 2.25 million deliveries a year, contributing more than £4bn to the UK economy annually – this should be a concern for both businesses and government. To attract great and diverse talent, both the negative perception of the chemical supply chain industry and the lack of awareness of the career opportunities that exist within it, must change. This can only be achieved if chemical companies proactively combat stereotypes by not only advocating for their organisations, but also by informing the public of the industry’s overarching value. In addition, by actively showcasing the range of inclusive opportunities available in the chemical supply chain, from traditional roles to the range of emerging and exciting positions in digital technology and artificial intelligence. Additionally, more should be done to clarify what careers in the chemical supply chain and the wider sector involve, and what opportunities exist. Clearly articulating job roles and highlighting the steps and pathways into them can effectively contribute to raising awareness of the sector’s importance and can inspire future generations with diverse interests and skillsets to join. However, recruitment is just one step in the process. Retention is equally important and

companies must view and value current employees as one of their most critical assets. Failure to do so means businesses risk losing employees to competitors, or even other industries, missing out on a wealth of potential abilities and talent. KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY To address this issue, CBA has launched several initiatives in recent years. In 2022, it established a Future Council, bringing together young people with a diverse variety of skills and roles from its member companies and giving them a space to share goals and ideas and to deliver on collective ambitions and objectives. The Council’s objectives include educating, sharing skills and raising awareness to help young people enhance their understanding of the chemical supply chain, showcasing the diverse career opportunities within the sector to Millennials and Gen Z, and informing youngsters and educators about the important contribution science and the chemical supply chain make to society. Founding the Future Council was preceded by the Young Person’s Award, launched in 2019 with the goal of recognising excellence within the chemical supply chain. CBA has also joined forces with the UK Department for Transport and other membership organisations in launching Generation Logistics, a campaign aimed at bringing industry together, shifting perceptions, and encouraging the next generation to optimise opportunities in the logistics industry, from entry-level pathways to graduate programmes. The initiative is going into year two with impressive results, having collectively reached an audience of over 415 million, with website visits of nearly 600,000 and more than 4 million social media interactions. The Association’s most recent initiative is the People & Skills Hub. Launched in July, it is a dynamic network that brings together all stakeholders, including education partners, aspiring professionals, industry experts and thought leaders from the complete chemical supply chain. Acting as a platform for businesses of all sizes to engage with existing and emerging talent, the Hub is aimed at empowering

individuals and organisations alike by enabling knowledge exchange and facilitating skills development and career advancement via a comprehensive range of resources, outreach programmes, and networking opportunities. Moreover, through collaborative projects, internships and job placements, it aims to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity and will be a mechanism through which people can gain both practical and technical skills and training. Essentially, the Hub not only showcases the chemical supply chain as an exciting and promising industry in which to build a career, but also aids in employee retention by providing the resources and encouragement to those already working in the sector to develop and grow their skills. As companies in the chemical supply chain increasingly look to integrate sustainability on various fronts, CBA, which has been the voice of the chemical supply chain for a century, continues to use its position as a leader and influencer to develop and drive responsible and sustainable change in the sector, and to help shape its future by fostering innovation and creating a supportive, inclusive, and attractive working environment. www.chemical.org.uk

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BUSY BEES BUSINESS • BRENNTAG IS OFFERING THE BENELUX CHEMICAL INDUSTRY MORE WAREHOUSING CAPACITY AND ALSO MOVING DEEPER INTO THE BIO-SPHERE IN AN EXCLUSIVE DEAL WITH UPM BRENNTAG HAS OPENED a new warehouse in Moerdijk, the Netherlands, expanding its existing facility to meet the growing demands of its customers. The warehouse will store chemicals and ingredients for many markets and applications, including the company’s Life Science business, especially for the Food & Nutrition industry. For products that require temperature-controlled storage, such as cocoa butter, a special refrigerated area has been added. The warehouse’s equipment also includes modern automated storage systems, including automatic picking and automatic forklifts. “The Moerdijk location proves to be extremely advantageous as it is located in the immediate area of the important Port of Rotterdam. This strategic location allows us to efficiently connect to important trade routes and markets throughout Europe,” says Pierre Claeys, president of Brenntag Essentials

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Benelux. “Investing in the Moerdijk site and our regional site network allows us to offer our customers a smooth and cost-efficient logistics solution.” The warehouse was carefully designed and built according to the latest sustainability standards and for a long period of use, Brenntag points out. Particular attention was paid to insulating the floor, walls and roof to ensure energy efficiency and minimise its environmental footprint. Stormwater retention measures were also taken to conserve natural resources, and a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant was installed to ensure that all wastewater is treated in accordance with latest standards. BAGGING BIO Brenntag has meanwhile announced a sole distribution agreement for Europe with UPM Biochemicals for UPM BioPura™, its

sustainable bio mono-ethylene glycol (Bio-MEG). Bio-MEG can be used in a variety of applications, including polymers, coolants, textiles and a broad range of other use-cases. UPM is investing €1.18bn to build the world’s first industrial-scale biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, where sustainably sourced, certified hardwood will be converted into next-generation biochemicals that will enable the vital shift away from fossil-based to renewable materials across a wide range of industries. UPM BioPura will be produced from hardwood obtained from forests around Leuna. The biomass does not compete with food resources and will provide manufacturers with a viable option to progress towards their net zero targets and significantly reduce their Scope 3 emissions by switching from fossil-based ingredients to a renewable, drop-in solution. “Brenntag is making significant progress towards its goal of furthering the distribution of sustainable chemicals,” says Wolfgang Edel, senior manager, sustainable products and solutions at Brenntag. “We are intensively field-testing new technologies to drive this change forward and are working closely with supply partners like UPM to offer our customers the best possible bio-based alternatives to established chemicals and ingredients to lower carbon emissions.” Brenntag Essentials was selected for the market launch of UPM BioPura in Europe because of its highly diversified geographic, industry and product spread, the company states. The global reach, regional expertise and local excellence make Brenntag a reliable partner for a broad range of suppliers. “As we evaluated potential partners, we were impressed by Brenntag’s strong distribution network across Europe, as well as its holistic approach to sustainability,” explains Michael Duetsch, vice-president of biochemicals at UPM. “Brenntag has demonstrated that they can market, deliver, and promote the advantages of sustainable solutions. We are very much looking forward to our collaboration and to opening up new channels for our products that serve a wide range of industries and applications.” corporate.brenntag.com

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EXPERTS IN CHEMICALS LOGISTICS • DACHSER’S EXPERTISE IN CHEMICAL LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION HAS WON IT GREATER RECOGNITION BY GERMANY’S CHEMICAL PRODUCERS, TO WHICH IT NOW OFFERS MORE SPACE

DACHSER AND THE German chemical industry association, Verband der Chemischen Industrie (VCI), have extended their logistics purchasing partnership by five years, ahead of time. The partnership was established in 2009, initially for European groupage but expanded in 2015 to cover air and sea freight. “Dachser is a competent partner for our member companies, one that can handle their European logistics safely with uniform quality standards using its own network while also supplying the intercontinental markets from a single source,” says Johann-Peter Nickel, managing director of VCI. “The energy crisis and the current state of the global economy present the chemical industry with enormous challenges, particularly in Germany. That’s why our members need a reliable logistics partner capable of ensuring a secure, resilient supply chain—now more than ever,” Nickel adds. “With some sensitive products and numerous special legal regulations, the chemical industry is very demanding, especially when it comes to logistics,” adds Gisa Omlor, who handles the purchasing partnership for VCI. “Having a long-standing partner that has the requisite expertise and commitment as well as the ability to communicate with German SMEs as an equal provides crucial added value and a competitive edge.”

“We greatly appreciate that VCI acknowledges our commitment to logistics for the chemical industry,” says Michael Kriegel, department head at Dachser Chem Logistics. “We speak the chemical industry’s language. By investing in the expansion of our network, in digital innovations, and in climate protection, we’re also ideally placed to tackle the challenges of the future.” ADDING SPACE Dachser has meanwhile opened a new warehouse at its existing location in Rottenburg am Neckar, near Stuttgart, Germany, taking total warehouse capacity at the site up to some 46,000 pallet spaces. Construction began in February, adding 11,600 m2 of storage space, which includes a temperature-controlled zone for the food and pharmaceutical sectors. “The fact that the pallet spaces in the new warehouse were fully marketed even before the start of operations clearly shows the need for additional warehousing capacity. We are

particularly pleased to be able to further expand our cooperation with customers with whom we have enjoyed a long-standing and trusting partnership and to offer them an extended scope of services,” says Marco Geiger, Dachser’s branch manager in Rottenburg. “At the same time, we are pleased to have also acquired new customers who fit ideally into our strategic orientation. The addition of the new warehouse is an important step in the development of Dachser Rottenburg.” The Rottenburg facility was originally opened in 1999 adjacent to the A81 highway, offering a convenient link to Dachser’s European overland network. It provides warehousing and transport services for the pharma, chemical, food, engineering and FMCG sectors, along with packing, container stowage and customs clearance services and has annual revenue of some €70m. Dachser has 23 branches in seven countries ready to handle the storage of hazardous materials. A total of 29 European branches have been evaluated for Safety and Quality Assessment for Sustainability (SQAS) certification by the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic). This means that Dachser is ideally placed to continue offering its customers in the chemical industry top-quality logistics services in the future. www.dachser.com

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NEWS BULLETIN

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BRENNTAG ADDS CAUSTIC CAPACITY

Brenntag has acquired OWI Chlor Alkali – comprising Old World Specialty Chemicals and Old World Logistics – from Illinois-based Old World Industries. OWI Chlor Alkali is one of the largest independent distributors of caustic soda in North America. The business will be integrated into Brenntag Essentials’ existing network in North America, significantly expanding Brenntag Essentials’ local and regional footprint. “OWI Chlor Alkali will boost our regional supply chain and sourcing capabilities in North America, in particular for caustic soda and potassium hydroxide,” says Ewout van Jarwaarde, CEO of Brenntag Essentials. “By joining forces we gain access to tollgates and infrastructure in the region, supporting growth in our last mile service operations in order to serve both Brenntag and OWI Chlor Alkali customers better and more efficiently.” Tom Armstrong, managing director of Old World Specialty Chemicals, comments: ”Joining the global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution is an exciting opportunity for us, and a chance to leverage our setup and market position to reach additional customers with our products and service offering. Brenntag’s global sourcing and market intel capabilities will significantly enhance our market position, to which we can contribute as well.” OWI Chlor Alkali was established in 2016 as a distributor, with the logistics division being added in 2020. Its portfolio includes caustic soda, potassium hydroxide, methanol, sulfuric acid and glycols. In 2022, OWI Chlor Alkali reported annual sales of $279.7m. corporate.brenntag.com BARENTZ BUYS AND BUILDS

Barentz International has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the

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pharmaceutical and human nutrition business of Unijaya, a fully licensed pharmaceutical distributor of specialty active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and functional food ingredients, located in Jakarta, Indonesia. The planned acquisition will complement Barentz’s existing operations with a regulated pharmaceuticals business and is expected to provide synergetic growth opportunities in Indonesia and across Asia Pacific territories. “Unijaya’s highly experienced team with extensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical and human nutrition industries, combined with an impressive product portfolio, will bolster our existing offering in the Indonesian market,” says Hidde van der Wal, CEO of Barentz. “We are excited about the new opportunities this presents in Asia Pacific, which aligns with Barentz’s ongoing aspiration for growth in the region. I warmly welcome the Unijaya team to Barentz.”

Agus Widjaja, founder of Unijaya agrees, adding: “I am proud that Unijaya is playing an important role in strengthening Barentz’s existing operations, as they embrace a new portfolio of specialty active pharma and functional food ingredients in Indonesia, one of the fastest growing and largest economies in south-east Asia. I wish Barentz and the team the very best.” Widjaja will continue to lead Unijaya as part of Barentz. Barentz has also expanded its pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products distribution agreement with Ashland to cover the UK and Ireland, Scandinavia and the Baltic states as from 1 November; Barentz already handled Ashland’s products in Belgium the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. “For over two decades, Ashland and Barentz have been building a partnership focused on life science markets. We look forward to leveraging

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Barentz’ experience with the Ashland pharmaceutical and nutraceutical portfolio,” says Tomas Navarro, Ashland’s general manager, Life Sciences EMEA. “Our immediate focus is to transfer the technical and commercial knowledge to Barentz to support the current and future needs of our customers.” www.barentz.com IMCD EXPANDS IN KOREA

IMCD has agreed to acquire South Koreabased specialty distributor Needfill, which serves the paint, coatings, inks, textiles, electronics, and polymer markets. Needfill, based in Seoul, generated a revenue of approximately KRW 26.2bn (≈€18m) in 2022 and has 18 employees. “As we look ahead, the coatings market in South Korea has an exciting growth potential. Having Needfill join us provides a strong addition to our coatings and construction business, enhancing our range of services and portfolio,” says Henri Kwon, managing director of IMCD Korea. “We are confident that Needfill’s dedicated team will support our business expansion, reinforcing our presence in the Korean market.” The closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to take place in the fourth quarter of 2023. www.imcdgroup.com AZELIS LIKES FRENCH FLAVOUR

Azelis has acquired BLH, a France-based distributor of flavours and fragrances; the acquisition strengthens Azelis’ position in this market, following the acquisition of Quimdis in France, Vigon in America and Ashapura in India. Family-owned BLH was founded in 1983 and now employs 42 people. “We are thrilled with the strategic acquisition of BLH, two years after Quimdis, representing another significant milestone for Azelis in the flavours and fragrances industry,” says Benoit Fritz, managing director of Azelis France. “This move strengthens our lateral value chain in the segment, and our presence in France and the EMEA region. Leveraging BLH’s historical relationships with key principals, combined

with our expertise in natural essential oils, we believe we will deliver innovative solutions to customers, while driving sustained growth in this dynamic market.” www.azelis.com AIREDALE SHUFFLES THE PACK

Airedale Group has announced a shift in positions at the head of the business, with Richard Ward, who joined as business director a year ago, taking over the position of managing director from Chris Chadwick, who remains executive chairman and will also take on the role of business development director. “This change in roles will facilitate our plans for continued growth and allow me to add value to the business by developing new and existing relationships with our customers and suppliers in line with the expansion plans outlined in our five-year strategy,” Chadwick says. “Richard has done a fantastic job since he joined us last year and has made tangible improvements to the way we operate. He now has the autonomy to mould Airedale Group into an even more progressive and ambitious business, taking us into the future with confidence.” airedale-group.com

SAFIC ON STEROIDS

Safic-Alcan is building on its 20-year partnership with Hunan Keyifeng, beginning with an exclusive distribution deal for steroid hormones across Europe, the Americas and North Africa. “We are delighted to continue our enduring partnership with Hunan Keyifeng through this exclusive agreement,” says Edouard Danglot, business director for pharmacy in France. “Hunan Keyifeng’s expertise in cortico-steroid production, combined with their competitiveness, regulatory reliability, and commitment to corporate social responsibility, positions us perfectly to meet market expectations. This agreement enables us to offer a complete range of hormones, alongside our excipients and other active ingredients, providing a comprehensive solution to our valued customers.” “Hunan Keyifeng and Safic-Alcan have cultivated a strategic business partnership spanning more than two decades. We are now eager to extend this strategic collaboration with Safic-Alcan, bringing premium service to our valued customers,” adds Liu Xirong, CEO of Hunan Keyifeng. www.safic-alcan.com

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NEW AND USED SUSTAINABILITY • THE INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING SECTOR HAS BEEN OPERATING A CLOSED LOOP FOR DECADES BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS IMMUNE TO NEW REGULATORY INITIATIVES THE PRODUCTION OF industrial packaging tends to be located close to its market, there being little profit in ‘shipping air’ – transporting empty drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) over long distances. Conversely, the chemical industry is a global business and the products that are filled into those drums and IBCs may end up anywhere in the world. Therefore, while a packaging – a steel drum, say – may be manufactured and filled in Germany, it might be emptied in the US, or Brazil, South Africa, Japan, China or anywhere else. Global harmonisation is required if that drum is to be handled and decanted safely. In addition, the industrial packaging industry has put a lot of effort over decades into developing a global network to ensure the collection and reuse, reconditioning, remanufacturing or, as a last resort, recycling

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

of used packagings. Over the years, the reconditioning industry in the major markets – North America, Europe and Japan – has worked together to ensure consistent standards and practices, under the umbrella of the International Confederation of Container Reconditioners (ICCR), bringing the respective memberships together every three years for the International Industrial Packaging Conference (IIPC). It has been the usual practice for responsibility for this event to be passed around the three board members of ICCR and this year it was the turn of the European Industrial Container Reconditioners Association (SERRED) to host the conference, which took place over three days starting on 27 September. In fact, it had actually been five years since the last IIPC, which took place in Tokyo, as Europe was largely facing Covid-related travel

restrictions two years ago. Perhaps it was no surprise, then, that the 2023 IIPC, which took place in Ghent, Belgium drew a substantial audience, with more than 200 people from 23 countries in attendance. Conference chairman Philippe Verstraete welcomed the many familiar faces as well as those who have come to the industry in recent years. That audience also included plenty of delegates representing manufacturers, as ICCR and the International Confederation of Drum Manufacturers (ICDM) and other producer bodies have worked hard over the years to understand each other’s needs. Indeed, opening the event, Paul Rankin, chairman of ICCR, said it boded well for the meeting that he was able to share the platform with Domenico Rinaldini, chairman of ICDM. Rankin noted that the industrial packaging sector had survived – even thrived – during the Covid years, adding, “Is there a better example of the circular economy than industrial packaging? I think not!” Rinaldini agreed, saying that environmental regulation represents a great opportunity, not a threat. MAN FROM THE MINISTRY But it was the threat of new environmental regulation that drew many of the attendees to Ghent and formed the focus of much of the –

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING 54

sometimes heated – discussion. Both the European Commission (EC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are looking at proposals that would have a profound effect on the industrial packaging industry and, especially, its well established pattern of collection and reconditioning. In both cases, the regulators concerned seem to be pressing ahead completely oblivious to what industry has been doing for decades and many in the audience were eager to have their say in the hope that these regulatory initiatives can be headed off before it’s too late. So it was a combative audience that faced Dr Wolfgang Trunk from EC’s Directorate-General for Environment and team leader on the waste framework director. He came to explain that EC wants to develop the value chain to convert waste into resources – something that, of course, packaging reconditioners do as a matter of course. To them, a used steel drum is not just a larger version of an empty soup tin, it is a resource in its own right, but EC seems to be having difficulty seeing the difference. Dr Trunk did make some valid points: the current Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive is now nearly 30 years old but has “failed to harvest the fruits of the internal market” since, as a directive, it is applied in different ways across the EU. The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, currently in draft form, aims to change that by making its provisions directly applicable in all member states. In broad terms, per capita generation of packaging waste rose from 150 kg in 2006 to some 180 kg in 2018; if there is no change, this will rise to 210 kg by 2030. One option included in the draft Regulation – though this remains to be confirmed – is to require a 5 per cent reduction in the 2018 figure, to around 170 kg, by 2030, or at the very least no increase. The biggest reduction in packaging waste will be delivered by greater re-use and the Regulation will include obligations on member states to encourage re-filling and re-use. Initially, targets will be set for specific packaging types and products, but only for intra-company movements and transports between different companies in the same country. They will require all transport packagings (and sales packagings used in

transport) to be reusable by 2030, including pallets, boxes, trays, plastics crates, IBCs, drums and canisters made of all materials and in all sizes. The Regulations will also require all packagings to be fully recyclable by 2030, and for plastics packaging to include 35 per cent post-consumer recyclate (PCR) by the same date. It is not clear if EC has taken account of the existing restrictions on the used of PCR in dangerous goods packagings, nor how action in Europe might affect international provisions. But, as Larry Bierlein, representing the Reusable Industrial Packaging Association (RIPA) and moderator of the session on sustainability, pointed out, what happens in any part of the world rapidly spreads to the rest. “We in the US pay close attention to what happens in Belgium,” he said. CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT In fact, the US has its own problems, as RIPA’s president Paul Rankin explained. Out of the blue, and without consultation with industry, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on 11 August this year, soliciting information and requesting comments to assist in the potential

development of non-regulatory and regulatory options that would ensure the proper management of used industrial containers that held hazardous chemicals or hazardous waste, up to and including the drum reconditioning process. One potential outcome is that packaging reconditioners would become regarded as hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities. “If EPA decides to do this, the reconditioning industry in the US will effectively be eliminated,” Rankin said. Currently, reconditioners are exempt from the hazardous waste regulations via the ‘empty container’ rule, which allows small amounts of product residue in used containers being handled. This exemption applies to the emptier rather than the reconditioner, but EPA apparently believes that it is not being applied correctly. Rankin noted that this is the only regulatory proposal under the Biden administration that would actively increase greenhouse gas emissions and, he said, he believes the matter can be resolved. That will, however, take a concerted effort and, in response, 21 trade bodies have formed a coalition to address the proposal – as it would have an impact on most industrial sectors in the US.

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 DRUM RECONDITIONING CAN APPEAR TO BE A MESSY BUSINESS BUT ITS ROLE IN REDUCING LIFECYCLE CARBON EMISSIONS WILL BE IMPORTANT TO THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

EPA initially allowed 45 days for comments and received several requests for an extension; in response, it has extended the comment period to 23 November. HCB will report on this in greater detail in due course. STEEL DRUM CALCULATIONS Steel drums are also under threat from pricing in Europe, as a result of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which has been applied in an initial transitional phase since 1 October and aims to reduce CO2 emissions and also prevent the ‘exporting’ of emissions to non-EU states. Professor Carlo Mapelli from the Department of Mechanics at the Politecnico di Milano, explained the ‘green steel deal’ that will emerge as a result of CBAM, which includes the iron and steel industry in its first phase. Steelmaking is a heavy emitter of CO2, although there are some examples of

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

zero-carbon steel and some buyers appear willing to pay the 25 per cent price premium. Carbon pricing under CBAM will begin in 2025 and currently stands at €85/tonne of CO2. Most steel production – around 65 per cent of global output – is based on blast furnaces, which generate 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel, Professor Mapelli said; scrap recycling via electric arc furnace generates as little as 150 kg/tonne, which can be further lowered by the use of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), complete electrification (ideally with renewable power) or the use of biomass. But, Professor Mapelli, added, “electricity is a short resource” and production of renewable power is growing only slowly; nuclear power could make a difference but this sector is hampered by its lack of profitability. He also looked at the role ‘green’ hydrogen might play, though its production from fresh water is not viable economically and raises other environmental and safety considerations. A more interesting option, he concluded, is the production of hydrogen by the pyrolysis of methane, which generates a carbon by-product that is rich in graphite, graphene and carbon nanotubes. Kenji Yosho of the Japan Drum Reconditioners Association (JDRA) gave a

perspective on how Japan sees industrial packaging sustainability, through an environmental approach to lifecycle analysis. Its calculations show a total CO2 footprint of 21.23 kg for production of a new steel drum and 6.17 kg for a reconditioned steel drum; in other words, the reconditioning sector saves some 150,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Yosho said that JDRA is now using this certified research to encourage drum users to choose reconditioned drums. The Association has also developed a simplified CO2 emissions calculation tool that gives manufacturers the information they need to identify and ameliorate or offset their emissions. He pointed out that, while there are currently no penalties for CO2 emissions in Japan, that is likely to change and many companies are already looking at how to address the situation. It should be noted that JDRA’s carbon calculations apply to Japanese drums, which tend to be heavier, with a typical wall thickness of 1.3 mm compared to as little as 0.8 mm in other major producing areas; this means they can be used more times and recycled more often. This report on the 2023 IIPC event will continue in next month’s HCB with coverage of presentations by manufacturers, reconditioners and users.

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING 56

created during the manufacturing process, PCR is material that has been made from packaging that has actually been used, sorted, collected, cleaned and recycled into new rPP granules. In terms of environmental impact, PCR makes the difference.

LOOP THE LOOP FIBC • LC PACKAGING IS AIMING TO CREATE A CLOSED LOOP FOR BIG BAGS THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION WITH RECYCLING FIRMS AND STARLINGER

WHILE THE COLLECTION and reconditioning of drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) has been a feature of the industrial packaging industry for decades, the flexible IBC (FIBC) sector has so far been unable to match it. One major supplier, LC Packaging, is aiming to change that, as part of an industry initiative alongside PET Recycling Team (PRT), Velebit Recycling and machinery manufacturer Starlinger. PRT is one of Europe’s leading companies for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

 PRODUCING PLASTICS FIBRES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBCS FROM RECYCLED MATERIAL IS NOT A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCESS

and uses food-contact FIBCs to store and transport PET granulate; those FIBCs, once emptied, are sent to Velebit’s recycling facility where, using Starlinger technology, they are turned into post-consumer recycled polypropylene (PCR-rPP) granulate. This is then used by Dutch-Bangla Pack, LC Packaging’s production unit in Bangladesh, to produce new high-quality big bags for PRT, using Starlinger’s rPP extrusion technology. These FIBCs, which contain 30 per cent recycled content, are then returned to PRT for use in non-food-contact applications. LC Packaging says the difference between PCR, as used in this project, and postindustrial recyclate (PIR) is important: while PIR refers to the recycling of material waste

ONE FOR ALL This closed-loop solution offers benefits for all the parties involved, Christian Hude-Burian, plant manager at PRT’s site in Wöllersdorf, Austria, explains: “With this solution, we achieve a significant reduction in waste, since used Big Bags are now turned into new Big Bags that we can use again for our purposes. This helps us to save natural resources and reduce our CO2 emissions.” “A big advantage of this project is having access to a continuous stream of premium quality recycled material,” adds Thorsten Classen, managing director of LC Packaging, while Andreas Anderl, Starlinger’s project manager for rPP, says: “With our recycling and extrusion technology, Starlinger acts as the connecting link in this project, providing the high-quality recycled polypropylene and heavy-duty tapes needed for Big Bag production.” While the recycled material from PRT’s FIBCs is currently used for producing non-foodgrade packaging, the initial bags are safe for food contact. The next step would therefore be to use the produced recycled material in food-contact bags. This requires materials to be traceable, and each step in the process should be controlled and documented in the right way. Another idea is to extend the loop to include end customers of the ALPLA Group, PRT’s parent company. Thorsten Classen explains: “This project shows that if the right parties work together and are willing to invest and pioneer, we can make a significant environmental impact by means of a closed loop solution that delivers benefits for everyone. And we are ready to take on the next challenge together when it comes to realising a food-safe closed loop in the future!” www.lcpackaging.com www.petrecyclingteam.com www.starlinger.com www.velebitrecycling.com

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57 INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING

LET’S GO ROUND AGAIN RECYCLATE • BERRY GLOBAL’S COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY IS ALREADY SEEING CHANGES IN ITS CONSUMER PACKAGING. IT IS NOW TAKING THAT SAME APPROACH TO UN-APPROVED CONTAINERS BERRY GLOBAL, a specialist producer of small plastics containers and other polymerbased products, based in Evansville, Indiana, has followed the trend towards greater use of recycled material with the extension of its popular Optimum range of containers with UN-approved versions made with 35 per cent recycled material and available in 20- and 25-litre sizes. The inclusion of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in the containers presented a technical challenge in meeting the standards for UN approval, Berry says. Typical processing of recyclate can sometimes produce varying results due to its composition, but UN approval requires processing to be stable and repeatable to ensure the quality and consistent performance of the finished container. To ensure this, Berry is taking its recycled HDPE from controlled sources, focusing on post-industrial packaging such as intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), drums and HDPE canisters. This minimises any variation in the material. In addition, the containers retain their low weight, both reducing the amount of material required in production and maximising ease of handling for the end-user. The introduction of these new containers into the company’s popular Optimum range will support its customers both in meeting their own sustainability goals and satisfying consumer demands for more sustainable packaging solutions. It will also help businesses comply with forthcoming legislation covering the required minimum amount of recycled material in a pack.

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

FOCUS ON REUSE “We believe these new containers offer one of the highest contents of recycled material with UN approval currently available on the market,” says Rudolph Pfeiffer, general manager of Berry Global BMS. “We are very pleased to be able to provide our customers with a solution to the packaging of challenging products that supports their sustainability commitments without compromising on quality or performance.” The new Optimum containers are available with standard DIN61 and ASTM63 neck finishes, suitable for a range of standard and vented closures, and can also be specified in a range of colours. The containers’ design with

interlocking top and base allows safe and easy stacking. Typical applications include chemicals, hazardous goods, agriculture and horticulture, automotive care and pool care. Berry says additional container sizes are now in development. Launch of the new Optimum containers fits into Berry’s pathway to circularity, which has committed the company to producing 100 per cent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025 and the use of 30 per cent circular plastics across its consumer packaging portfolio by 2030. This has included such initiatives as replacing non-recyclable polystyrene in cups supplied to Taco Bell with polypropylene; replacing PVC with polyethylene in films; eliminating the use of non-plastics components such as metal wire handles, to make recycling more efficient; eliminating the use of colours (notably black) that cannot be detected by current recycling sorting systems; and aiming for lighter products through investment in innovative materials. From its origins as a small producer of aerosol caps, founded in 1967, Berry has grown to a public corporation with 2022 sales of $14.5bn; it currently has more than 250 facilities around the world and employs some 47,000 people. www.berryglobal.com

CONFERENCES

CONFERENCE DIARY NOVEMBER VII Med Hub Day 2023 NOVEMBER 9-10, TARRAGONA

Seventh annual workshop on regional tank storage issues

Clean Ammonia Europe

Maritime Decarbonisation America

NOVEMBER 27-29, ANTWERP

DECEMBER 12-13, HOUSTON

Second annual conference to bring together those in the clean ammonia value chain

Annual conference on regulatory, operational and technical issues

www.argusmedia.com/en/conferences-events-

www.rivieramm.com/events/maritime-

listing/clean-ammonia-europe

decarbonisation-america

World LNG Summit

JANUARY

www.hubdaytarragona.com APLA Annual Meeting

NOVEMBER 28-DEC 1, ATHENS

NOVEMBER 11-14, SÃO PAULO

23rd annual conference and awards dinner

43rd annual Latin American petrochemical conference

www.worldlngsummit.com/

JANUARY 22-26, SAVANNAH

www.apla.lat/2023brasil/

Oil & Non Oil

Annual conference of the Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development (COHMED) programme

Energy Transition Europe

Trade show on fuel and non-oil storage and distribution in Italy and Europe

NOVEMBER 29-DEC 1, VERONA NOVEMBER 13-14, LONDON

Business-critical conference on the future of European energy

www.oilnonoil.it

https://events.reutersevents.com/energy-

EEMUA Storage Tanks Seminar

COHMED

https://cvsa.org/eventpage/events/cohmedconference/

FEBRUARY

transition/energy-transition-europe

NOVEMBER 30, ROTTERDAM

LPG Week 2023

Annual EEMUA seminar to address safety issues with storage tanks

NOVEMBER 13-17, ROME

www.eemua.org/tni/Calendar/Events/2023/Nov/

Three-day event to discuss clean fuel supply chains

Premier global LPG event, including World LPG Forum and European Liquid Gas Congress

EEMUA-Storage-Seminar-23.aspx

www.argusmedia.com/en/conferences-events-

DECEMBER

www.lpgweek.com LNG Shipping and Terminals

Argus Clean Ammonia Middle East JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 1, RIYADH

listing/clean-ammonia-middle-east Internationale Gefahrgut-Tage Hamburg 2024

Hydrogen Safety & Hazardous Areas South

FEBRUARY 26-27, HAMBURG

Africa

39th annual conference on dangerous goods transport (German language)

NOVEMBER 14-15, LONDON

DECEMBER 4-5, SANDTON

Regular conference and network event covering the LNG supply chain

Conference on emerging technologies and equipment in hazardous areas

www.ecomed-storck.de/Veranstaltungen/

www.rivieramm.com/events/lng-shipping-and-

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

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

terminals-conference-europe-2023

conferences/hydrogen-safety-hazardous-areasconference-2

International Energy Week

GPCA Forum

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

ECTA Annual Meeting NOVEMBER 16, DÜSSELDORF

Annual Meeting of the European Chemical Transport Association

Internationale-Gefahrgut-Tage-Hamburg-2024-

FEBRUARY 27-29, LONDON DECEMBER 4-7, DOHA

www.ieweek.co.uk

https://ecta.com/product/ecta-annual-

17th annual meeting of the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association

meeting-2023/

www.gpcaforum.com

Battery Recycling Europe

CRAC 2023

NISTM

Fourth annual conference for the battery recycling and manufacturing sectors

FEBRUARY 28-29, LONDON NOVEMBER 16-17, SHANGHAI

DECEMBER 5-7, THE WOODLANDS

17th Chemical Regulatory Annual Conference on chemical safety, environmental management and sustainability

16th Annual National Aboveground Storage Tank Conference & Trade Show

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

www.nistm.org

https://crac.reach24.com/2023/agenda

WWW.HCBLIVE.COM

INCIDENT LOG ROAD/RAIL/AIR INCIDENTS Date

Location

Vehicle Type

Details

Source

22/8/23 Mansfield, Notts, UK

Road tanker caught fire on M1, causing motorway to be closed in both directions; nearby residents advised to shelter in place; cause of fire unknown; no injuries reported

DFRS

22/8/23 Tonopah, road tanker Arizona, US

gasoline, diesel

Tank truck overturned on I-10 after collision with another truck; tanker driver injured; part of 7,600-gal (28.8-m3) mixed load of fuel spilled to road; responders tapped into trailer to remove remaining fuel

MSN

30/8/23 Coimbatore, road tanker Tamil Nadu, India

furnace oil

One worker was killed when a tanker exploded during conversion from furnace oil to water tanker; dead man was using a gas cutter to open tank; one other worker injured in blast

The Hindu

30/8/23 North Sioux City, freight train ethanol S Dakota, US

19 cars of D&I Railroad train derailed on bridge, which partially collapsed; five derailed cars contained ethanol; no leak of product reported

KTAR

1/9/23

Liberal, road tanker Kansas, US

One worker died, two others hospitalised after being found unconscious in tank trailer at Red Barn Truck Wash; OSHA investigating incident

Wichita Eagle

2/9/23

Surulere, road tanker LPG Lagos, Nigeria

Gas tanker developed fault, started leaking and causing panic; fire crews attempted to stop leak, which may have been due to a damaged valve or overloading; no fire, no injuries reported

Business Day

3/9/23

Manchester, road tanker gasoline Connecticut, US

Tank truck with more than 8,000 gal (30 m3) gasoline overturned, burst into flames after collision with car on I-84; several explosions reported; three people hospitalised; fire crews allowed fire to burn out

4/9/23

nr Ashcroft, freight train gasoline BC, Canada

Five tank cars derailed during shunting in remote interior of British Columbia; small leak of gasoline from one car; no injuries or environmental impact; line reopened later the same day; TSB investigating

CBC

9/9/23

Thane, road tanker Maharashtra, India

sulfuric acid

Road tanker with 8 tonnes sulfuric acid skidded off Mumbra bypass road, fell into stream, spilling acid into water; driver injured in crash; disaster management team on site to stop acid spreading

IANS

9/9/23

Lawrence, rail car Kansas, US

magnesium chloride

Fire crews, hazmat teams were called to leaking rail car on siding in North Lawrence; car said to have been leaking for days; Chemtrec identified it as magnesium chloride; no danger to nearby residents

WIBW

10/9/23 South Anchorage, road tanker gasoline Alaska, US

Main tank of Inlet Energy tank truck with 10,000 gal (38 m3) gasoline overturned while making turn, spilling some cargo, causing closure of major traffic corridor and nearby Costco store; remaining cargo offloaded

ADN

14/9/23 North Platte, container Nebraska, US

Explosion in perchloric acid in freight container on train at UP railyard led to precautionary evacuation but no injuries or lasting damage; all acid burned off after blast; fire marshal, UP investigating cause

16/9/23 Orile-Coker, road tanker LPG Lagos, Nigeria

Gas tanker broke down, then caught fire while being fixed; passers-by fled; no injuries or fatalities reported; fire burned for several hours; cause unknown, under investigation

Vanguard

17/9/23 Jacksonville, rail tank car Florida, US

hydrochloric acid

Several hundred gallons of hydrochloric acid leaked from rail car; not clear how leak happened but fire crews managed to plug tank; acid vapour cloud prompted evacuation of nearby homes, shops; no injuries reported

News4 Jax

19/9/23 nr Fenton, road tanker Michigan, US

sulfuric acid

Some 3,500 gal (13,250 litres) sulfuric acid spilled after tank truck crashed, overturned on ramp to US23; nearby residents evacuated; road closed in both directions while wreck was recovered

MLive

20/9/23 Shorkot, road tanker gasoline Punjab, Pakistan

Speeding road tanker with 50 m3 gasoline overturned near railway station after brakes failed; fuel spilled to road; police cordoned off area; no indication of injuries or fire

Urdu Point

23/9/23 Ulhasnagar, road tanker ̶ Maharashtra, India

Road tanker exploded at Century Rayon plant while being inspected prior to loading chemical; four workers died; Century Rayon and tanker owner both charged with negligence as tanker was not fit for use

Times of India

25/9/23 Keene, road tanker asphalt New York, US

Tank truck with asphalt emulsion crashed on Route 73 in the Adirondacks, spilling some 3,500 gal (13,250 litres) asphalt and diesel fuel; some of the spill reached nearby stream but most was cleared up

Adirondack Reporter

29/9/23 Teutopolis, road tanker ammonia Illinois, US

Tank truck overturned on US 40 after swerving to avoid car; some 4,000 gal (15 m3) anhydrous ammonia spilled; five people died, seven others hospitalised after driving through ammonia cloud; nearby evacuations

ABC

1/10/23 Warri, road tanker fuel Delta, Nigeria

Road tanker overturned, spilled fuel, in poorly maintained section of Warri-Benin Highway; tanker exploded while locals were collecting fuel, killing five people (unofficial reports said more than 20)

This Day

5/10/23 Lenox township, road tanker fuel oil Pennsylvania, US

Fuel truck overturned after collision, causing major fuel spill; fire crews tapped into tank to pump remaining fuel cargo out of tanker; road closed for nine hours during response

Fox

5/10/23 Thomson, truck chemicals Georgia, US

Fire broke out in semi-truck after chemicals in trailer spilled; all lanes of I-20 closed during response; fire crews said spill was “very limited”; blocked traffic caused at least one accident

WRDW

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

Substance

perchloric acid

INCIDENT LOG 60

MARINE/INLAND WATERWAY INCIDENTS Date

Location

Vessel

Substance

Details

Source

27/8/23 off Kharg Island, pipeline crude oil Iran

Transmission line between port of Genaveh and Kharg Island ruptured, spilling unknown volume of crude oil to sea; divers, two response vessels despatched to help with cleanup

Reuters

31/8/23 Port Manatee, unknown crude oil Florida, US

Estimated spill of 3,500 gal (13,250 litres) of crude oil in Port Manatee basin, some reaching Tampa Bay; more than 19,000 gal oily water recovered; source of spill unknown; USCG investigating

Tampa Bay Times

3/9/23

VLCC Kallista was discharging to single buoy mooring at Thai Oil’s refinery when up to 80 tonnes oil leaked from pipeline; line isolated, booms deployed in accordance with response plan

Energy Voice

2/10/23 off Kea Island, Luna Maersk container Greece

Fire broke out in container aft of deckhouse in Aegean Sea; containership returned to Piraeus where box was discharged ashore, still burning; press reports speculated container had a used electric vehicle

Maritime Executive

2/10/23 Port Kaituma, boats fuel NWD, Guyana

Three people were reported injured after fuel boat exploded, fire spreading to two other boats, all of which were destroyed; press photos showed fire in boat carrying IBCs, presumably for local fuel distribution

Kaieteur News

7/10/23 Cebu, Philippines

Five crew of ro-ro were loading chlorine tanks onto deck prior to departure for Surigao when one tank fell, damaging valve and releasing chlorine; crew were rescued; passengers evacuated ferry

SunStar

Details

Source

Sriracha, SBM crude oil Chonburi, Thailand

Surigao chlorine del Norte

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS Date

Location

Plant type

Substance

26/8/23 Crevedia, Romania

filling LPG station

Two people killed, more than 50 injured by two explosions at LPG fuelling station in Bucharest suburb; site was operating illegally after losing permit in 2020; more than 3,000 people evacuated

RFE/RL

27/8/23 Duttapukur, W Bengal, India

fireworks firecrackers factory

At least eight people were killed by massive explosion at illegal factory making firecrackers; owner’s home was later ransacked by enraged locals; more than 50 nearby houses damaged; police investigating

PTI

30/8/23 Mahshahr, Iran

chemical PVC plant

No casualties reported in fire, explosion at Ghadir petrochemical plant; blast said to have happened due to a clogged tank with PVC

Reuters

Fire broke out at Ruchi oil depot, spreading to an area of 800 m2; videos showed large cloud of black smoke, some explosions; no casualties reported; cause under investigation

CNN

10/9/23 Decatur, corn mill ethanol Illinois, US

Several employees needed hospital treatment after explosion in processing complex at Archer-Daniels-Midland soybean crushing/ethanol plant, the largest in the US; operator investigating cause

Reuters

23/9/23 Seme Podji, fuel depot fuel Benin

At least 34 people were killed when fire erupted at illegal fuel depot handling fuel smuggled from Nigeria; another 20 people hospitalised with burns; cause of initial explosion not known

Vanguard

25/9/23 Bandar Abbas, oil refinery condensate Iran

Explosion at one of Iran’s largest refineries said to have been caused by ignition of leaking gas condensate; no official confirmation

Reuters

25/9/23 Stepanakert, fuel depot gasoline Azerbaijan

At least 20 killed, hundreds more injured by explosion at fuel depot set up to provide gasoline to ethnic Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh after its seizure by Azerbaijan; cause of explosion not known

BBC

2/10/23 Emohua, oil refinery crude oil Rivers, Nigeria

At least 15 killed at illegal oil refinery fed by crude from vandalised pipeline; locals said death toll was likely to increase; police confirmed incident but provide no other details

4/10/23 Bhiwani, Haryana, India

fireworks firecrackers factory

Two workers were killed by explosion during sorting of firecrackers; factory owner fled after blast; police investigating whether factory was properly licensed

PTI

4/10/23 Jessieville, pipeline natural gas Arkansas, US

Enable Gas pipeline ruptured, causing explosion and fire; blaze destroyed 2 acres of wood, caused minor damage to one home; one-mile evacuation zone imposed; no injuries reported

KATV

5/10/23 Cadereyta, oil refinery LPG Nuevo Léon, Mexico

Pemex reported leak of gas from spherical tank at Héctor R Lara Sosa Refinery; all personnel and contractors evacuated; plant’s technical personnel resolved situation without injury

Reforma

8/10/23 Jalalpur, factory chemicals Haryana, India

Three men were found dead, apparently drowned, in chemical tank at a blanket manufacturing factory; family members alleged the three had been murdered; police awaiting post-mortem results

The Tribune

9/10/23 Perth, WA, Australia

chemical chemicals warehouse

Fire broke out in warehouse at Chemsol Australia site in south of city; press images showed storage tank on fire; locals warned about potentially toxic smoke; air quality being monitored; no injuries reported

BNN

12/10/23 Derrimut, Vic, Australia

chemical chemicals plant

One killed, two injured by explosion in warehouse at chemical plant in western suburb of Melbourne; cause not clear but chemical reaction during blending suspected; nearby factories closed because of smoke

The Age

3/9/23

St Petersburg, fuel depot oil Russia

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NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BUGS BE GONE It is that time of the year when things outside the home like to get inside where it will be warmer over the winter (with the usual nod to our readers south of the equator). Keeping creepy crawlies out of the house is a major task in itself and it is perhaps no surprise that people occasionally resort to measures that are, in hindsight, a little overdone. For instance, we heard about an incident in Amarillo, Texas a few years ago, when a family had put a pesticide, said to be ‘Weevil-Cide’, underneath their house. It seemed that someone, concerned about the potential for the kids to come into contact with some of the pesticide that had spilled around the place, decided to wash it down. Unfortunately, adding water to Weevil-Cide, which contains aluminium phosphide, causes a reaction that releases phosphine gas. The incident came to light after the fire department was called to the house; they found all ten occupants showing symptoms of phosphine inhalation; one child died at the house and three more after being moved to hospital and their parents were in a serious condition. Responders said that the occupants had likely been breathing phosphine for two days. PULL THE OTHER ONE We have heard reports of incidents this that recorded above many times over the years, as well as incidents where children have been sickened by the release of noxious substances while at school. Just such an event took place in the Irving Park neighbourhood of Chicago last month, when seven kids had to be taken to hospital after someone discharged pepper

HCB MONTHLY | NOVEMBER 2023

spray in the lunch room. Reports said the spray was discharged ‘accidentally’ but we still remember days at school when someone had had enough for the day and was looking for a way to get home early. The one aspect of this story that intrigues us is that it happened in an elementary school; either Chicago’s children are getting wise to things at a younger age than we thought likely, or the stunt was pulled by a member of staff. In any case, readers will be glad to know that all those affected by the incident were offered counselling. THIS IS THE END Finally, this is probably the most bizarre story we have reported on the Back Page, which seems as suitable a place as any for an item about a funeral home. Authorities were alerted last month to a “foul odour” coming from the Return to Nature funeral home in Penrose, Colorado. Those authorities called in a specialist FBI team, more used to dealing with mass casualty events – and it was good that they were, since inside the building they found the remains of 189 decaying human bodies. Return to Nature offered green burials but, while the owners may have been adept at their task, they appear to have been less successful with their finances. Their licence to operate had expired at the end of 2022, tax bills had gone unpaid, creditors were lining up and the owner had been evicted from another property. He and his wife had disappeared. Green burials are legal in Colorado but any unburied bodies must be refrigerated after 24 hours – in this case, it seems the electricity bill had also gone unpaid.

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