HCB Magazine February 2020 by Enhesa Product

M O N T H LY F E B R U A R Y

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JOIN THE DOTS DIGITISATION PROVES ITS VALUE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN CHANGES TO THE ICAO RULES WHAT HAPPENED IN ULSAN CHEMICAL TANKERS IN DEMAND

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UP FRONT 01

EDITOR’S LETTER

Once upon a very long time ago, when I was but a nipper, I had

from end to end, even in deepsea transport. But there are

an uncle who worked for a transport company. I’m not sure

examples of digitised applications in the bulk storage sector,

I was old enough then to understand quite what he did there,

in IBC and tank container transport, and in port operations,

or when it became not a transport company but a distribution

all of which aim to make operations more efficient and

company. Some time later (I suspect around the same time

more effective.

that the Personnel Department became the Human Resources

As those digitised applications bed in, we are getting a

Department), it turned out he was now working for a logistics

clearer picture of where they can make a difference. One

company; he seemed to be doing the same job, only now he

obvious application lies in keeping track of unaccompanied

had a computer on his desk.

assets, be they tank containers, rail tank cars or IBCs.

This sort of ‘title inflation’ has become endemic across industry

Owners need to know where their containers are, ideally in

and in the military context: it is akin to ‘buffing up the CV’ – it all

real time or near-real time, so that they can get them back

comes down to trying to look a little more important than one

and into service again. Shippers also have an interest in

really is. In that respect, it is very different from the Newspeak

knowing when their goods arrive with the receiver, so that

– or ‘lying’ - that infects so much of political discourse these

they can raise an invoice. Digitised systems tied into ERP

days, although they both have common a will to mask what is

systems can do that automatically.

really going on. To some extent, then, I am not that surprised that there are

The other useful area of implementation is in applications where there is a lot of data available; digitisation allows that

still those of you who doubt the impact that the process of

data to be used in innovative ways. A prime example of this

digitising the supply chain could have – and is already having.

is in port communities, where there are a lot of players, each

Those ‘digitation deniers’ presumably feel that this is just

with large amounts of information about their own activities

another case of gussying up an existing practice – track-and-

and those of their business partners. Port authorities are

trace, say, or telematics – and making it sound shiny and

well placed to collect data and deliver useful information

new and exciting.

to all stakeholders.

But, as we discuss over several pages in this issue, the

But we are still in the initial phases of the Industrial Internet

implementation of digitised systems is having a significant

of Things and are only scratching the surface with such

and practical impact right across the dangerous goods supply

applications. What is really exciting (or threatening, depending

chain. Sure, to some extent these new systems offer better,

on your position) is not just new ways of doing old things, but

faster and more accurate tracking of consignments, as well

of doing new things.

as providing a facility to track unaccompanied shipments

Peter Mackay

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UP FRONT 03

CONTENTS VOLUME 41

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NUMBER 02

UP FRONT Letter from the Editor 30 Years Ago Learning by Training

01 04 05

A good year for Raben The FAME game Coalition for net-zero household fuels News bulletin – tanks and logistics

18 21 22

DG BY AIR DIGITISATION Port of call Qronoport reduces waiting time Sharing is caring Nexxiot promotes standardisation Producing solutions Packwise follows the IBC Rail platform VTG expands data offering Supply chain united Implico and Brainum join forces

06 08 10 12 14

TANKS & LOGISTICS Cooling off Bertschi looks further afield Planning pays off

Keep an ion this AmSafe offers battery protection Best served chilled CSafe opens Incheon cold chain hub CHEMICAL TANKERS Take a breather Chemship owners wait and see Backing up Stolt finds 2018 a tricky year Less than zero Ammonia offers carbon-free fuel News bulletin – tanker shipping

Training courses Conference diary

REGULATIONS Way to go Joint Meeting addresses UN changes More than batteries Lots on ICAO DGP’s plate

46 48

24 27

28 30 33 34

COURSES & CONFERENCES 17

SAFETY Incident Log Uninhibited hazards What happened to Stolt Groenland The future of hazards Looking forward to Hazardex News bulletin – safety

36 41

BACK PAGE Not otherwise specified

NEXT MONTH Road tanker manufacturing Chemical tanker fleets Middle East chemical distribution Storage terminal equipment

Editor–in–Chief Peter Mackay Email: peter.mackay@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 7769 685 085

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HCB Monthly is published by Cargo Media 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.

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30 YEARS AGO A LOOK BACK AT FEBRUARY 1990

The February 1990 issue of HCB kicked off with comments from editor Mike Corkhill, fresh back from the MariChem 89 conference in Amsterdam, where delegates had debated the environmental challenges facing the industry. As he said, reflecting on a long day’s discussion: The realisation swept over everyone that, irrespective of all the fine effort over the last 20 years, solving the problem of ensuring the safe transport of chemicals by sea has only just begun. At the time, he was thinking primarily of Marpol Annex II (covering liquid chemicals carried in bulk), which had been implemented in 1987, and the imminent arrival of Annex III, covering packaged chemicals, which was due to be ratified by the US with implementation scheduled for 12 months later. He predicted that implementation and enforcement of Marpol Annex III would be a struggle, given the large number of disparate players in the supply chain. And, he observed, “Misdeclared and undeclared shipments are endemic in the packaged goods sector.” It would certainly prove a severe test for Bill O’Neil, who had taken up the role of secretary-general of IMO at the start of the year. And if Mike thought the previous 20 years had failed to solve the issue, the lessons of the

There was plenty of coverage too of the tank container sector, still very much in its infancy, which had then only recently come together in a trade organisation, the International Tank Container Association (ITCA). Growth of the business also meant that it was taking a greater presence at the MariChem show, which initially concentrated on seagoing tankers, with three of the nine sessions at the December 1989 event taken up by discussions of tank containers. We noted at the time that, while intermodal bulk transport had taken a significant slice of chemical business in Europe, the same could not be said of North America. European lessors and operators were, though, making efforts to get the concept accepted in the US and they had been joined more recently by a number of domestic tank truck operators, two steamship lines and a major railroad. There was, though, still a shortage of suitable cleaning and repair depots and the tank container had to battle against a highly competitive and deregulated tank truck sector, as well as ingrained business habits. Those impediments are still evident in some of the current emerging markets for tank containers, particularly in Asia.

subsequent 30 years show that little progress has been made, despite the best and ongoing efforts of many stakeholders involved. The February 1990 issue continued with two lengthy reports from ‘HJK’ on the recent sessions of the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and the Joint Meeting of the RID/ ADR experts, which covered a huge range of topics, many of which still feature regularly on those bodies’ agendas.

Another concept still making headway in the industry was the intermediate bulk container (IBC). The recently formed Rigid Intermediate Bulk Container Association (RIBCA) had been in discussions with the US Department of Transportation about regulatory specifications, which, it was hoped, would remove the need for DOT to issue exemptions. At a time when the US was adopting UN specifications for all types of packaging, this would be no easy task.

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UP FRONT

LEARNING BY TRAINING By Arend van Campen

GOVERNANCE BY INFORMATION President Trump’s approval of the killing of Iranian General Soleimani in Iraq enraged many people, but also pleased some. It started the New Year 2020 in an awkward fashion, because yet again uncertainty was felt everywhere. Would there be another war? What would be the response of the Iranians? Also, the Iraqi Militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was murdered. You may ask: what this has to do with our business in the storage and transport of hazardous cargoes? The answer to that is: everything. Destabilisation anywhere due to armed conflict impacts business. If war between the US and Iran were to break out, shipping to or from the Middle East would become jeopardised, whilst the storage or distribution of liquid bulks would become risky. As a columnist I’ll remain neutral, but the fact is that murder must not be forgiven, even if it is politically motivated. The world as we see it in this new decennium looks terrifyingly uncertain, which in fact it is. Watch the news, read the papers? What you and I can observe is disorder, also known as entropy, which I have written about earlier. I also proposed scientifically sound solutions to end disorder and create and maintain order, but politicians don’t or won’t listen to those. They plan goals, but they cannot be reached because they try to defy laws of physics. Yes, it has come to this fact. Let me try to explain: Professor of Physics Jim Al Khallili, who happens to have been born in Baghdad, confirms that universal energy and information obey the same laws of physics. He says that information, which is in fact energy, is used by the universe, nature and our planet to create order and structure. Information reduces uncertainty and disorder.

So, there you have it. Nature employs information to diminish entropy to build structure by feedback through which it constantly learns and adapts. This is the foundation of evolution. Nature had been building life by trial and error, through learning and information, but ended up with a species that may now destroy itself. Isn’t that ironic? Jim says - and I can agree because as a systems scientist I have done the research - that the universe is expanding and will be until it is time to shrink back into that one atom it apparently originated from. What we now should do, is to stop and think. The universe has created the foundation for life. Our lives depend on millions of precise and unique conditions that were somehow formed by - you probably guessed it – information, which is the energy used by the universe. This is a major breakthrough because it scientifically confirms the issues I have been writing about since I have started this column. Neither President Trump nor the Iranians will use all information because their pre-set goals have been determined long ago and depend on the negation of information. But what they don’t realise is that these goals will therefore be unattainable and cause more entropy. So buckle up your seatbelts, because this is going to be a rough ride for us all. This is the latest in a series of articles by Arend van Campen, founder of TankTerminalTraining. More information on the company’s activities can be found at www.tankterminaltraining.com. Those interested in responding personally can contact him directly at arendvc@tankterminaltraining.com.

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DIGITISATION

PORT OF CALL PORTS • THERE IS A LOT OF WASTE WHEN ANY VESSEL MAKES A PORT CALL BUT DIGITAL SOLUTIONS STAND READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. PORT+ HAS DEVELOPED QRONOPORT TO DO JUST THAT FOR MORE THAN 100 years Port+ has been active in signalling the arrival of ships by telegraphy to partner businesses serving ships and terminals in the port communities of Belgium and Zeeland and, even though 2020 is vastly different to 1905, the core principle has widely stayed the same. Port+ has now developed a 21st century solution to a logistical problem that has been causing headaches for generations: Qronoport. “One of our core businesses has always been vessel reporting,” says Nicolas Maes, business development manager at Port+. “In this service, we provide insights on vessel arrivals and departures to the port community. Our information enables them to optimise planning of their activities and allows them to be at their vessels at the right place and the right time. This service evolved from very

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traditional visual spotting of the vessel to a much more advanced service through radar technology and algorithms. We are now able to predict vessel arrivals with very high accuracy through data analysis.” Qronoport is a shared, collaborative platform that endeavours to make a port call more efficient by combining data from various sources. The platform works by analysing open data sources, previous data collected by Port+, machine learning algorithms and data directly from participating companies to provide stakeholders with a highly accurate overview of the many different activities taking place when a vessel is in port. To ensure users have the best experience possible there are a range of features built into Qronoport, many of which are customisable. There is a fully automated

process smart engine with a chat feature to allow easy communication between stakeholders at all times in the process. The map is customisable to show vessels with relevant overlays and the overall user dashboard can be configured to users’ preferred settings. The information hub combines data from multiple stakeholders in the process, which can then be displayed in a Gantt chart to easily spot any conflicts and waste. RACING FOR SUCCESS Qronoport uses the example of Formula One pit stops to highlight how drastically important communication, process optimisation and access to data truly are in the context of ports and vessels. During a Formula One pit stop, just as when a vessel enters a port, various stakeholders must each perform their own activity on a vessel, often in a specific sequence. “At Port+, we like comparing a port call and port stay of a vessel to a Formula One pit stop,” says Maes. “In Formula One they say races are won in the pits; In shipping, we say races are won in the port.” The speed at which pit stops have improved since the 1950s is also a good representation of the recent increase in port efficiency. Back in 1950 the record for the fastest pit stop was 65 seconds. In July 2019 a new record was set

at 1.91 seconds, which was then cut to 1.82 seconds by the end of the year. Thanks to the advent of modern machinery and improved logistics, the time a ship spends in port for its ‘pit stop’ is a fraction of the time it used to be in 2020 when compared to 1950 and is comparable to the improvements shown in Formula One. Of course, each and every ship is different, with certain specialisations and delicate cargoes taking far more time to load and unload when compared to other vessels, which highlights just how essential it is to determine where vessels will be and what equipment will be necessary. There is a great need for improved efficiency and being able to accurately plan and organise the rotation of ships on a global scale. In 2018 Houston received 4,750 liquid bulk vessels, Antwerp received 5,500 and Singapore received 24,165 – being able to predict where the ships are needed and how long they will be in port is pivotal to improving the volumes of cargo being imported and exported. When taking into account the wide variety and combination of vessels and cargoes entering and leaving these ports throughout the year, it is clear to see how forward planning to the most minute detail can improve logistics drastically. BOUNTIFUL BENEFITS Being able to accurately monitor planned and completed activities leads to a decrease in waste and duplication and an increase in the efficiency of planning and executing operations. One of the biggest benefits of Qronoport is a decrease in turnaround times for vessels in port, leading to a saving in costs for a multitude of parties. There are three major benefits of the Qronoport system, Port+ says: •Increasing predictability of port calls and port operations through access to real-time and historical data •Improved planning leading to efficiency

by having all information centralised •Reduced waste and idle times meaning an avoidance of demurrage, waiting times or scheduling conflicts. According to Port+, “25 per cent of the time a liquid bulk vessel spends at berth is waste”. This wasted time is recorded as the duration spent with no operational activities taking place. Port+ calculates that, for port calls in the Port of Antwerp alone, the potential wet time charter savings can be as much as €23.3m per year. If efficiency and pre-planning can be optimised, the financial savings from demurrage would be a multiple of the potential wet time charter savings. On top of that, increased port call predictability due to increased visibility reduces the need for relying on buffers between shipments, port calls and berth calls. Qronoport combines operational and planning data from stakeholders directly involved in the process to give users a highly accurate overview of the different activities taking place on their vessels, thus providing increased predictability and a reduction in waste. TEAM EFFORTS It is not just vessel operators and cargo owners that will benefit from the efficiency provided by Qronoport. Within the maritime

chain, lock planning, pilots and tugboats will benefit, as will sectors within the port community such as terminals, shipping agents, surveyors and barge operators. Being able to prepare each portion of the process involved at a port will save time and costs for each participant. Port+ calculates that in 2018, on average, each vessel provided three estimated times of departure (ETD), the average delay for liquid vessels due to the unpredictability of ETDs was 9.6 hours, the total waiting time for 2018 was 73,900 hours with 25,850 of those hours specifically due to occupied berths, and more than one-third of all vessels experienced a delay because of occupied berths. Ultimately, Port+ states, the average wet time charter cost of a vessel calling at the Port of Antwerp is €43,670.50, based on May 2019 rates. The costs incurred along the chain for these delays can easily be avoided with communication and planning. Maes explains: “The Qronoport platform has been live for a couple of months now, servicing liquid bulk vessels in the port of Antwerp. Consistent waste reductions of up to 20 per cent (45 minutes to one hour) per port call have already been achieved.” portplus.be qronoport.com

 THE INFORMATION COLLECTED AND PRESENTED BY QRONOPORT CAN BE OF IMMENSE USE TO ALL TYPES OF STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE SERVICING AND HANDLING OF SHIPS DURING PORT CALLS

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DIGITISATION 09

SHARING IS CARING

Nexxiot, a specialist in the digitisation of supply chains, became a full member of the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) in October 2019 and is aiming to help instigate industry-wide standardisation for digitised solutions. Since joining ITCO, Nexxiot has launched working groups aimed at collaborating closely with tank container operators to radically improve the industry. Furthermore, Nexxiot announced it will be responsible for the digitisation of roughly 9,000 tank

participants who would be interested in joining this work group to create these standards. We were previously a member of this kind of group in the rail sector where it also started to develop a focus on standardisation. We made good results in this work group and agreed on different standards that we believed would not only be important for the rail sector, but also for the tank container sector.” JOIN THE CLUB There is no doubt that the rapid progress being

“ITCO is the most important group for the tank container business and we are very specialised in this segment,” says Thiemann. “We think that we could both benefit through cooperation, which is why we asked for membership. I see our role as a support for the tank container industry - to support them with the opportunities available with different kinds of digitisation and what kind of possibilities are available with the data being generated.” Thiemann continues: “Digitisation is not only industry’s current buzz-word, but it will also be the basis for business in the future. For this, we have launched a working group inside ITCO for standardisation. When we spoke to our customers, it was clear there was confusion surrounding what device or what kind of system would be the best for them. We often got requests concerning different devices, sensors and platforms and, since we believe that an open system could be

containers in long-time collaborator VTG’s tank fleet. “It was our idea to start such a working group,” says Tim Thiemann, segment head tank containers at Nexxiot. “It happened during the recent ITCO event [in Amsterdam in October 2019] and we asked the other

made with digital solutions has been incredible. It has flooded the industry and has become the driving force of future developments, yet selecting the correct product can often be technical and confusing, which is why Nexxiot aims to work with ITCO members to home in on what users desire and require.

a big benefit for all and we want to avoid developing an ‘Apple’ world [where one system is incompatible with the others], we launched this work group together with other companies, operators and lessors in ITCO – to go forward with standardisation in this special topic.”

TRANSPARENCY • STANDARDISATION IN THE DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING MATTERS, ACCORDING TO NEXXIOT. EFFORTS ARE NOW UNDER WAY TO FIND A SOLUTION

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SEEING CLEARLY Thiemann believes that the biggest change in recent years – thanks to the growth of digitisation and inter-operator communication – has been transparency between businesses. This has opened the doors to a seismic shift in the way business is conducted and has changed how potential collaborators view working with each other. “Regarding transparency, in the last couple of years the data sharing methods between different companies have changed. Everyone wanted to keep their data secret, but there has been a change of mind across the whole industry to fulfil the goals of sustainability. Better cooperation has to be the target for the next few years and transparency is very important to this. It won’t be 100 per cent transparent, but it will be much more than what has been available the last few years.” However, there are some issues that need addressing. Most notable is the problem of

agreeing on standardisation between different digital solution providers. It is great to have the ability to monitor a dozen different factors of a shipment through the use of sensors and predictive technologies, but if the different solutions are not able to communicate with each other through a common language and practical platform, it will not be utilised by potential users. Thiemann explains: “I think the biggest hurdle will be to find a common ground in standardisation, not only within members of ITCO, but with other digitisation companies also.” In-depth discussions with Container Owners Association (COA), where Nexxiot is also working on standardisation, to form a universal system of standards for hazardous and non-hazardous goods are currently underway and the results of the working group are due to be released in the next few weeks. www.nexxiot.com

 NEXXIOT’S TIM THIEMANN SAYS INCREASED TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN BUSINESSES IS CHANGING HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER

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DIGITISATION 11

PRODUCING SOLUTIONS

to 8 m; new software features have been developed and amended accordingly and, perhaps most importantly, product market fit has been confirmed.

TRACKING • MONITORING SHIPMENTS AND COLLECTING DATA WILL BECOME EVEN EASIER AS INNOVATOR PACKWISE TEAMS WITH DIEHL FOR PRODUCTION ON A LARGE SCALE IN NOVEMBER 2019 digital start-up Packwise signed a contract with Diehl Connectivity Solutions (DCS) to put the Packwise Smart Cap into series production. Readers of HCB may remember the introduction to Packwise’s plug-and-play Internet of Things (IoT) device, Smart Cap, last year (HCB October 2019, page 97) and how the pilot testing of the new device is already showing good results. From April 2020, the first set of Smart Caps will be coming off the production line and being shipped to businesses. Being able to accurately keep track of thousands of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and other packagings is essential if operators are to reduce waste, improve efficiency and provide the highest level of service to customers. Applying the Smart

Cap technology, containers can be easily connected to a network that follows every movement and can keep track of the level of product inside each container. The open software solution visualises and automates processes for various applications in the supply chain. It warns of deviations from parameters and provides recommendations for action should the situation arise. “We know the industry and want to use our innovations to solve current problems and create new opportunities for our customers,” says Packwise managing director Gesche Weger. As Smart Cap leaves the prototype stage and enters full production, the results of various trials have shown highly accurate measurements across all mediums, and success in accurate filling level measurements in silo tanks up

MAKING FRIENDS The innovative creation and far-reaching benefits of the Smart Cap technology were noticed quickly by DCS, which offered to take the product from prototype to reality. DCS is a system integrator for the Industrial IoT and belongs to the Diehl Group, headquartered in Nürnberg, Germany. As a partner for digital business models, DCS industrialises an integrated IoT infrastructure from sensor to cloud for its customers on an international scale. “Together with Packwise, we are developing a pioneering digital business model in logistics that combines ecological management with tangible cost advantages,” says Horst Leonberger, managing director of DCS. Joining with DCS provided Packwise with a great portfolio of expertise to consult, leading to further developments with the Smart Cap. The main feature to have been added since its inception is the ability to accurately monitor filling levels through a range of containers, including double-walled containers. This means pay-per-use or payment according to actual consumption is now possible.

“We are pleased to now have DCS as a partner on our side at eye level for the industrialisation of the Packwise Smart Cap,” says Gesche. “This is readily scalable. We can easily produce several hundred thousand units per year if necessary,” adds Felix Weger, product development at Packwise. TRIED AND TESTED There have been a number of pilot studies in recent months involving the Smart Cap by several different members of the chemical industry that are using different types of container and seeking to achieve different goals. • Company A, a user of combination IBCs, wanted to increase its level of customer service. Using the Smart Cap led to improvements in restock times, created a new touchpoint with the customer and provided a higher level of data for the customer • Company B, a user of a range of full plastic IBCs, aimed to improve turnaround time and utilisation but also experienced improvements preventing theft and loss of the IBCs • Company C, a user of steel IBCs, improved risk management with the Smart Cap by tracking shelf lives and temperatures, as well as being able to monitor unauthorised refilling and contamination. “We haven’t found any product we can’t measure – from liquid PVC, acids, mineral oils and more,” says Felix Weger. “We can track everything we have encountered and have tested across many sectors of the industry with large chemical distributors.” There have been many other examples of businesses using Smart Cap to enhance a wide set of factors in the supply chain, from locating containers across borders to ensuring empty container pickups are arranged as efficiently as possible. One of the concerns with digital sensors is longevity. Based on a daily transmission

 BRINGING TOGETHER THE EXPERTISE OF TWO COMPANIES WILL HELP ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF THE SMART CAP AND ITS RELATED TECHNOLOGY

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT

our customers?’ Our data are very interesting, but standalone they are not as valuable as they could be when enriched with the data stored in an ERP system. We can use the Smart Cap as a catalyst for existing data to create more insights.” Packwise has designed its software to be as useful as possible for any form of existing software that may be installed by a diverse range of businesses. In the Packwise web application, Packwise Flow, customers can visualise container data, analyse KPIs via a customised dashboard and create calls for action. DCS is a trusted partner for Packwise for secure data transmission with end-to-end encryption. “We are service providers and bring data securely, standardised and wirelessly into the IT systems of customers like Packwise, where they are analysed and evaluated in the customer’s jurisdiction.” adds Nikolaus Haas, director sales and customer solutions at DCS. For readers wanting to experience the Smart Cap first hand and receive a more

Looking forward to the rest of 2020 and beyond the initial production of the Smart Cap, Felix Weger explains: “We are aiming to find as many uses [for Smart Cap] as possible and become as visual and loud as possible to show people our solution. Now, it’s about ‘how deep can we integrate into the ERP systems of

in-depth understanding of the range of possibilities available, Packwise will be presenting the concept at this year’s LogiMat show in Stuttgart, Germany on 10 to 12 March; visitors can find them in Hall 7, Stand C16. packwise.de

“WE CAN TRACK EVERYTHING WE HAVE ENCOUNTERTED AND HAVE TESTED ACROSS MANY SECTORS OF THE INDUSTRY”

interval, Packwise is able to guarantee a battery life of five years for the Smart Cap. Additionally, should the container being monitored become damaged or need to be taken out of service, the Smart Cap can be easily removed and attached to a new container allowing for multiple reuse.

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DIGITISATION 13

RAIL PLATFORM DATA • RAIL SPECIALIST VTG HAS UPPED THE ANTE FOR DIGITISED RAIL LOGISTICS BY PROVIDING AN EXPANDING RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES FOR CUSTOMERS THROUGH ITS NEW PLATFORM, TRAIGO

VTG HAS BEEN at the forefront of digitisation in the rail sector since the launch of VTG Connect in 2016. But digital technology changes fast and in the coming months VTG will roll out its latest digital platform, traigo. VTG Connect included functions such as wagon tracking, information on transport incidents and load statuses, features that will be included in traigo alongside many more. Dr Heiko Fischer, chairman of the executive board of VTG, explains: “With traigo, we are creating a digital infrastructure for rail freight transportation and, on this basis, offering a service that is unique in the industry; traigo will become our customers’ central interface for digital fleet management in the future. For us as a company, traigo represents a

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systematic continuation of the digitalisation path that we have been pursuing for several years. We are convinced that rail freight transportation can only be a competitive option in the long term if we exploit the potential of digitalisation to make the entire rail system more transparent, more efficient and easier for the customer.” NEW APPLICATIONS In its initial form, traigo users will be able to access a host of digital solutions, such as contract data and information about the wagons they have hired in real time, but there will be far more added to the platform in due course. One such addition will be a digital correspondent for the complete analogue service portfolio, which includes the online booking of wagons and a fully digital maintenance management. There will also be the inclusion of completely new services such as forecast arrival times for rail freight consignments, wagon tracking, information on transport incidents and load status. The forecast arrivals feature will be based on the analysis of millions of actual, anonymised wagon movements. “There’s never been anything like this in the rail industry before,” says Sven Wellbrock,

who is responsible for wagon hire and rail logistics in Europe on the VTG executive board. “We map our entire hire business digitally and will also be able to offer completely new services in future based on digital data and smart models. This will make rail freight transport significantly more attractive.” VTG says traigo will provide a whole new system of collaboration where third parties can offer digital products to their customers via traigo. “The name ‘traigo’ doesn’t just make you think of the words ‘train’ and ‘go’, thus playing on how dynamic logistics is,” says Dr Niko Davids, VTG’s chief digital officer. “Moreover, ‘traigo’ is the Spanish for ‘I carry’ – and this is precisely what we want people to associate with the new platform. It brings a whole range of useful services with it as well as, of course, the experience we have amassed. We do know, though, that one player alone can’t change a complex system such as ours by themselves.” The full release of traigo is planned for the second quarter of 2020. Interested customers have the opportunity for a sneak preview to test the platform and all currently available functions with their own data free of charge. The feedback from this test phase will feed into the platform’s continued development. Customers wanting to find out more can contact a representative by e-mailing servicedesk@traigo.com. www.vtg.com

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DIGITISATION

SUPPLY CHAIN UNITED TERMINALS • IMPLICO AND BRAINUM HAVE JOINED FORCES AND POOLED THEIR EXPERTISE TO BECOME LEADERS IN THE REIMAGINATION OF THE OIL AND GAS DOWNSTREAM SUPPLY CHAIN IN NOVEMBER 2019, after several meetings, Implico acquired Brainum, marking a substantial step in its global growth strategy. “We excel in the same field of business – tank storage automation – and we have a similar mindset as well as a common vision,” says Tim Hoffmeister, CEO of Implico, about Brainum. “Yet, we merit in different areas. During our initial talks, we quickly learned that we would complement each other very well.” The fusion of Implico and Brainum brings together two of the tank storage industry’s most advanced innovation programmes, especially in the future-facing areas of cloud computing and

 BRAINUM’S MARTIN KEULEMANS (ABOVE) AND IMPLICO’S TIM HOFFMEISTER (TOP) ARE UNITING TO CONNECT THE DOWNSTREAM SECTOR

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digitisation. With OpenTAS TMS and QINO, the companies have two powerful terminal management and automation systems available. In the future, they will make sure that upcoming innovations will become part of both solutions. The means to realise this is the cloud. If new features run on the cloud, these features can be accessed and integrated via APIs. That way, Implico and Brainum only need to develop them once, while ensuring that all of their customers will benefit from them. BETTER TOGETHER In addition to placing new features directly in the cloud, Implico and Brainum will also carry over existing functionalities from one technology to the other. “The fusion brings great benefits to all parties involved,” summarises Martin Keulemans, managing director of Brainum. “Implico and Brainum are both thought leaders in their fields of expertise. Yet we can still learn from each other, bringing our product development to the next level together. With shared know-how and combined efforts, we will further strengthen our position in the market and render our solutions even more capable. The result: elevated service quality and increased business benefits for our customers and ourselves.” Looking forward, Implico and Brainum will strive to realise a connected downstream supply chain, a technological and economic innovation that, they say, will disrupt the industry. The idea behind it is to link all trading partners in mid- and downstream sectors via a cross-company architecture of shared cloud solutions and easy-to-use web services. This will be available to

storage terminals, refineries, service stations, hauliers, IT providers, authorities and many other stakeholders. The target environment is digital, dynamic and decentralised. It will give oil and gas companies the required agility and flexibility to make the most of the market’s swiftness and unpredictability. After all, oil and gas professionals are now seeing new technologies emerge or company structures alter on an almost daily basis. To gain and keep a competitive edge in such a fast-moving market, businesses must be first movers rather than followers. If an opportunity arises, a business has to grab it while it is still hot. Using the concepts offered by Implico and Brainum, companies will be able to profit enormously from an infrastructure that enables the adoption of innovations directly, without the need to go through long implementation cycles. The same is valid for mergers and acquisitions. Day by day, corporate bodies and organisations change because of fusions, transfers and takeovers. If the partnering entities manage business processes via cloud solutions and web services, they can unite their operations swiftly and smoothly.

On the one hand, its cloud solutions and web services are quick to install and easy to use; they provide immediate value without long roll-out phases or extensive training programmes. On the other hand, they are also flexible, scalable and open to connect with all leading software and hardware on the market. This saves oil and gas companies the hassle of overhauling their systems again and again, just to make sure that they can use certain offers, functions or services. For the Supply Chain United to take off, however, it will not be enough for just a couple of individual locations to be connected to the described architecture. Rather, it wil be necessary to roll out the tapestry of cloud solutions and web services broadly and to make these solutions and services the agreed standards for the work steps they cover. An example borrowed from a differing industry is the online check-in that airlines offer their customers. Today, it is almost

unthinkable for passengers to queue for hours at an overcrowded airline counter to check in and get their seats assigned. Instead, they handle all pre-requisite steps at home via their PC or smartphone. When they are done, they give their contact data to the airline. That way the airline can reach them in case of unforeseen issues or deviations from the plan. This procedure is so convenient, reliable and efficient that air passengers would not want to do without it any more. If an airline refuses to adopt it, then customers would most likely not book their flight with them. ADVANCING TOGETHER In the tank storage sector, Implico and Brainum expect a similar course of events. “A number of innovative companies will pave the way,” explains Hoffmeister. “Their success will inspire others to join in.” These other companies will either use existing web services at their locations or will

create new ones and link them to the connected supply chain. This is an important point. While Implico and Brainum are attempting to play a driving role in the evolution of the downstream value chain, they will not be the sole architects of this innovation. “Being open is a vital criterion of the ‘Supply Chain United’,” says Keulemans. “To create an industry-wide infrastructure, the used solutions must to be open to connect with a great number of other soft- and hardware. And the companies taking part must be open to collaborate closely with each other.” Shared cloud solutions and easy-to-use web services sit at the core of this development. Providing maximum flexibility and connectivity, these technologies mark the heartbeat of a decentralised, digitised and cross-linked downstream future. A future that has already begun. www.implico.com www.brainum.eu

BUILDING ‘SUPPLY CHAIN UNITED’ Constant development in the oil and gas industry calls for an adaptive IT landscape that can align with rapid changes in a timely and economic manner. The ‘Supply Chain United’ – brought forward by Implico and Brainum – is such an adaptive IT landscape.

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TANKS & LOGISTICS 17

customers benefit from visibility and more planning security in their delivery chains.” By the end of the year, Bertschi had been able to implement this transparency tool in 95 per cent of all European transports.

SWITZERLAND-BASED INTERMODAL operator Bertschi has reported 2019 revenues of SFr 985m (€917m), a 1.3 per cent increase over 2018’s results. The results were impacted somewhat by the strength of the Swiss franc: in local currency terms revenues improved by 3.6 per cent. Indeed, international operations were the primary drivers for growth, with Bertchi noting that its European business was “increasingly tepid”, particularly after the middle of the year, with what it calls “significant headwinds” in Germany in particular. However, the company notes, “In spite of the difficult economic environment, timely and resolute cost management enabled

One focus for Bertschi has been the implementation of complex supply chain solutions, allowing it to offer comprehensive concepts encompassing order management, transport, storage, product handling and goods distribution. Such concepts are also increasingly used in global logistics chains. “In-house hubs, such as the logistics centre in Singapore, play an important role in the storage, filling and distribution of liquid chemical products in south-east Asia,” Bertschi adds. Another major element of its work during 2019 was the roll-out of the Bertschi TruckTracer app. “Our drivers and all company partners receive their order data

DIGITISATION AND SUSTAINABILITY Looking ahead to 2020, group CEO Jan Arnet is cautious: “Last year we saw a notable and steady cooling-off of the economy, and in Europe in particular important industry sectors have slid into recession. We expect this trend to continue in 2020, with corresponding effects on transport demand. I expect that our global orientation will allow us to offset regional sales declines to some extent. But we will continue to have a strong focus on cost developments in 2020 as well.” In this challenging environment, the ongoing digitalisation strategy will continue. The objective of the digital transformation is to enable efficiency gains in business processes while simultaneously generating added value for customers. One component of this is the SmartTainer project, which will go into an initial implementation phase in 2020 following pilot testing last year. GPS and sensor technology in about 1,600 tank containers will enable parameters such as the position of the container and the temperature of the loaded product, to be recorded and monitored in real time. This will enable the company to set new standards in terms of customer service, safety and efficiency, particularly in intermodal transport chains. Bertschi is also focusing strongly on sustainability. In Europe it conducts 90 per cent of all overland transport by intermodal rail and will continue to expand this service in 2020. Sustainable concepts are also

Bertschi to maintain earnings just about consistent with the previous year’s figures.”

through the app and then record every step of the transport chain on it,” says Michael Bächler, group CEO. “This data flows into the group’s transport planning system and from there on to customers through various interfaces. This real-time data is used to optimise internal transport planning, while

being implemented in other areas, such as the development of completely recyclable transport aids for loose plastics (GreenLiner) and the campaign to replace non-recyclable flexibags and barrels with tank containers in the transport of liquid chemical products. www.bertschi.com

COOLING OFF RESULTS • ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN IN EUROPE IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2019 HAS IMPACTED BERTSCHI’S EARNINGS BUT IT IS STILL FINDING GROWTH ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD

 BERTSCHI’S TRUCKTRACER APP IS ALREADY DELIVERING BENEFITS IN TRANSPORT PLANNING

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18 TANKS & LOGISTICS

PLANNING PAYS OFF REVIEW • 2019 WAS A TOUGH YEAR FOR MANY LOGISTICS OPERATORS, BUT AS THEY TAKE TIME TO REFLECT, THERE ARE SIGNS OF GROWTH AND RECOVERY IN EUROPE, AS RABEN GROUP EXEMPLIFIES IT MAY WELL be the case that 2019 will go down in industry history as a year of uncertainty and challenging trade environments, but it still had its successes. Raben is certainly one business entering 2020 smiling after a strong – albeit turbulent – previous 12 months. The main headline is that Raben generated €1.25bn of revenues during 2019, an 8 per cent increase on the previous year, but there was much more to celebrate than just numbers. Throughout the year Raben developed its European logistics network, expanded its connections with Germany, completed a two-and-a-half-year long expansion project and received several awards. This was complemented by the completion of the expansion project in Eisenach, Germany, which received modern warehouses, a

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workshop with a truck wash and new offices. As a result of the €6.5m investment, Raben now has 40 per cent more warehouse capacity in Eisenach, comprising four logistics warehouses, two cross-dock warehouses and 74 loading docks. Throughout 2019 there was also the development of many new direct lines from Raben Group countries to Germany. Connections to Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Baltic States, Ukraine and the east grew dynamically throughout the year and are set to further regional growth across 2020. The addition of Bulgaria as a market in November 2019 means Raben now operates in 13 markets across Europe with a network of 150 depots. Two-thirds of Raben’s European logistics operations now consist of road transport services; contract logistics accounts for 13 per cent, full truckload (FTL) for 8 per cent, fresh logistics for 8 per cent, and lead logistics provider services for 4 per cent, with the remaining 1 per cent representing sea and airfreight activities. FUTURE AIMS Ewald Raben, Raben Group CEO, explains how the company has been working to

provide quality and solutions for partners: “We have many long-term customers. Their business has been changing over the years and we are adapting to them. We are partners and together we solve problems which emerge. We also grow together. This constant development is inscribed in the DNA of our company. “We are adding more and more locations and new countries to our European network,” Ewald Raben continues.. “Last year Bulgaria joined our family, we are also expanding our business in Germany and Italy. We already have many good domestic distribution networks, and the domestic network is like a human being. It’s the backbone which can support the whole body. This means we can run international business; we can offer sea freight, air freight and contract logistics. If there is no backbone of domestic distribution network in the country, we perceive it as a bad set-up.” Additionally, Raben is aiming to standardise its cross-docks across Europe to enable the collection of goods from any location, provide deconsolidation of shipments and further redistribution as customers need it. The goal is for all cross-docks to have the same set-up, the same processes and IT systems. As Raben states: “For us and our customers, standardisation means optimisation and the highest quality of provided services”. www.raben-group.com

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TANKS & LOGISTICS 21

THE FAME GAME BIOFUELS • A SHIFT TO LOW-CARBON AND NET-ZERO FUELS IN HOUSEHOLD APPLICATIONS WILL REQUIRE GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT AS WELL AS THE COLLABORATION OF INDUSTRY THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION industry is one of many petroleum and petrochemical sectors currently facing up to the inevitability of the

nearly 2.2m homes across the two countries. The strategy pathway outlines five key challenges for the governments of the UK and

energy transition over the next few decades. One niche aspect of this will be the need to shift home heating fuels away from carbonintensive heating oil to more environmentally friendly alternatives, probably starting with biofuels. In order to help prepare for this lowercarbon future, three trade associations in the UK and Ireland have launched the ‘Supply Chain Strategy for Liquid Fuels’, which details the steps to be taken toward a transition to 100 per cent biofuel to replace heating oil in

Ireland if they are to achieve the necessary reduction in carbon emissions in the home heating sector: - To encourage and support energy efficiency measures to improve the energy performance of buildings, to reduce energy demand and the costs for housholds - To support supply chain preparations to accept a 30 per cent FAME/70 per cent kerosene blend fuel into existing installations by 2027, including an energy-led field trial - To support supply chain preparations to accept a low-carbon (zero fossil fuel) liquid fuel by 2035, following a full evaluation of the boiler and tank fleet - To be actively involved in transitional

 INDUSTRY BELIEVES THAT CARBON TARGETS CAN BE MET USING THE EXISTING FUEL SUPPLY CHAIN

communications with consumers - To encourage all interested suppliers, both in the UK/Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, to evaluate all new low-carbon fuels and technologies, including gas-to-liquids, hydrogenated vegetable oil, e-fuels and biowaste products, which will complement and/or replace the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) solution. POWER OF THREE “Our ‘Supply Chain Strategy for Liquid Fuels’ is a clarion call to government to respond to the huge environmental challenges we face with practical and inspiring policies that could help the 2.2m oil heated homes in the UK and Ireland switch to a low carbon liquid fuel,” says Paul Rose, chief executive of OFTEC, which represents the liquid fuelled heating and cooking industry. “Following detailed independent research that suggests that the cost of decarbonising liquid fuel for heating gives the best value to the consumer when compared with other low carbon solutions, we need policies to be ambitious enough for net zero but which also reflect the practical challenges and financial constraints of many households.” Guy Pulham CEO of the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA), says: “Liquid fuel, more specifically a bio product, can be part of the solution to achieve net zero. Government talks about large-scale electrification through the use of heat pumps, but we believe they need to look at alternatives as this is not feasible due to high installation and running costs of installing heat pumps for off grid homeowners. Recognising the Government’s targets on reducing fuel poverty, it is important any regulation around heat policy takes this into account.” Peter Davidson, chief executive of the Tank Storage Association (TSA), adds: “Together, we have developed an ambitious and realistic pathway, one which reduces risk, achieves short- and medium-term reduction in carbon emissions, puts the needs of the consumer first and encourages business to plan ahead in order to meet those needs.” www.oftec.org www.tankstorage.org.uk www.fpsonline.co.uk

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NEWS BULLETIN

TANKS & LOGISTICS

HOYER, DUPRÉ POOL TANKS

Hoyer Group and Dupré Logistics have pooled their North American tank container operations in a new joint venture, Hoyer Bulk LLC, in which Hoyer has a 49 per cent stake. The Houston-based operation will offer customers a full-service package meeting the highest quality, safety and security standards along the whole supply chain, Hoyer says. Hoyer Bulk will provide customers with a seamless solution for both international and domestic supply chain needs in North America. This enhanced convenience will provide customers with opportunities to promote increased efficiency, productivity, and transparency throughout the entire supply chain, the partners believe. As both companies are family-owned and operated, great value is placed on reliability, safety, and exceptional customer service. This joint venture will position both organisations to enhance or extend existing business operations by investing in resources, assets and technologies to meet and exceed customer expectations. Ortwin Nast, CEO of Hoyer, says: “Partnership with Dupré is a logical expansion of our internationally aligned overseas activities by providing transport services in the USA. We thereby enlarge our portfolio of services and also meet the growing demand for transport capacities in the US-American market.” Mike Weindel, president of Dupré Logistics, adds: “It is important to us to know we have at our side a partner that also represents customised logistics and technology solutions. We also give the highest priority to transparency and dependability in our operations. Hoyer has the same understanding, as we immediately noticed.” www.duprelogistics.com www.hoyer-group.com BRENNTAG ADDS CHINA WAREHOUSE

Brenntag has opened a new warehouse facility in Dongguan, China (right). Covering 39,000 m2, the new Brenntag site hosts 24 storage tanks, a

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3,000-m2 storage area for Class A chemicals and a 2,500-m2 workshop and blending area for solvents and inorganic chemicals. Henri Nejade, member of the management board of Brenntag and CEO of Brenntag Asia Pacific, says: “We are excited about the start of our operations at Dongguan as its capabilities and ideal location will certainly enhance our position in the South China market and further enable Brenntag to provide more value-added services to our customers and suppliers.” The new Dongguan facility complies with highest safety and environmental restrictions and is located in a dedicated chemical park. www.brenntag.com B-DOUBLE FOR LNG

Canadian LNG specialise Cryopeak, in which BP Energy has a controlling interest, has unveiled what it says is the first ‘Super B-train’ trailer design specifically for the transport of LNG. The unit offers a 70 per cent increase in capacity compared to standard trailers and will offer small-scale distribution of LNG across Canada, in accordance with Transport Canada regulations. “Our customers are seeking lower costs

associated with the transportation of LNG in Canada and we are pleased to have four new Super B-train trailers entering service in the Cryopeak fleet at the beginning of 2020,” says Calum McClure, CEO of Cryopeak. “This new transportation solution will improve the competitiveness of LNG as transportation costs represent often the largest cost of LNG supplied to our customers.” Cryopeak is the leading distributor of LNG in Canada and currently has a fleet of 16 tankers in operation, as well as equipment and technologies for storage, regasification and fuel dispensing. cryopeak.com LESCHACO DEVOLVES

The Leschaco Group has introduced a new regionalised corporate structure, with market responsibility devolved to the regional level. As part of the change, Leschaco has appointed three regional heads: Martin Sack, formerly managing director of Leschaco Mexico, is heading the Americas region; Alexander Donau, formerly managing director of Leschaco Thailand, assumes responsibility for Asia-Pacific; and Oliver Oestreich, Group COO, is taking charge of the EMEA region on an interim basis. “With this new structure we are creating a sustainable basis for the future and are able to increase the quality of our services by being even closer to our customers,” explains Jörg

Conrad, owner and CEO. It is anticipated that looser control by the head office and more flexibility on a regional level with a clear focus on the respective markets will make the group of companies stronger and more agile. www.leschaco.com XPO MULLS OPTIONS

The board of XPO Logistics has authorised a review of strategic alternatives, including the possible sale or spin-off of one or more of XPO’s business units. Bradley Jacobs, chairman/CEO, notes that XPO Logistics’ stock has been one of the best performing of the Fortune 500 companies over the past decade but believes that the company is still undervalued. “We continue to trade at well below the sum of our parts and at a significant discount to our pure-play peers,” Jacobs says. “That’s why we believe the best way to continue to maximise shareholder value is to explore our options, while remaining intensely committed to the satisfaction of our customers and employees.” XPO says it is not looking at any specific outcome of the process and it has not set a timetable for completion of the review process. It has not determined which, if any, of its

business units might be sold or spun off, other than to assure customers that its North American less-than-truckload unit is not on the table. www.xpo.com COTAC ADDS HEATING

European tank depot operator Cotac has opened a new heating station at its Schkopau depot in Germany. The new facility offers 25 spots for tank heating, including 10 for steam heating, 10 for heating with warm water and five for electric heating. The service is available seven days a week. Tank containers can be delivered by rail to the Cotac terminal in Schkopau, from where Cotac arranges movement to the heating station. Clients are invited to register in advance of arrival for faster processing. www.cotac-group.com CLX FILLS UP IN HOUSTON

CLX Logistics has appointed Tom Dirmyer as its vice-president of account management. Dirmyer, a tenured supply chain and distribution expert for the chemical market who most recently served as vice-president at CLP Chemicals, a marketer of raw materials

and oleochemicals, will be responsible for satisfaction and retention of CLX Logistics’ existing client base, while working close with the company’s European team to drive global growth. Dirmyer will also be among the first team members at CLX Logistics’ new Houston office, which serves as a satellite location, expanding on the company’s Philadelphia headquarters and Chicago and Netherlands offices. With steady growth in 2019 and planned expansion in 2020 and beyond, this fourth office space will provide capacity for additional team members while also positioning the company closer to mid-south clients and companies. www.clxlogistics.com NEW MAN FOR BAY

After many years of service, Andreas Arnold has left Bay Logistik. Arnold is wished all the best for the future by the Bay Logistik team and has been replaced by Rainer Wagner as the new head of the tank division. Wagner can be contacted by email at rainer.wagner@ bay-logistik.de. www.bay-logistik.de

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DG BY AIR

SUBSCRIBE TODAY KEEP AN ION THIS BATTERIES • THE RISKS POSED BY LITHIUM ION BATTERIES IN AIR TRANSPORT CAN BE MITIGATED BY EFFECTIVE CONTAINMENT. SILK WAY WEST HAS OPTED FOR AMSAFE BRIDPORT’S SOLUTION KEEPING PEOPLE AND cargo safe is the number one rule for aviation and there have been growing concerns over fire hazards, particularly surrounding cargoes containing lithium ion batteries. To combat these concerns, manufacturers and airlines have been increasing industry-wide communications and developing new protocols and products to reduce the risks. Airline Silk Way West has taken proactive steps to improve fire prevention by investing in fire containment cover (FCC) products for transporting volatile cargo such as lithium ion batteries and related articles. Silk Way West Airlines currently operates a fleet of 15 Boeing 747-400F and 747-8F aircraft and a global cargo network connecting more than 45 online destinations on a scheduled basis via its global hub in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Wolfgang Meier, Silk Way West Airlines’ CEO, explains: “We are spearheading the development, which will be crucial to our future operation as we are seeing a surge of lithium ion battery content within the cargo volumes we are transporting throughout our global network. Therefore, we have opted for Mantle from AmSafe Bridport to carry on a pioneering role in our industry.” Emile Khasanshin, Silk Way West’s vicepresident of global cargo logistics, adds to Meier’s comments: “We are further investing into cargo and flight safety measures, which are paramount for our airline, and I am happy we found a robust yet cost-effective solution.” By reducing risk and improving safety, Mantle provides airlines with the opportunity to carry lithium ion batteries more safely, creating a greater scope of possibilities for carriers and manufacturers across the globe to increase

business. With the Mantle product, AmSafe Bridport is the first company to achieve TSO certification C203 for Type 1 FCCs and is now looking to establish its position as the number one FCC manufacturer and provider. “The industry has witnessed recent incidents where two main carriers effectively contained lithium ion cargo fires with Mantle fire containment covers,” says AmSafe Bridport’s president, Jason Abbott. “Ultimately our FCC products reduce risk, improve safety and more importantly save lives. We are delighted that Silk Way West Airlines have made the decision to use our FCC products and set a benchmark in the industry for transporting cargo and people safely.” “Airlines and carriers, such as Silk Way West, are investing in FCC solutions like Mantle to provide a greater opportunity to expand existing contracts as well as opening doors with new business, especially with lithium ion based products,” adds Jon Powell, sales and marketing director for AmSafe Bridport. By maximising fire safety in freight transport, Silk Way West has kept its options open in the field of dangerous goods and is aiming to be 100 per cent covered in all areas of fire containment within the next year. amsafebridport.com www.silkwaywest.com

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CONTAINING DISASTER The success of Mantle®’s lithium ion battery test by AmSafe Bridport in 2018 convinced Silk Way West that investment in the comprehensive fire containment solution was a responsible step forward in terms of safety for its expanding fleet. AmSafe Bridport successfully completed a fire test of 5,000 type 18650 lithium ion batteries with the Mantle Container FCC. Battery load power exceeded 48 kWh in total, which was considered a significant breakthrough. Testing was witnessed by Unilode, Jettainer, Cathay Pacific and Air Bridge Cargo and supported by a leading aviation regulatory body and major aircraft OEM consultant.

 THE MANTLE FCC GIVES CARRIERS PEACE OF MIND WHEN TRANSPORTING LITHIUM ION BATTERIES

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

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DG BY AIR 27

BEST SERVED CHILLED TEMPERATURE • CSAFE GLOBAL HAS BEEN LISTENING TO CUSTOMER NEEDS AND, IN RESPONSE, HAS EXPANDED ITS ASIAN HUB AND DEVELOPED A NEW COLD CHAIN PACKAGING SOLUTION THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION has received a boost in pharmaceutical logistics and possibilities thanks to a recent facility expansion at Incheon Airport, South Korea, by CSafe Global. CSafe, a provider of active temperature-controlled container solutions for the transport of pharmaceuticals, invested in the facility to improve service levels and customer support for the transport of temperature-sensitive products to and from South Korea, while it also serves as an important gateway hub for the greater Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, at time of writing, CSafe is to reveal a new cold chain packaging solution

 CSAFE’S NEW INCHEON SERVICE CENTRE PROVIDES A GATEWAY TO NORTH-EAST ASIA

for use with cells and genes at the Phacilitate Leaders World event in Miami. The CSafe Cell and Gene thermal shipping solution leverages the company’s industry-leading temperature management performance for the safe transport of vital life-science products to distribution centres, healthcare facilities and patients. BIGGER POSSIBILITIES The Incheon site is one of the latest of numerous locations around the world established to broaden CSafe’s global service reach and increase the impact on customers who have entrusted CSafe containers to thermally protect vital life-enhancing pharmaceuticals. Tom Weir, vice-president of global operations at CSafe, says: “We’re excited about our best-in-class service centre in Incheon. This new facility will ensure that our active containers

are operating at top system performance, keeping temperatures precisely where they need to be for transports of crucial medications. Our service team has been trained and is well prepared to address the significant volume demand for CSafe RKN and CSafe RAP containers from the Incheon station. “With the expanded warehouse space and increased repair service throughput, not only can we easily accommodate the increasing product demand from South Korea, but we also strengthen our ability to flex as needed for repositioning large numbers of our temperature-controlled containers to other CSafe hubs within Asia-Pacific to meet unexpected or immediate surge demand from our customers and partners across the region,” Weir continues. To verify that CSafe RKN and CSafe RAP systems are providing the best quality and are operating optimally, all containers entering CSafe service centres are put through an industry-unique Preventative Maintenance Rebuild (PMR) programme. While expanding the hub in South Korea, CSafe has been conversing with customers to better understand their needs and requirements, ultimately designing new solutions to problems that arise. “As partner to those in the most difficult portion of the cold chain, CSafe is committed to innovation, continuous improvement and unparalleled customer service. This is especially important for the cell and gene market given the critical nature of these shipments for patients in need,” explains Emilio Frattaruolo, vicepresident of innovation for passive solutions. “We work closely with our customers and provide tailored solutions to meet their needs. For example, we are partnering with one biotech company that has chosen our innovative cell and gene solution to address the strict requirements for transporting their advanced gene therapy. My CSafe colleagues and I are personally committed to securing their cold chain, protecting these new gene therapy shipments so patients can receive what matters most to them. This is the kind of personalised experience we provide to our cell and gene customers.” csafeglobal.com

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

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CHEMICAL TANKERS 29

broker also notes that both countries have drawn much of their methanol imports from Iran and US sanctions may have an impact on the volumes that they are willing to take from this source – then again, if they buy from Trinidad instead, it will add significantly to tonne-mile demand. The US is also beginning to export increasing volumes of methanol, which jumped by nearly 60 per cent in 2018 alone. Perhaps it is no surprise that some vessel owners are beginning to look at methanol as a potential fuel for their ships, with Proman Stena Bulk last year lining up a two-ship order for 50,000-dwt methanol fuelled tankers at Guangzhou Shipyard. WHAT’S BEHIND IT ALL So while the fundamentals appear to point to a bullish outlook, external factors are

TAKE A BREATHER MARKET • THE FUNDAMENTALS LOOK GOOD, BUT WHY IS THE CHEMICAL TANKER MARKET NOT BENEFITTING? AND WHY ARE THERE SO FEW NEWBUILDINGS BEING ORDERED? The chemical tanker market has had what might be termed a desultory year, with recent earnings releases largely flat at best, despite the emergence of new trade flows and increasing demand for vegoils and fats transport. The lack of any significant upward impact on revenues for tanker operators may be due to an overall lack of confidence within the sectors they serve, as political and economic uncertainties have led to a decided note of caution.

most especially in emerging economies, and demand for both chemicals and for vegoils remains strong. Furthermore, the arrival of the ‘IMO 2020’ rule on sulphur oxide emissions from all ships, together with new rules on ballast water management, often encouraged owners of older tonnage to scrap their ships during the past two years, rather than invest in bringing them up to standard to meet the new rules. Allied to comparatively restricted fleet growth through newbuildings, this has brought

Nonetheless, the fundamentals are sound. The chemical industry continues to expand,

the market back towards a more balanced position, even if the early part of 2020 has seen some contracting activity at the yards. As a result of those factor, broker Banchero Costa calculates, fleet growth over the course of 2019 was expected to come out at 2 per cent in the sub-30,000 dwt segment,

now beginning to unwind. Banchero Costa also points to rising import demand for certain products. For instance, it says that methanol imports into China increased tenfold in the decade to 2018 but growth has slowed, though demand increases in India have taken over. Nevertheless, the

IT IS A BRAVE OWNER THAT BUILDS SHIPS TODAY FOR AN UNKNOWN MARKET IN THE FUTURE

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also South Korea and Taiwan – these are being accompanied by falling import demand in other countries, not least the US (as a result of increasing domestic production) and Japan. But from the supply side, Lawrie pointed out that what is holding back newbuilding activity is not so much questions of demand but questions about what the ships of tomorrow will need to look like to meet environmental regulations. Owners are asking what propulsion systems will be needed to meet the 2030 deadline for reducing carbon intensity and the 2050 target for a net-zero carbon shipping industry. Bearing in mind that chemical tankers are usually expected to trade for at least 25 years, those being built today need to meet the regulations of tomorrow.

compared to 3 per cent in 2018, although this is mostly concentrated in the 20,000 to 30,000 dwt range. It forecasts another 2 per cent growth in 2020 but no growth at all in 2021. These figures compare favourably with the 6.4 per cent growth recorded in the fleet in 2018, according to Barry Rogliano Salles. PRICES AND DEMAND One indicator of the lack of intense interest in expanding the chemical tanker fleet can be seen in newbuilding prices, which picked up a little in 2019 but are still well below the levels seen ten years earlier. Prices then were still on a high after the rush of newbuilding contracting seen up until the 2007/08 crash; those newbuildings were still being delivered after demand had collapsed, leading to an oversupply position that badly affected earnings through much of the decade beginning in 2010 and that is only



hampering development. Speaking this past November at the Tanker Shipping & Trade Conference, consultant Charles Lawrie had this to say: “I do not recall a period in time when we have had so many external pressures on the market. It has been barely noticed outside of the chemical tanker trades, but there is a hugely influential trade dispute between South Korea and Japan taking place at the moment. Far more talked about is the US – China Trade War, and then there is the series of tanker incidents and threats to trade in the Middle East. Not to mention Venezuela and Libya. The word ‘uncertainty’ underplays the geopolitical outlook.” Furthermore, while there are some encouraging signs in terms of import demand – not only in China and India but

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CHEMICAL TANKERS 31

BACKING UP RESULTS • STOLT-NIELSEN’S PROGRESS STALLED IN A YEAR MARKED BY ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY AND MARKET CAUTION, AFFECTING ALL PARTS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

deepsea margins due to a combination of improved results on bunker hedges and higher utilisation, mainly offset by the increase in off-hire days and a $1.7m decrease in equity income from joint ventures, resulting from losses on two ships held for sale in a regional joint venture. The latest quarter’s profits were, though, well up on the $7.7m reported for fourth quarter 2018. For the full year, gross profit from Stolt Tankers’ deepsea activities slipped 14 per cent to $95.5m, while regional fleet gross profit was down only 2 per cent at $42.8m. During the fourth quarter, Stolt’s deepsea fleet numbered 66 ships, compared to 71 a year earlier, while the wholly owned regional fleets expanded by one ship to 58. “Looking forward in 2020, we continue to anticipate a gradual upturn in the chemical tanker market as the year unfolds,” says Niels G Stolt-Nielsen. “A continued strong clean products (CPP) market has drawn swing tonnage away from the chemical markets, supporting a further firming of spot rates. Subsequent to the quarter-end, we have continued to see rate increases in our contract renewals.”

STOLT-NIELSEN HAS reported revenues of $2.04bn for its financial year to end-November 2018, down from $2.13bn in the previous year, with operating profit off by 6.4 per cent at $175.1m. Weakness was experienced across all its three main operating divisions in the chemical supply chain: annual operating profit was down 15 per cent at Stolt Tankers, 10 per cent at Stolthaven Terminals and 21 per cent at Stolt Tank Containers. Commenting on the results, Niels G Stolt-Nielsen, CEO of Stolt-Nielsen Ltd, says: “Excluding the impact of the previously reported incident on Stolt Groenland and fewer operating days, Stolt Tankers’ fourth quarter results improved as deepsea utilisation

quarter, mainly due to the $5.5m write-off of capitalised expenses at the Stolthaven Newcastle terminal and market softness, particularly in Asia-Pacific,” he continues. “Results at Stolt Tank Containers were up, mainly due to reduced shipping costs and higher demurrage revenue.” SOFTNESS IN TANKERS Stolt Tankers reported fourth quarter revenue of $274.8m, down from $291.8m in the third quarter. Deepsea revenue declined by 6.1 per cent in the quarter, driven mainly by a decrease in operating days, partly due to the incident involving Stolt Groenland at the end of September 2019. Regional fleet revenue

OTHER BUSINESS Weakness was also evident in Stolt-Nielsen’s other main operating divisions. Stolthaven Terminals saw operating revenues slip slightly from $252.0m in 2018 to $250.8m, while gross profit actually improved by 4 per cent to $87.5m. However, extraordinary gains booked in 2018 meant that operating profit was down 10 per cent. For the fourth quarter, results reflected overall stability with some weak spots. Revenue slipped from $62.9m in the third quarter to $61.7m, with utilisation rates at its wholly owned terminals dipping from 91.0

increased and fuel costs decreased. The fourth quarter was also the first quarter since 2016 in which we saw an increase in average contract rate renewals, while also achieving full recovery of cost increases related to the IMO 2020 low-sulphur fuel regulations. “Stolthaven’s results decreased in the

decreased by 4.8 per cent in the latest period, primarily due to weak spot market conditions in Europe and fewer operating days due to drydockings of regional ships. Fourth-quarter operating profit of $14.6m was slightly off the $15.0m reported for the third quarter. Results reflected higher

per cent in the third quarter to 89.4 per cent; there was also a 7.4 per cent decline in the volume of product handled. On the other hand, average storage and throughput revenue per cubic metre of leased storage remained stable during the quarter. Stolthaven Terminals reported fourth

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

quarter operating profit of $11.7m, down from $19.5m in the third quarter, mainly due to a $5.5m impairment. The third quarter included a $0.6m gain on the sale of Stolthaven’s terminal in Altona, Australia. Equity income from joint ventures was up marginally in the quarter, driven mainly by an increase in product handled at Stolthaven’s joint-venture terminal in Ulsan, South Korea. “Stolthaven’s results decreased in the quarter, mainly due to the $5.5m write-off of capitalised expenses at the Stolthaven Newcastle terminal and market softness, particularly in AsiaPacific,” comments Niels G Stolt-Nielsen. “Despite the recent market softness and the effects of the US-China trade dispute, we expect improvements in operational performance to continue to strengthen results.” TWEAKING TANKS Stolt Tank Containers continues to experience the impact of price competition following the recent years of expansion in the sector. Revenues for the year were down 4 per cent at $528.6m, with gross profit 10 per cent off at $122.1m; operating profit fell from $70.9m in 2018 to $56.1m. For the fourth quarter, revenues of $133.4m were slightly behind the prior period’s $135.2m despite a minor increase in shipments. Overall, transport revenue fell by 4 per cent as a result of a higher proportion of intra-regional shipments, which generate less revenue. The decline was partially offset by a $1.6m increase in demurrage revenue. Performance for the quarter reflected continued price competition and softness in markets overall. Operating profit for the quarter increased to $15.7m from $12.1m in the third quarter, due to a $5.9m fall in operating expenses, driven mainly by lower freight costs from

“A CONTINUED STRONG CPP MARKET HAS DRAWN SWING TONNAGE AWAY FROM THE CHEMICAL MARKETS”

the higher proportion of intra-regional shipments, and lower repositioning and other move-related costs. The total number of tanks in STC’s global fleet was essentially unchanged in the fourth quarter at 40,513, up from 39,202 a year earlier. Commenting on the results, Niels G StoltNielsen remarks: “Stolt Tank Containers has seen an increase in bookings ahead of the

Chinese New Year, which could eventually have a positive impact on utilisation.” FOCUS ON GAS Taken overall, Stolt-Nielsen’s 2019 financial results paint a picture of a supply chain in a cautious mood, with uncertainty over political, economic and trade prospects hindering growth. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that StoltNielsen’s outstanding capital expenditure commitments have dropped from $111.7m at the end of the 2018 financial year to $96.2m, of which $36.0m relates to its jointventure activities in the gas sector. Along with its partners in Avenir LNG, some $225.5m is to be spent on four 7,500-m³ and two 20,000-m³ LNG carrier newbuildings and the Higas LNG terminal in Sardinia. Stolt-Nielsen’s share of the investment is $105.6m, part of which has already been paid. The first two 7,500-m³ carriers are due for delivery from Keppel Singmarine, Shanghai early this year and the Higas terminal is scheduled for completion before the end of 2020. www.stolt-nielsen.com

 WITH THE CHEMICAL TANKER MARKET GOING THROUGH A SLOW PERIOD, STOLT-NIELSEN’S INVESTMENT PROGRAMME IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON SMALL-SCALE LNG ACTIVITIES (RIGHT)

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CHEMICAL TANKERS 33

LESS THAN ZERO FUELS • ENERGY TRANSITION IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY WILL INVOLVE A NUMBER OF PATHWAYS. HYDROGEN AND ELECTRICITY ARE THE OBVIOUS OPTIONS BUT WHAT ABOUT AMMONIA? THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY has spent several years considering how best to meet the requirements imposed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to reduce sulphur oxide emissions from its operations. Those efforts have been divided between the installation of exhaust gas scrubbers and the use of alternative fuels. Now that the 2020 deadline has passed, attention is switching to the next phase of cleaning up the shipping industry: the reduction in carbon intensity and, ultimately, complete decarbonisation of marine fuels. Some of the alternative fuels already being employed – LNG, LPG and methanol, for example – offer a route to a lower-carbon future and are certainly sensible in applications where those products are also being carried as cargo. However, further ahead, the focus on carbon-free fuels points at the moment to two options: either the use of (sustainably produced) electricity, either stored in batteries aboard or generated from fuel cells (probably using hydrogen), or hydrogen itself. Work is already well advanced on some hydrogen-fuelled vessel designs and there are some electric-powered vessels in use, particularly in some shortsea applications such as ferries. Making the transition will inevitably be costly, with some estimates putting the total bill for moving

INTRODUCING AMMONIA Attention is also switching to the possible use of ammonia as a fuel; this is in effect a carrier for hydrogen, the benefit being that the only other element in the molecule is nitrogen – unlike LNG (methane), which includes carbon – and also that containment technology is relatively straightforward. Last month, an alliance of interests was formed to look at developing an ammoniafuelled tanker to support the IMO’s emission targets for 2050, which, the partners say, requires commercially viable zero-emission vessels to be in deepsea operation by 2030. The alliance involves MISC Bhd, Samsung Heavy Industries, Lloyd’s Register and MAN Energy Solutions, respectively bringing expertise from ship operation, shipbuilding, classification and design, and engine design. The partners say they recognise that the shipping industry will need to explore multiple decarbonisation pathways and hope their

collaboration will spur others in the maritime industry to join forces on addressing this global challenge. “At MISC, we believe the global maritime industry needs to be more collaborative in defining our future together, rather than being confrontational and fragmented in our efforts,” says Yee Yang Chien, president and group CEO of MISC. “We need more shining examples of partnerships and collaborations in our industry and it is my hope that this will encourage our peers in the industry to also join hands with others to advance the zero-carbon agenda.” Joon Ou Nam, president/CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries, adds: “We all know that the industry–wide movement is vital and new zero-carbon fuel technologies, such as ammonia fuel, are to be brought on the table in order to take action proactively on maritime GHG emissions in accordance with the IMO’s ambitious road map.” “Low-speed diesel engines are the most efficient propulsion system for trans-oceanic shipping and already run on a sizable number of emission-friendly fuels,” notes Bjarne Foldanger Jensen, senior vicepresident of MAN Energy Solutions. “We look forward to adding ammonia to the list and welcome the opportunity to work with industry partners in this venture.”

to a completely decarbonised industry at $1 trillion.

 SEVERAL DIFFERENT INTERESTS ARE LOOKING INTO THE VIABILITY OF USING AMMONIA AS A SHIP FUEL

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

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CHEMICAL TANKERS 35

NEWS BULLETIN

TANKER SHIPPING

ODFJELL ON A ROLL

Odfjell has stuck an agreement with Navig8 Chemical Tankers to add four of Navig8’s modern chemical tankers to Odfjell’s Chempool25 pool. The Navig8 vessels are all of 25,000 dwt and have stainless steel cargo tanks, matching the Odfjell pool profile. The four Navig8 ships will join the pool in first quarter 2020, taking it up to 19 vessels. “We are pleased to welcome N8CTI as a partner,” says Kristian Mørch, Odfjell CEO. “N8CTI brings first-class vessels to the pool, and we look forward to the cooperation and to further develop our pool partnerships. With this expansion, Odfjell will operate one of the largest fleets of modern 25,000 dwt stainless steel chemical tankers in the world. This is another step in consolidating the chemical tanker industry, and it enables us to offer unparalleled flexibility and service to our customers.” Since that agreement, Odfjell has continued to benefit from its current newbuilding programme. In early January it took delivery

of Bow Odyssey, third in a series of four 49,000-dwt stainless steel chemical tanker newbuildings from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding. The last in the series, Bow Optima, is due for delivery by the end of the first quarter. “With these four vessels as flagships, and in combination with a total of 30 new vessels that enter our fleet from 2017 throughout 2020, the Odfjell fleet is heavily modernised and of the world’s most energyefficient and eco-friendly within the chemical tanker segment,” the company states. In the same month, Odfjell held a naming ceremony for Bow Persistent, first of two 36,000-dwt ‘super-segregator’ chemical tankers building at Fukuoka in Japan. Along with sistership Bow Prosper, due for delivery in June, the new stainless steel tanker is designed specifically for the transport of propylene oxide, with thermal oil heating in its 28 cargo tanks. “Odfjell was instrumental in inventing and establishing the chemical tanker parcel trade, and we work tirelessly to bring the industry

forward through numerous improvements to safety, improved procedures, equipment, and ship concepts. With the introduction of these vessels, we will further improve our environmental footprint,” says Mørch. www.odfjell.com ACE COMPLETES BW DEAL

Ace Tankers has completed its takeover of the BW Tankers fleet with the arrival in January of BW Silicon, now renamed Chem Silicon. Ace Tankers describes the 20,000 dwt, stainless steel ship, the last of the 13 it acquired from BW, as “an impressive addition to our growing fleet – modern, ECO and well equipped to hit the market”. It took just over a year for the BW Tankers vessels to transfer to Ace Tankers’ management. Their acquisition boosted the Ace fleet to 40 stainless steel chemical tankers, making it one of the five largest operators of specialist chemical tanker tonnage in the world. The fleet is currently split roughly 50/50 between two trading areas: northern Europe/Mediterranean/ Asia and Transatlantic. ace-tankers.com FROM MOTIA TO MAIA

Italian product/chemical tanker operator Motia Compagnia di Navigazione has been wound up following a debt restructuring process after court approval in Venice. Six of its nine ships have been bought by a new company based in Amsterdam, Maia Shipping BV, in which the Zachello family, former owners of Motia, have retained an interest. The deal was made possible by financial support from US-based Northern Shipping Fund. The other three Motia tankers are reported to have been picked up by Pillarstone Italy, a corporate rescue fund set up by KKR, which was also behind the relaunch of Premuda. www.motia.it

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

ETHYLENE FROM HOUSTON

The first cargo of ethylene has been lifted from the new export terminal at Morgan’s Point on the Houston Ship Channel, developed as a joint venture between Enterprise Products Partners and Navigator Holding. The 11,340-tonne cargo was loaded aboard Navigator Europa for delivery to Marubeni in January. “The opening of the jointly owned ethylene export terminal represents the beginning of an expansion of the export of valuable intermediate petrochemical gas products including ethylene and propylene,” says David Butters, executive chairman of Navigator Gas. “We expect this trend of exporting intermediate petrochemical gases to accelerate, benefiting our specialised tankers. Furthermore, we are working on the development of domestic and international infrastructure projects that will facilitate this important trend.” “We are very pleased to join forces with Navigator to bring this new terminal to fruition, which complements Enterprise’s integrated pipeline and storage network, including the development of open market hubs for ethylene and polymer-grade propylene that help ensure price transparency, reliability and flexibility for petrochemical producers and consumers,” adds AJ ‘Jim’ Teague, CEO of Enterprise’s general partner. enterpriseproducts.com www.navigatorgas.com

CHEMSHIP ORDERING PICKS UP

The new year started with a resurgence of interest in the chemical tanker sector, with several newbuilding orders placed during January. Hyundai Mipo is reported to have picked up a $152m order for three product/chemical tankers from a European owner for delivery by end May 2023; no further details are available as yet. Press sources report that Henghui Shipping has placed an order for a single 23,000-dwt product/chemical tanker with Yangfan Shipbuilding for 2021 delivery. Tarbit Shipping is reported to have ordered two-option-two dual-fuel 13,000-dwt chemical tankers from Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. The new ships will be able to run on LNG as well as conventional fuels. The order could be worth around $200m. Sweden-based Tarbit currently operates three product/chemical tankers and ten bitumen carriers. Carl Büttner is reported to have ordered one-option-one 38,000-dwt IMO II chemical tankers at Hantong Ship Heavy Industries, with the firm order due for November 2021 delivery. Büttner already has three 41,000-dwt tankers on order at the yard. Its newbuilding programme will extend the upper end of its fleet as its largest vessels are currently six 24,000-dwt tankers. Rederiet Stenersen is reported to be lining up a six-ship order for dual-fuelled chemical tankers at AVIC Dingheng. According to press reports, the contract will be worth $174m.

South Korea’s Pan Ocean is reported to have ordered four 50,000-dwt product/chemical tankers from Hyundai Vinashin, with delivery starting in June 2021; the contract is said to be worth some $135m. LPG ORDERING STEADY

Stealthgas reports that 40 new gas carriers were ordered during 2019, down on the previous year’s figure of 47; VLGC contracting amounted to 20 newbuildings, compared to 22 in 2018. “We envisage a steady contracting of VLGCs in 2020, particularly with dual-fuel LPG propulsion, but in relatively low overall numbers,” the company says. PSM GOES DUTCH

PSM Instrumentation has appointed fellow Scanjet Group company Maas Marine & Industrial Equipment as its agent and exclusive distributor in the Netherlands, effective 1 January. Maas Marine is a long-established sales and service company for the marine industry with extensive experience in the supply and support of tank gauging solutions. PSM offers several products and systems for the marine tanker sector, including its TankWatch tank gauging systems, ClearView performance monitoring system and Compliance Systems to facilitate compliance with ship performance requirements. www.psmmarine.com

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COURSES & CONFERENCES 37

TRAINING COURSES AIRSAFE TRANSPORT TRAINING PO Box 347 Cloverdale, WA 6985, Australia T (+61 8) 9277 6968 www.airsafe.com.au

Dangerous Goods by Air – Acceptance • March 17-19 – Perth • April 6-8 – Perth • April 22-24 – Sydney • May 5-7 – Melbourne • May 6-8 – Adelaide

Dangerous Goods Acceptance (Air) • March 3-5 – Sydney • March 10-11 – Melbourne • April 21-23 – Sydney • April 28-30 – Brisbane • May 5-7 – Melbourne

Dangerous Goods Re-certification (Air) • March 2 – Sydney • March 9 – Melbourne • March 10 – Brisbane • March 31 – Sydney • April 1 – Brisbane Dangerous Goods by Air – Refresher • April 7 – Melbourne • March 12 – Perth • April 20 – Sydney • April 15 – Perth • May 4 – Melbourne • April 21 – Sydney • May 5 – Brisbane • May 4 – Melbourne • May 5 – Adelaide Shipping Lithium Batteries by Air • February 24 – Sydney AMSA Full Acceptance (IMDG) • March 24-25 – Perth Dangerous Goods by Sea – Full Acceptance AMSA Full Acceptance – Refresher • February 25-26 – Brisbane • February 25 – Perth • February 25-26 – Melbourne • March 25-26 – Brisbane • April 2 – Perth • March 25-26 – Sydney • April 20 – Sydney • April 28-29 – Melbourne • May 4 – Adelaide • May 8 – Melbourne Dangerous Goods by Sea – Recertification Dangerous Goods by Road • February 27 – Melbourne • February 27 – Perth • March 12 – Brisbane • March 24 – Sydney ALL MODES DANGEROUS • April 8 – Melbourne GOODS TRAINING • May 7 – Brisbane 8 Laurel Road Hatton Vale, QLD 4341, Australia CAMEON T (+61 7) 5411 4415 PO Box 17345 www.amdg.com.au Edinburgh EH12 1DJ, UK T (+44 131) 334 1929 Dangerous Goods – Initial Air www.cameon.com Acceptance • • • • •

February 24-26 – Brisbane March 2-4 – Sydney March 16-18 – Brisbane April 6-8 – Sydney April 20-22 – Brisbane

Dangerous Goods – Air Transport Recertification • February 27 – Brisbane • March 5 – Sydney • March 19 – Brisbane • April 9 – Sydney • April 23 – Brisbane Dangerous Goods by Sea – Function-Specific, Initial • March 9-10 – Sydney • March 16-17 – Melbourne • March 23-24 – Brisbane • May 5-6 – Brisbane • May 5-6 – Sydney AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL FORWARDERS Westfield Office Tower, Suite 403, Level 3, 152 Bunnerong Road Eastgardens, NSW 2036 Australia T (+61 2) 9314 3055 www.afif.asn.au

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Dangerous Goods by Air • April 20-22 – Manchester angerous Goods by Air – D Revalidation • May 15 – Manchester Dangerous Goods by Road and Sea • May 12-14 – Manchester Dangerous Goods by Road – Upgrade • April 23 – Manchester angerous Goods by Sea – Upgrade D • April 24 – Manchester Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser • February 24-28 – Manchester CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT FORWARDERS ASSOCIATION (CIFFA) 170 Attwell Drive, Suite 480 Toronto, Ontario M9W 5Z5, Canada T (+1 416) 234 5100 www.ciffa.com Air Dangerous Goods, Initial • February 25-27 – Vancouver • March 10-12 – Calgary • April 21-23 – Edmonton

Air Dangerous Goods, Recurrent • February 26-27 – Vancouver • March 11-12 – Calgary • April 22-23 – Edmonton CERTIFIED PACKING & TRAINING 17820 Englewood Drive, Units 14-17 Cleveland, OH 44130, USA T (+1 440) 826 9292 www.certpack.com Ground and Air (initial) • March 25-26 – Cleveland • May 13-14 – Cleveland Ground and Air (recurrent) • March 24 – Cleveland • May 12 – Cleveland Ground and Vessel (initial) • March 25/27 – Cleveland • May 13/15 – Cleveland Ground and Vessel (recurrent) • March 24 – Cleveland • May 12 – Cleveland Multimodal (initial) • March 25-27 – Cleveland • May 13-15 – Cleveland Lithium Battery Shipping • March 23 – Cleveland DANGEROUS GOODS COUNCIL PO Box 7325 York, PA 17404, USA T (+1 717) 848 8840 www.hazshipper.com 49 CFR & International Air Certification • March 10-12 – Atlanta • April 6-8 – Newark • April 20-22 – Madison • May 4-6 – Baltimore 49 CFR – Certification • March 10-11 – Atlanta • April 6-7 – Newark • April 20-21 – Madison • May 4-5 – Baltimore International Air – Recertification • March 12 – Atlanta • April 8 – Newark • April 22 – Madison • May 6 – Baltimore DGI TRAINING CENTER 1060 El Camino Real, Suite B Redwood City, CA 94063-1645, USA T (+1 650) 306 8450 www.dgitraining.com IATA Initial • February 26-27 – Las Vegas • March 2-3 – San Francisco • March 18-19 – Seattle • April 1-2 – Detroit • April 14-15 – Philadelphia • April 20-21 – Chicago • April 29-30 – San Antonio

• May 6-7 – Minneapolis IATA Recurrent • February 27 – Las Vegas • March 3 – San Francisco • March 9 – Chicago • March 19 – Seattle • March 23 – Atlanta • April 2 – Detroit • April 15 – Philadelphia • April 21 – Chicago • April 30 – San Antonio • May 7 – Minneapolis IMDG Recurrent • February 28 – Las Vegas • March 5 – San Francisco • March 11 – Chicago • March 20 – Seattle • March 25 – Atlanta • April 3 – Detroit • April 17 – Philadelphia • May 1 – San Antonio • May 8 – Minneapolis Ground Transportation (49 CFR) Initial • February 24-25 – Las Vegas • March 16-17 – Seattle • March 30-31 – Detroit • April 27-28 – San Antonio • May 4-5 – Minneapolis

Ground/Ocean Shipping - Recurrent (49 CFR/IMDG) • March 4-5 – San Francisco • March 10-11 – Chicago • March 24-25 – Atlanta Air/Ocean Shipping – Recurrent (IATA/IMDG) • February 27-28 – Las Vegas • March 3-4 – San Francisco • March 19-20 – Seattle • April 2-3 – Detroit • April 30-May 1 – San Antonio • May 7-8 – Minneapolis Radioactive Materials (Multimodal) • April 23-24 – Chicago FREMANTLE TRAINING & TRANSPORT Rathmore Lodge Rathmore Road Torquay, Devon TQ2 6NY, UK T (+44 1803) 293344 www.fremantletraining.co.uk

T (+44 1892) 526171 www.fta.co.uk Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser ADR – Initial • March 23-27 – Stirling • March 30-April 3 – Leamington Spa • April 20-24 – Tunbridge Wells HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMPLIANCE 11380 NW 34th Street Doral, FL 33178, USA T (+1 305) 471 0561 www.hazmatcom.com Multimodal General Awareness • April 9 – Miami IATA Air Initial • March 17-19 – Miami • May 5-7 – Miami IATA Air Recurrent • April 15 – Miami

ADR Driver Training • March 16-20 – Bristol • March 23-27 – Plymouth

IMDG Ocean Initial • March 11-12 – Miami • May 13-14 – Miami

ADR Driver Training – Tanks & Class 3 Refresher • April 20-21 – Bristol • April 22-23 – Plymouth

IMDG Ocean Recurrent • April 16 – Miami Lithium Batteries (IATA/IMDG) • April 7 – Miami

FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION Hermes House, St John’s Road 49 CFR Highways Tunbridge Wells TN4 9UZ, UK • April 8 – Miami

INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION 800 Place Victoria, PO Box 113 Montreal H4Z 1M1 Quebec, Canada. T (+1 514) 874 0202 www.iata.org/training Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) – Initial, Category 6 • March 2-6 – Singapore • March 30-April 3 – Lagos • April 13-17 – Singapore • April 20-24 – Brussels • May 4-8 – Miami Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) – Recurrent, Category 6 • March 25-27 – Amsterdam • April 6-8 – Singapore • April 27-29 – Brussels Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) – Shippers and Packers – Cat 1 and 2 • May 4-6 – Singapore Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) – Instructor Refresher • February 26-28 – London • April 6-8 – Singapore • April 20-22 – Geneva Professional Skills for DGR Instructors – Categories 1,2,3,6 • March 2-6 – London • March 9-13 – São Paulo • March 23-27 – Singapore • April 27-May 1 – Geneva

• May 11-15 – Incheon Instructional Techniques for DGR (for categories 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) • May 4-8 – Geneva • May 11-15 – Singapore DGR for Auditors and Inspectors • March 9-13 – Johannesburg Shipping Lithium Batteries by Air • March 2-3 – Singapore • March 16-17 – Miami • March 26-27 – Milan Infectious Substances Transport – Train the Trainer • April 20-24 – Geneva Transport of Dangerous Goods by Sea (IMDG) • March 18-20 – Miami • May 4-6 – Singapore LION TECHNOLOGY 570 Lafayette Road Sparta, NJ 07871-3447, USA T (+1 888) 546 6511 www.lion.com Multimodal Hazmat Shipper Certification (49 CFR/IATA/IMDG) • March 3-6 – Houston • March 17-20 – Los Angeles • March 17-20 – Denver • March 23-26 – Las Vegas • April 28-May 1 – Kansas City • May 4-7 – Chicago

Ground Transportation (49 CFR) Recurrent • February 25 – Las Vegas • March 4 – San Francisco • March 10 – Chicago • March 17 – Seattle • March 24 – Atlanta • March 31 – Detroit • April 16 – Philadelphia • April 22 – Chicago • April 28 – San Antonio • May 5 – Minneapolis Multimodal Initial (49 CFR/IATA/IMDG) • February 24-28 – Las Vegas • March 16-20 – Seattle • March 30-April 3 – Detroit • April 27-May 1 – San Antonio • May 4-8 – Minneapolis Multimodal Recurrent (49 CFR/IATA/ IMDG) • March 3-5 – San Francisco • March 9-11 – Chicago • March 23-25 – Atlanta • April 15-17 – Philadelphia Ground/Air Shipping - Initial (49 CFR/IATA) • March 2-4 – San Francisco • April 20-22 – Chicago Ground/Air Shipping - Recurrent (49 CFR/IATA) • March 3-4 – San Francisco • March 9-10 – Chicago • March 23-24 – Atlanta • April 21-22 – Chicago

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38 COURSES & CONFERENCES

COURSES & CONFERENCES 39

Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (49 CFR) • February 24-25 – Nashville • March 3-4 – Houston • March 9-10 – Dallas • March 17-18 – Los Angeles • March 17-18 – Denver • March 23-24 – Sacramento • March 23-24 – Las Vegas • April 28-29 – Kansas City • May 4-5 – Chicago • May 4-5 – Minneapolis • May 7-8 – Indianapolis

NOVADATA TAB LTD 3 Blackwell Drive Springwood Industrial Estate Braintree, Essex CM7 2QJ, UK T (+44 1376) 552999 www.novadata.co.uk

• • • • • •

ADR Core, Packages & Tanks • March 23-27 – Braintree • April 20-24 – Braintree

Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification - Recurrent • April 29 – Sparta, NJ

ADR Tanks Add-On Course • March 26-27 – Braintree • April 23-24 – Braintree

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road & Sea • February 24-26 – Bristol • March 9-11 – East Midlands • March 23-25 – Southampton • April 6-8 – Stansted • April 20-22 – Manchester • May 4-6 – Heathrow

Hazmat Air Shipper Certification (IATA) • February 26 – Nashville • March 5 – Houston • March 11 – Dallas • March 19 – Los Angeles • March 19 – Denver • March 25 – Las Vegas • April 30 – Kansas City • May 6 – Chicago

ADR Explosives • March 28 – Braintree

Hazmat Vessel Shipper Certification (IMDG) • March 6 – Houston • March 20 – Los Angeles • March 20 – Denver • March 26 – Las Vegas • May 1 – Kansas City • May 7 – Chicago

On-Scene Commander – Asia-Pacific (IMO Level 2) • March 24-26 – Sarawak

Shipping Lithium Batteries • April 30 – Sparta, NJ California Hazardous Waste Management • March 23-24 – San Diego • March 26-27 – Ontario • March 30-31 – San Jose • April 2-3 – Sacramento Texas Hazardous & Industrial Waste Management • May 1 – Dallas • May 6 – Houston Advanced RCRA Hazardous Waste Management • March 11 – Salt Lake City • April 1 – Chicago RCRA Hazardous Waste Management • February 24-25 – Phoenix • February 27-28 – Denver • March 2-3 – Portland, OR • March 9-10 – Salt Lake City • March 26-27 – Grand Rapids • March 30-31 – Chicago • April 27-28 – St Louis • April 29-30 – Dallas • May 4-5 – Houston • May 7-8 – Pittsburgh RCRA Hazardous Waste Management Refresher • April 28 – Sparta, NJ

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

ADR Core, Packages • March 23-26 – Braintree • April 20-23 – Braintree

ADR Dangerous Goods Awareness • April 27 – Braintree OILSPILL RESPONSE TRAINING Lower William Street Southampton SO14 5QE, UK T (+44 23) 8033 1551 www.oilspillresponsetraining.com

On-Scene Commander – Americas (IMO Level 2) • February 24-28 – Ft Lauderdale Oil Spill Response Management (IMO Level 3) • March 23-26 – Southampton • April 7-9 – Singapore Oil Spill Response Refresher (IMO 1 to 3) • April 28 – Southampton Shoreline Site Supervisor (IMO Level 1) • March 3-5 – Singapore PETER EAST ASSOCIATES 504 Centennial Park Centennial Avenue Elstree, Herts WD6 3FG, UK T (+44 20) 8953 6721 www.petereast.com Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air – Certification • March 2-4 – Heathrow • March 3-5 – Belfast • March 9-11 – Stansted • March 9-11 – Northampton • March 30-April 1 – Heathrow • March 30-April 1 – East Midlands • April 20—22 – Southampton • April 27-29 – Manchester • April 27-29 – Dublin • May 4-6 – Heathrow Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air – Revalidation • March 5 – Heathrow • March 12-13 – Stansted

March 12-13 – Northampton April 2-3 – Heathrow April 2-3 – East Midlands April 23-24 – Southampton April 30-May 1 – Manchester May 7 – Heathrow

Carriage of Diagnostic & Infectious Substances by Air • May 12 – Elstree Carriage of Lithium Batteries by Air, Road & Sea • March 9-10 – Elstree • April 2-3 – Manchester • May 11-12 – Northampton Carriage of Excepted & Limited Quantities by Air, Road and Sea • March 30-April 1 – Manchester • May 18-20 – Southampton Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser • February 24-28 – Heathrow • February 24-28 – Manchester TRANSCHEM TRAINING The Legion, Wigshaw Lane Culcheth, Warrington WA3 4LY, UK T (+44 151) 488 0961 www.transchemtraining.com ADR Initial • March 9-13 – Wakefield • March 16-20 – Warrington • April 20-24 – Warrington • May 11-15 – Wakefield TRANSPORTATION SAFETY INSTITUTE Hazmat Training Division 6500 South MacArthur Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73135, USA T (+1 405) 954 4500 www.tsi.dot.gov Air Transportation of Hazardous Materials March 2-4 – Oklahoma City Transportation of Hazardous Materials • March 9-12 – Oklahoma City • May 4-7 – Oklahoma City Transportation of Hazardous Materials (Recurrent) • March 10-12 – Oklahoma City • May 5-7 – Oklahoma City Instructor Training: HM Transportation Modules • April 7-9 – Oklahoma City Performance Oriented Packaging • May 19-21 – Oklahoma City

Transporting Lithium Batteries • March 5 – Oklahoma City Cargo Tank Regulatory Compliance • April 27-30 – Oklahoma City TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY CENTER Security and Emergency Response Training Center PO Box 11130 Pueblo, CO 81001, USA T (+1 719) 584 0584 sertc.org HazMat/WMD Technician for Surface Transportation • March 2-13 – Pueblo • March 23-April 3 – Pueblo • April 27-May 8 – Pueblo Tank Car Specialist • March 16-20 – Pueblo Tank Car Specialist – Advanced • March 2-6 – Pueblo Leadership & Management of Surface Transportation Incidents • March 9-13 – Pueblo • March 30-April 3 – Pueblo • May 4-8 – Pueblo Highway Emergency Response Specialist • March 16-20 – Pueblo • April 6-10 – Pueblo • April 20-24 – Pueblo Highway Emergency Response Specialist – Advanced • April 27-May 1 – Pueblo Tactical Hazardous Materials Operations for Surface Transportation • March 2-6 – Pueblo Flammable Liquid Emergencies in Rail Transport • March 10-12 – Pueblo • March 24-26 – Pueblo • April 28-30 – Pueblo Transportation Container Loading and Unloading Emergency Response • March 3-5 – Pueblo • April 7-9 – Pueblo YORDAS GROUP Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University Lancaster, Lancs LA1 4YQ, UK. T (+44 1524) 510278 www.thereachcentre.com Hazard Communication Workshop • March 10-12 – Lancaster • May 12-14 – Lancaster Biocidal Product Regulations – Introduction and Authorisation • April 28-29 – Lancaster

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40 COURSES & CONFERENCES

COURSES & CONFERENCES 41

CONFERENCE DIARY FEBRUARY Battery Recycling Europe February 19-20, London Conference for the battery recycling and manufacturing sectors www.wplgroup.com/aci/event/batteryrecycling-europe/ International Petroleum Week (IP Week) February 25-27, London Annual week of meetings, lunches, conferences and seminars in London www.ipweek.co.uk Hazardex 2020 & PPTEx February 26-27, Harrogate Conference and exhibition on hazardous area operations and personal protective technology www.hazardexonthenet.net/event. aspx?EventID=4848

MARCH ChemCon The Americas 2020 March 2-6, Philadelphia Global conference on chemical regulation https://chemcon.net/upcoming.shtml PPC Spring Meeting March 8-10, San Antonio Bi-annual meeting and tradeshow of the Petroleum Packaging Council www.ppcouncil.org/upcoming-meetings.php IATA World Cargo Symposium March 10-12, Istanbul 14th global conference on air cargo www.iata.org/events/wcs/pages/index.aspx NACD Regulatory and Responsible Distribution Workshop March 10-12, Long Beach Meeting for code coordinators and others subject to Responsible Distribution www.nacd.com/education-meetings/meetings/2020spring-regulatory-and-responsible-distributionworkshops/ StocExpo 2020 March 10-12, Rotterdam The main annual exhibition and conference for the European tank terminal industry www.stocexpo.com/en/

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

BADGP March 12, Coventry Annual AGM and seminar of the British Association of Dangerous Goods Professionals www.badgp.org/event-3391957 Tanks and Terminals 2020 March 16-18, Dubai Conference and workshop on integrity management of aboveground storage tanks www.marcusevans-conferences-middleeastern.com/ Intermodal Asia March 17-19, Shanghai Seventh annual exhibition for the Asian intermodal sector www.intermodal-asia.com Intermodal South America March 17-19, São Paulo International exhibition on intermodal logistics, cargo transport and international trade www.intermodal.com.br/en LogiChem March 17-19, Rotterdam Chemical supply chain and logistics conference http://logichem.wbresearch.com/

AFPM IPC March 29-31, New Orleans AFPM’s annual International Petrochemical Conference www.afpm.org/events/2734f40000093b

APRIL Argus West Africa LPG April 1-2, Lagos Conference exploring the potential for LPG in West Africa www.argusmedia.com/en/conferences-eventslisting/west-africa-lpg Megatrans April 1-3, Melbourne Biennial trade show for the freight sector in Australia and internationally www.megatrans.com.au Ouray Transportation & Response Symposium April 5-8, Denver First symposium to spread technical knowledge on hazmat response www.ourayservices.com/trs2020/

International Transport & Logistics Week (SITL) March 17-20, Paris Annual transport event, including Dangerous Goods Logistics Pavilion www.sitl.eu/en-gb.html

NISTM April 15-17, Orlando National Institute for Storage Tank Management’s 22nd annual international aboveground storage tank conference and trade show www.nistm.org

LNG Congress Russia March 18-19, Moscow Seventh annual congress and exhibition on developments in Russian and Arctic LNG www.lngrussiacongress.com/en

Chemspec India April 16-17, Mumbai Exhibition for the fine and speciality chemicals sectors, incorporating ChemLogistics India www.chemspecindia.com

AFPM Annual Meeting March 22-24, Austin AFPM’s annual meeting for refiners and marketers www.afpm.org/Conferences/

CVSA Workshop April 19-23, San Antonio Meeting for industry, regulators and enforcers to improve commercial vehicle safety www.cvsa.org/eventpage/events/cvsa-workshop/

BDP Supply Chain Summit March 25, Antwerp Seminar on trade and compliance issues www.bdpinternational.com/2020-antwerp-supplychain-summit

Cryogenic Storage Tanks April 23-24, Munich Second technical conference on liquefied gas storage www.tuvsud.com/de-de/store/academy/conferencemanagement/tank-storage-systems/cryogenic-tanks

SCHC Spring Meeting March 28-April 1, Charlotte Biannual meeting of the Society of Chemical Hazard Communication www.schc.org/meetings

COSTHA 2020 April 26-30, Greenville, SC Annual forum and expo of the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles www.costha.com

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SAFETY 43

INCIDENT LOG

MARINE/INLAND WATERWAY INCIDENTS

ROAD/RAIL/AIR INCIDENTS Date

Location

6/11/19

Vehicle Type

Substance

Date

Location

2/11/19

Vessel

Substance

Details

Source

nr Nakhodka, Zaliv Amerika gas Russia

Explosion aboard bunkering tanker (3,300 dwt, 1989) due to ignition of gas/air mixture in cargo tank killed two crew; third was blown overboard and drowned; vessel was later towed into port

Splash 247

3/11/19

Glenmont, Brooklyn New York, US

diesel, gasoline

High water on Hudson River caused tuboat and barge to run aground near North Albany Terminal; barge had 68,000 bbl gasoline, 29,000 gal diesel; no leaks reported; further rain lifted tug from bottom

Times Union

Details

Source

Port Everglades, freight train ethanol Florida, US

Two tank cars with ethanol separated from BSFR train and derailed; cars remained upright and there were no reports of loss of product; cause of derailment not known

WSVN

4/11/19

Lemont, barge acetone Illinois, US

Tank barge exploded during cleaning at Illinois Marine Towing after residue of previous acetone cargo caught fire; no indication of injuries and no pollution of canals or rivers reported; USCG on scene

USCG

6/11/19

Amsterdam, road tanker ‘wet gas’ Ohio, US

Pilot tank truck overturned on SR 43 after running off road; some 2,000 gal (7.5 m³) of 8,000-gal cargo of flammable by-product leaked from gash in tank; locals rushed to free driver trapped in cab; no fire

WTOV

10/11/19

Lahad Datu, Ever Growth palm oil Sabah, Malaysia

Small tanker with palm oil from Sandakan caught fire at Fordeco Construction jetty; tanker was towed out to sea to prevent fire from spreading; no loss of life; cause under investigation

Bernama

8/11/19

Denton, truck propane Texas, US

Truck carrying “more than a dozen” tanks with propane was in multi-vehicle crash on I-35; four cars, two trucks involved; fire broke out, tanks exploded; three dead, three more injured

NBC DFW

21/11/19

off Yuzhnyy, Delfi — Ukraine

Bunker tanker, thought to be in ballast, dragged anchor in severe storm, drifted onto coast; crew refused evacuation; tanker later declared total loss; thought to have been engaged in ‘grey’ bunkering

FleetMon

9/11/19

Lagos, road tanker gasoline Nigeria

Road tanker with 33,000 litres gasoline overturned near Murtala Muhammed International Airport, spilling cargo near terminal, other buildings; rapid response prevented fire; no injuries reported

This Day

3/12/19

off Bangkok, Thailand

Bunker tanker sank off Chao Praya estuary; thought to have around 100 t bunker fuel aboard, of which at least 20 t leaked; reports mention sudden massive ingress of water aft but precise cause not known

FleetMon

9/11/19

Awka, road tanker gasoline Anambra, Nigeria

Road tanker with gasoline overturned into ditch, spilling cargo to road; locals collected fuel until police arrived and cordoned area off; no fire or injuries reported; state has instigated ban on daytime tanker traffic

Premium Times

11/11/19

River Bend, trailer fireworks Missouri, US

Fire broke out in semi-trailer full of fireworks, parked on empty lot; fireworks shooting from blaze set fire to another trailer; fire was extinguished but later started again; no injuries reported; cause under investigation

KSHB

13/11/19

Ipoh, road tanker palm oil Perak, Malaysia

Road tanker caught fire on N-S Expressway near Menora tunnel; vehicle largely destroyed in blaze, which caused partial road closure and severe delays; no indication of cause of fire

Bernama

Details

Source

14/11/19

Ntule, road tanker fuel Narok, Kenya

Driver lost control of tanker on downhill section of Narok-Maai Mahui road, either through speeding or brake failure; tanker rammed another truck, caught fire; two in tanker were trapped and killed; truck also destroyed

14/11/19

Ota, road tanker gasoline Ogun, Nigeria

14/11/19

Golden fuel oil Bridge 2

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS Date

Location

Plant type

Standard

1/11/19

Pardubice, Czech Republic

explosives gunpowder factory

Four people badly injured by explosion in gunpowder production unit of state-owned Explosia plant; subsequent fire was put out in an hour; Mining Authority, police investigating incident

CTK

Road tanker overturned on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, spilling gasoline that ignited and burned 17 other vehicles; two dead, six injured; defective tanker suspected; FRSC called for strict adherence to ADR

This Day

3/11/19

Plaquemine, Louisiana, US

chemical crude oil plant

Loud explosion reported at Dow Chemical plant; operator later admitted that a vessel ruptured but there was no off-site impact other than the noise; production unit stabilised, shut down

WAFB

Upper Tyrone, freight train solvent Pennsylvania, US

Freight car derailed, overturned, thought to be as a result of faulty brakes; car leaked colourless liquid, later identified as an industrial solvent, flammable; “few hundred gallons” reached nearby creek; no fire reported

KDKA

4/11/19

Shuwaikh, oil refinery oil Kuwait

Fire broke out in industrial area housing oil refinery, several garages and auto parts stores; three workers killed in fire; not clear from reports what caused it

MENA

16/11/19

nr Dawson Creek, road tanker crude oil BC, Canada

Road tanker with 40,000 litres crude crashed, overturned on Pouce Coupe River bridge after driver lost control; fire broke out, causing bridge to be closed for investigation; some oil spilled to river

Canadian Press

7/11/19

Novorossiysk, oil depot oil Krasnodar, Russia

Six workers were badly injured by fire at Grushovaya oil depot, reportedly after steam/air mixture exploded during welding work on storage tank; inquiry under way

TASS

16/11/19

Niagara Falls, freight train butane New York, US

Four tank cars with butane in CSX train derailed, three overturning; responders found no leaks from the tanks; no injuries reported; cause under investigation by operator

Buffalo News

7/11/19

Banias, oil refinery oil Syria

One worker killed, another badly injured by explosion at Syria’s largest refinery; press reports said blast happened during welding work on oil storage tank

Reuters

16/11/19

nr Sears Point, road tanker gasoline California, US

Tank truck overturned on Highway 121 after hitting guardrail on curve; some 4,300 gal (16.3 m³) gasoline spilled, causing road to be completely closed; visitors at nearby winery were unable to leave

NBC Bay Area

7/11/19

Bryan county, oil well crude oil Oklahoma, US

100 bbl crude oil plus produced water leaked from Godfrey Oil Properties site into Elm Creek, which leads to Lake Texoma; booms deployed to contain leak; ACE, US EPA informed; cause not yet determined

NBC DFW

17/11/19

nr Khondali, road tanker benzol Maharashtra, India

Road tanker carrying “crude benzol” from Odisha to Gujarat caught fire on Nagpur-Amravati highway; driver was killed in fire; not clear what happened but police said death was due to driver’s negligence

Times of India

11/11/19

Ipaja, pipeline fuel Lagos, Nigeria

Oil thieves triggered explosion on petroleum products line in Abisan Estate; understood that they had two road tankers, two buses and many jerrycans; thought that one vehicle touched electricity line, igniting vapours

New Telegraph

17/11/19

Mambe, road tanker fuel Maridi, S Sudan

Explosion during transfer of product between two road tankers after one had broken down; three people killed, seven injured in blast; exact cause remains unclear

HAN

13/11/19

Itay el-Baroud, pipeline gasoline Beheira, Egypt

At least seven people killed, 16 injured by fire that broke out as thieves were stealing gasoline from pipeline; press photos showed some locals trying to fight the fire while others continued to collect spilling fuel

Asharq al-Awsat

18/11/19

Felele, road tanker gasoline Kogi, Nigeria

Driver lost control of road tanker on Lokoja-Abuja highway, crashing into several other vehicles, tricycles; tanker crashed, spilling fuel that ignited; at least eight people died in blaze, others injured

Punch

18/11/19

Marklesburg, pipeline gasoline Pennsylvania, US

Estimated 27,000 gal (102 m³) gasoline leaked from Buckeye pipeline, of which 7,800 gal was recovered; no impact on water courses, though dams were constructed as a precaution; not clear what caused leak

WJAC

19/11/19

Irwindale, road tanker used oil California, US

Tank truck with 2,000 gal (7.5 m³) “used oil” was involved in crash near 605 Highway; tanker caught fire but no injuries reported; press photos showed blaze close to industrial facility with storage tanks

NBC LA

20/11/19

Barcellona, Sicily, Italy

Five people killed, two injured by explosion in family-run fireworks factory in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto; police said workers at the facility may have ignited blast during welding work

ANSA

20/11/19

Ajumako Duayaw, road tanker fuel Central, Ghana

Road tanker was involved in crash; no fire reported but responders cordoned area off in case of explosion, requested fire tender from regional capital before trying to move vehicle

Ghana Web

25/11/19

Kuala Selangor, landfill Selangor, Malaysia

Fire broke out in 270 drums of chemical waste, thought to be solvents or paints, dumped illegally a few days earlier; state Dept of Environment had already been alerted and was analysing waste before fire started

Bernama

20/11/19

Lagos, road tanker jet fuel Nigeria

Road tanker crashed, said to be due to reckless driving, spilling cargo of 44,000 litres Jet A1 on Otedola Bridge on Lagos-Ibadan expressway; rapid response prevented fire; fire crews stayed on site during cleanup

All Africa

27/11/19

Port Neches, Texas, US

chemical butadiene plant

Three workers injured by powerful explosion at TPC Group plant, reportedly in processing unit; fire spread to storage tanks with various products; one sphere with butadiene ruptured; mandatory 4-mile evacuation

ABC News

23/11/19

Delhi, road tanker phenol India

Three people died after being exposed to chemical, thought to be phenol, spilled from road tanker; driver unaware of incident and continued to Rajasthan; driver was later arrested

The Hindu

27/11/19

Charleston, S Carolina, US

chemical phosphorus plant

Fire broke out during unloading of container of phosphorus at Lanxess plant; shelter-in-place advisory issued; fire department was alerted by automatic alarm; site had been subject of recent OSHA citations

Post & Courier

28/11/19

Vadakara, road tanker gasoline Kerala, India

Road tanker overturned after collision on National Highway, spilling some 12,000 litres gasoline to road; driver injured in crash; police closed road

PTI

4/12/19

Liuyang, Hunan, China

fireworks fireworks factory

Seven people killed, 13 injured by explosion at illegal fireworks factory in Chengtanjiang town; factory was closed by police, who took owners into custody

Xinhua

30/11/19

nr Lehi, road tanker butane Utah, US

Double tanker rolled over on I-15, cause unknown, leaked butane; half-mile evacuation imposed; road closed, diversions in place; wreck was removed later the same day without further incident

KUTV

5/12/19

Isheri Olofin, pipeline gasoline Lagos, Nigeria

Explosion, fire on NNPC fuel pipeline, thought to be the result of vandals tapping into line; fire closed road bridge between Idowu-Egba and Ayobo; one person killed in blaze

Pulse

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

Substance

fireworks fireworks factory chemical waste

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SAFETY

UNINHIBITED HAZARDS INVESTIGATION • THE RECENT FOCUS SURROUNDING POLYMERISING CARGOES HAS BEEN VERY MUCH ON TANK CONTAINERS BUT THE STOLT GROENLAND INCIDENT SHOWS THE ISSUE GOES WIDER

THE EXPLOSION AND fire aboard the stainless steel parcel tanker Stolt Groenland while berthed in Ulsan, South Korea on 28 September 2019 has already led to some additional port restrictions. Following investigation by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), further operational changes are likely. It was rapidly determined that the explosion took place in a cargo tank with styrene monomer, which had polymerised. Rising pressure in the tank caused the deck to give way, releasing styrene vapour that then found an ignition source. The explosion caused a number of injuries but fortunately there were no fatalities. Stolt Groenland (43,478 dwt, built 2009) is registered in the Cayman Islands, which

asked the UK authorities for assistance in investigating the incident. CARGO ON BOARD Stolt Groenland, operated by Stolt Tankers, departed Houston on 17 August, bound for Kobe, Japan via the Panama Canal. It was carrying 20 different chemical cargoes in 37 of its 39 cargo tanks. Among those was 5,250 tonnes of styrene monomer, loaded at the LBC terminal in Houston on 7 and 8 August and distributed across three cargo tanks. Prior to loading the styrene, the cargo tanks were cleaned and subjected to a wall wash test, which found no problems. The tanks were not purged with nitrogen prior to loading. In accordance with cargo loading

instructions, the styrene was not loaded adjacent to heated cargoes. As is normal practice, an inhibitor was added to the styrene to prevent polymerisation. The concentration of tert-butylcatechol (TBC) inhibitor, which is typically in the range of 10 to 15 ppm, was 11.3 ppm in the shore tanks; a further 3 US gallons (11.4 litres) of TBC was added to each cargo tank before loading, to aim for a concentration of 17 ppm. The loading was overseen by an American Cargo Assurers cargo surveyor acting on behalf of the supplier of the styrene monomer, Ineos Styrolutions, and the purchaser, Samsung C&T Corporation. The cargo surveyor issued a certificate of inhibitor indicating that the TBC should remain effective for 60 to 90 days; the certificate also confirmed that the inhibitor is oxygen-dependent and that the styrene should be carried at a temperature between 15.5˚C and 29.4˚C. ROUTE TO ULSAN Stolt Groenland discharged cargo from four tanks in Kobe on 23 September and then sailed to Ulsan where six more tanks were discharged at the Odfjell terminal on 26 and 27 September. The ship then moved to the Yeompo quay where two more tanks were discharged via ship-to-ship transfer to Stolt Voyager (3,560 dwt, built 2003), which then moored ahead of Stolt Groenland. Early on 28 September, the oil/chemical tanker Bow Dalian (9,118 dwt, built 2012) secured alongside Stolt Groenland; its tanks were purged with nitrogen supply from shore ahead of a planned ship-to-ship transfer of cargo from Stolt Groenland. At 10.43 vapour started to release from the pressure/vacuum valve on one of the

 SINCE THE EXPLOSION ABOARD STOLT GROENLAND, THE PORT OF ULSAN HAS PLACED RESTRICTIONS ON THE TYPES OF CARGO THAT CAN BE HANDLED AT THE YEOMPO QUAY, CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK TO TRAFFIC ON THE BRIDGE

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

cargo tanks with styrene; two minutes later a high-level alarm sounded, followed rapidly by a high-high-level alarm, indicating that the cargo level had increased to 98 per cent. In the cargo control room, the monitoring system showed a rapid rise in pressure in the tank. At 10.50 there were two explosions in way of the cargo manifold. The resulting fireball passed very close to a road bridge above the quay. The ship’s voyage data recorder indicated that the temperature of the styrene had reached 100˚C. Crews on both Stolt Groenland and Bow Dalian immediately directed foam monitors towards their cargo manifolds. The fi re onboard Stolt Groenland was very intense, emitting thick black smoke. Its crew evacuated using the free-fall lifeboat, while the crew of Bow Dalian were taken off by Korean Coastguard boats. Responders continued to fight the blaze from shore and from water until the following morning. The remaining cargo was then discharged ashore. Damage to the cargo manifold area and accommodation block of Stolt Groenland was extensive. As of late January 2020, the vessel is still in Ulsan.

INITIAL FINDINGS MAIB says the explosions on Stolt Groenland were probably caused by the rupture of the deck above the cargo tank with styrene, due to over-pressure in the tank, followed by the ignition of the vapour that was released. This could have been due to static electricity, sparks or simply the heat of the steel deck plate. A large hole was found in the centreline bulkhead and the hatch cover had been blown off. MAIB is now moving onto a second phase of the investigation. It says it will focus on the factors that contributed to the polymerisation of the styrene cargo in one tank, the vessel’s cargo monitoring and the emergency response. It says it will continue to work closely with all stakeholders involved and aims to complete the investigation as swiftly as possible in order to ensure that appropriate action can be taken to avoid further similar incidents. MAIB notes, in fact, that another Stolt Tankers vessel, Stolt Focus (37,467 dwt, built 2001), also experienced the polymerisation of a styrene cargo on 20 November 2019. The polymerisation was detected due to a steady increase in the temperature of the cargo; efforts to control the reaction by the addition of further inhibitor proved unsuccessful.

Following consultation with chemists ashore, the styrene was distributed across four empty cargo tanks and drenched with sea water, which stabilised the monomer. Such a response is, of course, only available if there are empty tanks available. Prior to the final report being made available, MAIB is reminding chemical tanker owners and operators to always adhere to the carriage and storage instructions on the safety data sheet and certificate of inhibitor when carrying cargoes liable to spontaneous polymerisation, and to follow any additional instructions provided by the charterer and/or cargo owner. They are also advised to witness the addition of inhibitor into each cargo tank, and to closely monitor cargo temperatures during the voyage. Vessel operators must also ensure that their crews are familiar with the action to be taken in the event that tank monitoring equipment indicates that the cargo is self-heating or polymerising. In the meantime, MAIB is keen to hear from shipowners, ship and terminal operators, or individuals regarding any accidents or ‘near-misses’ involving the carriage of styrene monomer on board ships, including any actions subsequently taken. www.gov.uk/maib

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SAFETY 47

THE FUTURE OF HAZARDS PREVIEW • FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL 2019, HAZARDEX IS RETURNING ONCE MORE AS THE LEADING EVENT FOR THOSE INVOLVED WITH HAZARDOUS AREA OPERATIONS AND PROCESS SAFETY

THE 2020 HAZARDEX Conference and Exhibition is moving home this year and will take place on 26 and 27 February at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate, UK. The new venue has been chosen to provide exhibitors and attendees with improved facilities and accommodation for what is shaping up to be the largest Hazardex show to date. After last year’s successful introduction, it will once more incorporate the Personal Protection Technology exhibition (PPTex) for the second time.

The key focus of the two-day event will be the conference sessions, which will cover the topics of hazardous area operations and process safety in detail, as well as expanding the conversation to examine important issues within the personal protective technology sector. The conference will receive expert contributions from regulators, industry leaders, business executives and process safety experts. Senior figures from the UK

Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the Chemical Industry Association (CIA), the UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), the Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC) and representatives from Brenntag will feature on the list of eminent presenters guiding the conference through some of the most important discussions the industry is facing. In addition, as before, the show will include a wide variety of workshops, free seminars, a networking dinner and an awards ceremony. “Hazardex has always focused on the Three P’s: protection of personnel, process and plant,” says Russell Goater, Hazardex group publisher and event director. “PPTex has been launched to highlight the need for greater awareness of available tech to enhance worker safety. “In our recent market research, we discovered that 60 per cent of Hazardex readers surveyed were involved in the purchase of PPE and PPT equipment, either through recommendation, sourcing or final purchase approval. We also discovered that 69 per cent of those surveyed do not regularly read any other health and safety or hazardous environment title, and thus are not getting marketing exposure through those channels. “With the use of communication and access control systems increasingly used for on the spot location (lone workers), physical well-being (vital sign and environmental monitoring), asset management and maintenance needs, the combination of Hazardex and PPTex gives clear segmentation in the rapidly evolving merging of people and the operational technologies.” EXPERT GUIDANCE The conference chair will be split between Ron Sinclair MBE, technical manager of SGS Baseefa and chairman of the British Standards Institute (BSI) Committee EXL/310, and Martin Jones, operations manager at CompEx. Sinclair is responsible for the UK input to both European and international standards for electrical equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, and also chairs the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation’s (Cenelec)

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

technical committee TC31, represents electrical standardisation interests on the European Commission’s ATEX Standing Committee and chairs the IECEx Service Facility Certification Committee. Speakers at the Hazardex show will touch on subjects as diverse as: avoiding issues when deciphering equipment markings; examining disasters; and how to get the most from site planning. On day one, attendees will be able to experience Steve Elliott’s presentation on managing the challenges facing the hazardous process industries. Elliott, chief executive of CIA, will examine three main areas: digitisation and cyber; climate change as a threat to hazardous inventories and processes; and leadership in the industry. There will also be a presentation by Stephen Marcos Jones, director general of UKPIA, who will discuss digitisation in the sector. Focusing on the downstream efficiencies brought about by digital developments, Jones will delve into how digital change can bring about cost savings for a low-margin sector such as the downstream oil business, from the benefits of using drones and in-tank submersibles to customers using apps. Jones will also examine how safety in the industry is improving thanks to digitisation and how this new chapter can continue to expand with digital replicas and areas of de-risk opportunities. Glynn Warren, product manager at Extronics, will explain the difficulties operators are experiencing in the application of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and connectivity in terms of hazardous working areas. Warren’s presentation will cover the requirements of hazardous areas and why IIoT technologies may pose risks. Protocols and hazardous area standards will be examined to highlight where IIoT strategies

 HAZARDEX WILL ONCE MORE PROVIDE A FORUM TO SHARE THE LATEST KNOWLEDGE ON HAZARDOUS AREA OPERATIONS, WHILE ALSO RECOGNISING BEST PRACTICE AMONG OPERATORS

may need alterations and the benefits and drawbacks of certain key technologies in dangerous settings. DESERVED RECOGNITION During the show there will be a prestigious award ceremony to thank and highlight nominees for excellence and determination in the sector. The categories for awards are: Contribution to Safety, Contribution to the Environment, Technical Innovation, Best User Application and Best Customer Service. An additional prize, the Delegate Award, will be voted on and awarded by conference and exhibition attendees on the night. Once the conference closes on day one, the drinks reception with gala dinner and entertainment will begin for a far more casual opportunity to meet up with key names in the industry. The joint conference and exhibition are key

Attendees looking to take part in the show can book passes through the Hazardex event website. Admission to the exhibition is free and booking forms for the all-important conference can be downloaded online. Goater says: “Anybody with a professional interest in operation safety for the high hazard industries, including COMAH, will gain vital information from cross-industry peers; those that set the legal requirements and specialist training practitioners should attend to add to their acquired knowledge and experience. The event content is also CPD-approved and therefore not only individuals but companies will benefit too.” Those who visit will receive access to the comprehensive trade exhibition, access to seminars and workshops providing industryleading content, discussion forums, hands-on practical advice and thought leadership presentations.

dates in the calendar for businesses involved with hazardous area operations across major industries. The event has been shown to bring together the international community for process safety each year to review best practices and the latest research in those areas key to managing process safety effectively.

The venue is ready accessible and is just 10 minutes’ walk from Harrogate station, 30 minutes’ drive from Leeds-Bradford airport and slightly more than an hour’s drive from most locations in north-eastern and north-western England, Humberside and the Midlands. www.hazardex-event.co.uk

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48 SAFETY

NEWS BULLETIN

SAFETY

KNOW YOUR ARMS

The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has updated its Design and Construction Specification for Marine Loading Arms (MLA) publication. This fourth edition provides enhanced and updated guidance to owners and vendors of MLAs used in the transfer of oil and oil products, LNG, LPG, ammonia, ethylene and other gases. “The development of this updated and enhanced guidance was necessary to account for the significant technical and regulatory changes related to MLAs since the last edition was published [ten years ago],” says Chris Snape, who chaired the working group that produced the new edition. “By taking advantage of standard software capabilities to aid the accuracy of standard information provided by owners to manufacturers, we are confident that this publication will support the highest standards of safety and best practice.” “There are considerable differences between the various designs available, so getting alignment on safety-related design and construction specifications is a significant achievement and speaks to the professionalism of all those involved,” adds OCIMF director Rob Drysdale. “The book contains much more detail and information than previous editions, including new and emerging technologies as the use of marine loading arms expands into other areas.” The new MLA book is available for purchase via the OCIMF website, www.ocimf.org. FEWER SPILLS THAN EVER

Last year witnessed the fewest oil pollution incidents at sea since records began in 1970, according to the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation’s (ITOPF) latest annual survey. Only three oil spill events were recorded, only one of which involved the loss of more than 700 tonnes of product, with an estimated total of some 1,000 tonnes. The number of incidents is half the ten-year average, compared to an average of around 79 per year in the 1970s.

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ITOPF’s figure for 2019 does not include the mysterious spill that contaminated some 3,000 km of coastline in Brazil, the source of which is thus far unknown. The statistics may be changed should it be determined that it came from an oil tanker. www.itopf.org LPG GETS A PASS

The UK Freight Transport Association (FTA) has extended the Safe Loading Pass Scheme, introduced for liquid fuels in 2015, to cover LPG as from 1 January 2020. From then, any vehicle loading LPG at participating terminals must be inspected under the scheme, which is recognised by members of the UK Petroleum Industries Association (UK PIA) and the Tank Storage Association (TSA). “We have worked closely with Liquid Gas UK, UKPIA and TSA to adapt the audits and inspections developed for liquid fuel tankers to LPG tankers,” says Sharon Mitchell, head of audits and standards at FTA. “This will offer fuel terminal managers the same safety assurances that the Scheme offers for both types of vehicle entering their premises.” www.safeloadingpass.co.uk www.fta.co.uk FIRE GUIDE FOR CONTAINERS

ABS has issued a new Guide for Fire-Fighting Systems for Cargo Areas of Container Carriers, in what it describes as an “industry first”. The Guide is for the use of designers, builders, owners and operators and specifies the ABS requirements for addressing fire safety in four key areas: fire-fighting for containers stowed on deck, fire-fighting for containers stowed below, fire safety of the deckhouse and container hold flooding as a measure for fire-fighting. “Container carriers have grown much larger in recent years and the volume of cargo carried has expanded significantly,” says Gareth Burton, vice-president of technology at ABS. “In addition, the nature of the cargo has

changed. Fires involving containers, especially with the volume and type of cargo now being carried, are becoming more frequent and can present a significant risk to the safety of the crew and the vessel.” ww2.eagle.org CLEAN AND GREEN

ClassNK has released an updated version of its Guidelines for the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM), with this fourth edition taking account of the entry into force at the end of 2020 of EU regulations that will require all existing ships sailing under the flag of EU member states and ships flying the flag of a third country and calling at an EU port or anchorage to have an IHM. The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships Convention (HKC), adopted in 2009, that will require an IHM for all ships over 500 gt, has not yet entered into force, although only two more significant maritime nations are needed to accede to it for it to meet the necessary conditions. ClassNK has revised its guidelines to include comprehensive content on the development and maintenance of IHM in line with not only the HKC, but also EU regulations, including the validity of an existing statement of compliance. The guidelines can be freely downloaded from the ClassNK website, www.classnk.com (registration required). BUY ONLINE FROM LION

Lion Technology has opened an online store to offer hazmat shipping labels, marks and placards. The labels and placards Lion offers are made from durable, weather-resistant materials to withstand the rigors of transport. Printed with fade-resistant, ultraviolet inks, these labels and placards will remain bright, noticeable, and compliant throughout the supply chain. Tammy Kent, Lion’s president, explains: “At Lion, our prime objective has always been to simplify regulatory compliance for industry professionals. By offering hazmat labels and placards, we’ve made Lion.com a one-stopshop for the hazmat training, consulting, and products that shippers need.” www.lion.com/products

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REGULATIONS 51

WAY TO GO MULTIMODAL • AT ITS AUTUMN 2019 SESSION, THE JOINT MEETING OF RID/ADR/ADN EXPERTS MADE A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS ON INCORPORATING CHANGES FROM THE UN The Joint Meeting of the RID Committee of Experts and the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s (ECE) Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP15) held its autumn 2019 session in Geneva this past 17 to 26 September. During the lengthy session, the Joint Meeting continued with its business of transposing the latest round of regulatory amendments from the UN Model Regulations into the modal regulations that apply across Europe and increasingly (especially for road transport) further afield. The Joint Meeting’s aim is to maintain harmonisation, insofar as is possible, between the regulations covering the transport of

 VACUUM-OPERATED WASTE TANKS HAVE GENERATED A LOT OF TALK BUT NOT MUCH ACTION

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dangerous goods by rail (RID), road (ADR) and inland waterways (ADN). The meeting was chaired as usual by Claude Pfauvadel (France) with Silvia Garcia Wolfrum (Spain) as vice-chair. It was attended by representatives from 22 countries as full members, a representative from DR Congo in a consultative capacity, the European Commission (EC), the EU Agency for Railways (ERA), the Organisation for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD) and 20 non-governmental organisations. Before the Joint Meeting began its deliberations, Yuwei Li, director of the UN ECE Sustainable Transport Division, explained recent changes to its structure, namely the creation of the new Road Safety Management and Dangerous Goods section, and the appointment of Romain Hubert as Chief of Section, effective 1 June 2019.

TANKS MATTERS As is the normal procedure, those papers relating to the transport of dangerous goods in tanks were entrusted to the Working Group on Tanks, which met for the first three days of the session under the chairmanship of Arne Bale (UK) with Kees de Putter (Netherlands) acting as secretary. The UK presented a paper following up on earlier discussions of its proposals to amend 6.8.2.1.28 relating to the positioning of protective fittings and accessories mounted on the upper parts of vacuum-operated waste tanks. Opinion remained divided on the merits of the proposals, with the Working Group noting that the provisions of this paragraph already allow for flexibility. This may be the end of the matter, unless further evidence is forthcoming. On a similar topic, the UK put forward a paper seeking the experts’ opinion on the different clamping arrangements for the openable ends of vacuum-operated waste tanks, particularly regarding the need to protect over-the-centre hydraulic clamps. Those experts who responded said that such clamps are used without additional protection, although noting that those in use in their countries are more robust than the example shown in the UK paper.

The UK asked for consideration of 6.10.3.8 on the diversion of vapours from the outlets of pumps and exhauster units so that they will not cause danger. The Working Group felt that the current wording does not prohibit the use of a low-level outlet, whether or not a hose is fitted, and that it is the responsibility of the tank operator to decide where it is safe to divert vapours. Wording proposed by the UK would, it was felt, be too restrictive. It was, however, felt that it would be useful to add a Note to 6.10.3.8(a), a decision with which the Joint Meeting agreed. This will read: NOTE: This requirement may, for example, be complied with by the use of a vertical pipe or a low-level outlet with a connection which allows, when necessary, attachment of a hose. Yet another paper from the UK continued the discussion from previous sessions on the amendment to footnote 3 of 6.8.2.1.18 on the cross-sectional shape of tank shells; this had been agreed but kept in square brackets pending revision of the EN 13094 standard. This is unlikely to be published in time for the 2021 editions of RID and ADR but the Working Group felt that WP15 should introduce guidance containing the relevant clauses from the standard, which have been agreed. The text already agreed was subjected to some further revision, although the Joint Meeting felt that it could be simplified further. The UK volunteered to submit an amended version to WP15 for its November 2019 session. The UK also presented the reports of the 11th and 12th session of the informal working group on the inspection and certification of tanks, which had generated revised texts for 6.8, 1.8.7 and 1.8.6, along with consequential amendments in Chapter 6.2. It was anticipated that the work would be completed at the next scheduled meeting of the informal working group in London in December 2019, with the aim of presenting an official document at the March 2020 session of the Joint Meeting. All delegations were urged to study the proposals

some countries do not grant periodic or intermediate inspection certificates for tanks equipped in this manner. There was broad sympathy for the idea but it was felt that it would be best to await the outcome of discussions by the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG). As an interim measure, it was suggested that operators should render the heating elements inoperable until the work of the FRP Working Group of the TDG Sub-committee has been completed. The Intergovernmental Organisation for the International Carriage by Rail (OTIF) proposed some alignments in the different language versions; the Working Group agreed that OTIF’s proposals were correct. In the English language version of RID, this has led to the replacement of “shells” by “tanks” in the definition of ‘tank-wagon’ in 1.2.1; in 6.8.2.1.11 of both RID and ADR (English version), “welded tanks” is replaced by “welded shells”. The secretariat invited the Working Group to take a look at discussions that took place at the previous session of WP15 on the placarding and marking of tank vehicles in cases where there had been a change of load without the tanks being cleaned. The practice raises some problems; for instance, when biodiesel is loaded after gasoline has been carried, it is possible for the gasoline residue to reduce the flashpoint of the biodiesel to such a degree that it should be classified as flammable. Is it then appropriate for the vehicle to continue to carry the same marking? It was recognised that more discussion was needed on this topic but the experts were wary of over-complicating the provisions. In an informal document, France sought a change in 6.8.2.1.20, following a query by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) during its discussions on the revision of EN 13094. It was noted that Chapter 6.8 of ADR uses ‘capacity’ and ‘volume’ interchangeably and it was thought, that for

in detail and to send comments and proposals in writing. The Netherlands proposed to move the provisions relating to heating elements used on fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) tanks from Chapter 6.9 to Chapter 4.4 in order to prevent misinterpretation, after it had emerged that

consistency and to avoid misinterpretation, ‘capacity’ should be used throughout, as it is defined in 1.2.1. The French proposal was agreed, so that 6.8.2.1.20(b)1 will read: -C apacity between two partitions or surge-plates of not more than 7500 l. »

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REGULATIONS 53

THE JOINT MEETING AIMS TO MAINTAIN HARMONISATION, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, BETWEEN THE PROVISIONS OF RID, ADR AND ADN

UN HARMONISATION The secretariat provided the Joint Meeting with the report of the ad hoc Working Group on the Harmonisation of RID/ADR/ADN with the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, which had met in Geneva

up to the modal bodies to transpose these amendments into the texts of RID, ADR and ADN. The commentary below does not include a significant number of editorial corrections and clarifications. Part 1 The Working Group examined two proposals to provide an exemption for data loggers and other battery-powered equipment attached to cargo transport units; the UN’s changes to 1.1.3.7 were not thought to be ideal and the Working Group proposed instead a textual change to 1.1.3.7(b). This also included adoption of a new 5.5.4: Dangerous goods in equipment in use or intended for use during carriage 5.5.4.1 Dangerous goods (e.g. lithium batteries, fuel cell cartridges) contained in equipment such as data loggers and cargo tracking devices, attached to or placed in packages, overpacks, containers or load compartments are not subject to any provisions of RID/ADR/ADN other than the following: (a) the equipment shall be in use or intended for use during carriage;

5.5.4.2 When such equipment containing dangerous goods is carried as a consignment, the relevant entry of Table A of Chapter 3.2 shall be used and all applicable provisions of RID/ADR/ ADN shall apply. In 1.2.1, a new definition is provided for ‘Dose rate’: “the ambient dose equivalent or the directional dose equivalent, as appropriate, per unit time, measured at the point of interest”. This replaces the definition of ‘radiation level’, which is deleted; in other parts of the text relating to radioactive substances, ‘radiation level’ is replaced by ‘dose rate’ throughout. There are a number of other technical changes in Section 1.6.6 and Chapters 1.7 and 1.10 relating to radioactive materials. After some discussion, the definition of ‘Self-accelerating decomposition temperature’ was amended to read: Self-accelerating decomposition temperature (SADT) means the lowest temperature at which self-accelerating decomposition may occur in a substance in the packaging, IBC or tank as

Group felt that this falls outside the scope of this definition. Germany had noted some issues with the inclusion of the words ‘except for animal material’ in table 1.10.3.1.2. While ‘animal material’ was formerly carried in cultures and therefore classified by default as infectious substance of category A, most such material now fulfils the criteria for category B. It was also noted that category A animal material is currently not exempted as a high-consequence dangerous good in table 1.4.1 of the Model Regulations, causing an inconsistency with RID/ADR/ADN. It was felt that the UN TDG Sub-committee should be alerted to this. Part 2 In 2.1.5.4 a new sentence is added to the end: However, this section applies to articles containing explosives which are excluded from Class 1 in accordance with 2.2.1.1.8.2. In Chapter 2.2, references to a number of standards have been updated and revised. Also in this section, room has been found to make reference to the new UN 3549 Medical waste, category A, affecting humans, solid or Medical waste, category A, affecting animals only, solid. This entry was adopted by the UN to cater for large volumes of potentially

in late April 2019 under the chairmanship of Claude Pfauvadel. The Working Group by and large accepted the changes stemming from the work of the UN Experts, with some comments, and its recommendations were again largely accepted by the Joint Meeting. It should be noted, however, that it will be

(b) the contained dangerous goods (e.g. lithium batteries, fuel cell cartridges) shall meet the applicable construction and test requirements specified in RID/ADR/ADN; and (c) the equipment shall be capable of withstanding the shocks and loadings normally encountered during carriage.

offered for carriage. The SADT shall be determined in accordance with the test procedures given in Part II, Section 28 of the Manual of Tests and Criteria. The secretariat noted that this definition loses the existing text relating to the effects of heating under confinement but the Working

infected solid waste generated during medical responses to virus outbreaks, in response specifically to the last major Ebola virus outbreak. It has also necessitated an amendment to 2.2.62.1.11.1, which now reads: Medical or clinical waste containing: (a) Category A infectious substances shall be

 FURTHER WORK IS NEEDED ON THE PLACARDING OF TANKERS THAT HAVE CHANGED GRADE

Another informal paper from France proposed deletion of transitional measures on the tank record contained in 1.6.3.16 and 1.6.4.18. The Working Group felt that this move was premature, as tanks that entered into service before 2007 may not have the type approval in the tank record. The Working Group also noted that similar provisions in RID are due to be amended in 2021 and perhaps this provides a solution. However, with time running out it was decided to return to the issue at the March 2020 session.

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assigned to UN No. 2814, UN No. 2900 or UN No. 3549, as appropriate. Solid medical waste containing Category A infectious substances generated from the medical treatment of humans or veterinary treatment of animals may be assigned to UN No. 3549. The UN No. 3549 entry shall not be used for waste from bio-research or liquid waste; (b) Category B infectious substances shall be assigned to UN No. 3291. Part 3 There are only a few new entries in the Dangerous Goods List (Table A of Chapter 3.2): UN 5011 Detonators, electronic programmable for blasting, Division 1.1B UN 5012 Detonators, electronic programmable for blasting, Division 1.4B UN 5013 Detonators, electronic programmable for blasting, Division 1.42, SP 347 UN 3549 Medical waste, category A, affecting humans, solid or Medical waste, category A, affecting animals only, solid, Division 6.2, SP 395 UN 3549 Medical waste, category A, affecting humans, solid in refrigerated liquid nitrogen or Medical waste, category A, affecting animals only, solid in refrigerated liquid nitrogen, Division 6.2, SP 395. A definition of detonators, electronic programmable for blasting is added in 2.2.1.4: Detonators with enhanced safety and security features, utilizing electronic components to transmit a firing signal with validated commands and secure communications. Detonators of this type cannot be initiated by other means. The final new entry does not exist in the Model Regulations but is adopted into RID/ ADR/ADN by analogy with UN 2814, 2900 and 3291, and requires labelling/placarding with the Division 2.2 symbol. Elsewhere in the Dangerous Goods List, for RID/ADR only, ‘LP101’ has been added alongside ‘P130’ for the following entries: UN 0005, 0007, 0012, 0014, 0033, 0037, 0136, 0167, 0180, 0238, 0240, 0242, 0279, 0291, 0294,0295, 0324, 0326, 0327, 0330, 0338, 0339, 0348, 0369, 0371, 0413, 0414, 0417, 0426, 0427, 0453, 0457, 0458, 0459 and 0460. For UN 0340, 0341, 0342 and 0343, ‘393’ is added in column (6). For UN 1002, 1006, 1013, 1046, 1056, 1058, 1065, 1066, 1080, 1952, 1956, 2036, 3070, 3163, 3297, 3298 and 3299, ‘392’ replaces ‘660’ in column (6). For all UN 2037 entries, ‘327’ is added in column (6); »

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LP200 in column (8) and in column (9a) ‘PP96’ is added against ‘P003’ and ‘L2’ against ‘LP200’. For ADN only the special provision in inserted. For UN 2383, ‘386’ is deleted from column (6); ‘386’ is inserted against UN 2522, for which ‘STABILIZED’ is added at the end of the proper shipping name. ‘394’ is inserted in column (6) for UN 2555, 2556, 2557 and 3380. For UN 3164, ‘PP32’ is added in column (9a). For UN 3291, ‘II’ is deleted twice from column (4); as a consequence, 2.2.62.1.11.4 is deleted. For UN 3363, ‘DANGEROUS GOODS IN ARTICLES or’ is added at the start of the proper shipping name. For UN 350, ‘PP97’ is added in column (9a). The Working Group did not feel that it was necessary to add SP 356 to UN 3529, as the land transport of engines and machinery is already subject to a specific regime. A useful change was adopted by the UN Experts, which has been carried into RID/ ADR/ADN, although it remains in square brackets as the Working Group felt the wording could be improved; these changes will need to be submitted to the UN TDG Sub-committee for consideration. Pending any further changes, a new 3.1.2.8.1.4 reads: For UN Nos. 3077 and 3082 only, the technical

UN 3082, ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S. (PAINT) UN 3082, ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S. (PERFUMERY PRODUCTS). There are as usual a number of editorial changes to the special provisions. In the first sentence of SP 301, “applies to machinery or apparatus” will now read: “applies to articles such as machinery, apparatus or devices”; elsewhere, “articles” replaces “machinery or apparatus”. In the last paragraph of SP 309, “satisfactorily pass Tests 8(a), (b) and (c)” is replaced by “satisfy the criteria for classification as an ammonium nitrate emulsion, suspension or gel, intermediate for blasting explosives (ANE)”. Waste gas cartridges are added to waste aerosols in SP 327, which now applies to UN 1950 and 2037. A new sentence is added after the third sentence: Waste gas cartridges, other than those leaking or severely deformed, shall be packed in accordance with packing instruction P003 and special packing provisions PP17 and PP96 (ADN: of ADR), or packing instruction LP200 and special packing provision L2 (ADN: of ADR). Salvage pressure receptacles are now

In SP 356, “machinery, engines” is added after “in wagons, vehicles, vessels”. In SP 360, “classified under” is replaced by “assigned to”. A new sentence is added at the end: Lithium batteries installed in cargo transport units, designed only to provide power external to the transport unit shall be assigned to entry UN 3536 LITHIUM BATTERIES INSTALLED IN CARGO TRANSPORT UNIT. In SP 370, the first sentence is amended to read: “This entry only applies to ammonium nitrate that meets one of the following criteria:” and “or” replaces “and” at the end of the first indent. In addition, a new paragraph is added after the indents: This entry shall not be used for ammonium nitrate for which a proper shipping name already exists in Table A of Chapter 3.2 including ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil (ANFO) or any of the commercial grades of ammonium nitrate. A new sentence is added at the end of the seventh paragraph of SP 388: Lithium ion batteries or lithium metal batteries installed in a cargo transport unit and designed only to provide power external to the cargo transport unit shall be assigned to the entry UN 3536 LITHIUM BATTERIES INSTALLED IN CARGO TRANSPORT UNIT lithium ion batteries or lithium metal batteries. SP 660 is deleted. A new SP 390 is added: When a package contains a combination of lithium batteries contained in equipment and lithium batteries packed with equipment, the following requirements apply for the purposes of package marking and documentation: (a) the package shall be marked “UN 3091 Lithium metal batteries packed with equipment”, or “UN 3481 Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment”, as appropriate. If a package contains both lithium ion batteries and lithium metal batteries packed with and contained in equipment, the package shall be marked as required for both battery types. However, button

name may be a name shown in capital letters in column 2 of Table A of Chapter 3.2, provided that this name does not include “N.O.S.” and that special provision 274 is not assigned [against it in column (6)]. The name which most appropriately describes the substance or mixture shall be used, e.g.:

acceptable, as well as salvage packagings. There is also an additional paragraph at the end of SP 327: Waste gas cartridges that were filled with non-flammable, non-toxic gases of Class 2, group A or O and have been pierced are not subject to RID/ADR/ADN.

cell batteries installed in equipment (including circuit boards) need not be considered; (b) the transport document shall indicate “UN 3091 LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT” or “UN 3481 LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT”, as appropriate. If a package contains both lithium

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metal batteries and lithium ion batteries packed with and contained in equipment, then the transport document shall indicate both “UN 3091 LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT” and “UN 3481 LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT”. There are three other new special provisions: 393 The nitrocellulose shall meet the criteria of the Bergmann-Junk test or methyl violet paper test in the Manual of Tests and Criteria Appendix 10. Tests of type 3 (c) need not be applied. 394 The nitrocellulose shall meet the criteria of the Bergmann-Junk test or methyl violet paper test in the Manual of Tests and Criteria Appendix 10. 395 This entry shall only be used for solid medical wasted of Category A carried for disposal. Part 4 Another change that may prove useful to many dutyholders is found in a new 4.1.1.3.2, which reads: Packagings, including IBCs and large packagings, may conform to one or more than one successfully tested design type and may bear more than one mark [in accordance with 6.1.3, 6.2.2.7, 6.2.2.8, 6.2.2.9, 6.2.2.10, 6.3.4, 6.5.2 or 6.6.3].

 BATTERY-POWERED DATA LOGGERS AND OTHER SIMILAR EQUIPMENT ARE NOW SPECIFICALLY EXEMPTED FROM THE REGULATIONS WHEN IN USE

The text in square brackets is intended to clarify the marks referred to, which are not described in Part 4. In packing instruction P003, “and robust articles consigned under UN No 3164” is added after “3358”. A new special packing provision is added in P003: PP96 For UN No. 2037 waste gas cartridges carried in accordance with special provision 327, the packagings shall be adequately ventilated to prevent the creation of dangerous atmospheres and the build-up of pressure. There are some very significant changes to the LC50 values in table 2 of P200; those affected are advised to check carefully. A new special packing provision is added in P206: PP97 For fire extinguishing agents assigned to UN No. 3500 the maximum test period for periodic inspection shall be 10 years. They may be carried in tubes of a maximum water capacity of 450 l conforming to the applicable requirements of Chapter 6.2. In P207, PP87, “flammable atmosphere” is replaced by “dangerous atmospheres”. In the last sentence of P301(1) and (2), “unit” is replaced by “primary containment”. In P400(2) and (3), “threaded” is deleted from the first sentence; after that sentence, a new sentence is added: »

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Inner packagings shall have threaded closures or closures physically held in place by any means capable of preventing back-off or loosening of the closure by impact or vibration during carriage. A new packing instruction P622 and large packing instruction LP622 apply to waste of UN 3549 carried for disposal, giving a range of options and specifying inter alia that the outer packaging shall conform to the packing group I performance level for solids. There are some amendments to P801, which applies to UN 2794, 2795 and 3028. The Working Group felt it would be useful to group all the packing provisions for used batteries into one instruction. In P903, a new paragraph is added: (5) For packagings containing both cells or batteries packed with equipment and contained in equipment: (a) For cells and batteries, packagings that

 PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSPORT OF LARGE VOLUMES OF MEDICAL WASTE

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REGULATIONS 57

completely enclose the cells or batteries, then placed with equipment in a packaging conforming to the requirements in paragraph (1) of this packing instruction; or (b) Packagings conforming to the requirements in paragraph (1) of this packing instruction, then placed with the equipment in a strong outer packaging constructed of suitable material, and of adequate strength and design in relation to the packaging capacity and its intended use. The outer packaging shall be constructed in such a manner as to prevent accidental operation during carriage and need not meet the requirements of 4.1.1.3. The equipment shall be secured against movement within the outer packaging. Devices such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, watches and temperature loggers, which are not capable of generating a dangerous evolution of heat, may be carried when intentionally active in strong outer packagings. When active, these devices shall meet defined standards for electromagnetic radiation to ensure that the operation of the devices does not interfere with aircraft systems.

The introductory sentence of P907 is amended to read: “This instruction applies to articles, such as machinery, apparatus or devices of UN No. 3363”. In the text, “article” replaces “machinery or apparatus” throughout. LP200 is amended to accommodate the carriage of waste gas cartridges. In addition, the last sentence is amended to read: For waste aerosols and waste gas cartridges carried in accordance with special provision 327, the large packagings shall be adequately ventilated to prevent the creation of dangerous atmospheres and the build-up of pressure. A new 4.2.3.7.3 is added, relating to polymerising substances: The date at which the actual holding time ends shall be entered in the transport document (see 5.4.1. 2.2 (d)). In 4.2.5.3, TP19 is amended to read: TP19 At the time of construction, the minimum shell thickness determined according to 6.7.3.4 shall be increased by 3 mm as a corrosion allowance. Shell thickness shall be verified ultrasonically at intervals midway between periodic hydraulic tests and shall never be lower

than the minimum shell thickness determined according to 6.7.3.4. Part 5 There are a number of technical changes to the provisions relating to radioactive substances in 5.1.5, 5.3 and 5.4, as well as in 6.4. The end of the second sentence of 5.2.1.1 is amended to read: …for cylinders of 60 l water capacity or less when they shall be at least 6 mm in height and except for packages of 5 l capacity or less or of 5 kg maximum net mass when they shall be of an appropriate size. A new sentence is added to the end of 5.2.1.7.6: Any mark on the package made in accordance with the requirements of 5.2.1.7.4 (a) and (b) and 5.2.1.7.5 (c) relating to the package type that does not relate to the UN number and proper shipping name assigned to the consignment shall be removed or covered. In the figure in 5.2.1.9.2, “120 mm” is replaced by “100 mm” and “110 mm” by “100 mm”. In the last paragraph, “a rectangle” is replaced by “a rectangle or square”; “120 wide x 110 mm high” is replaced by “100 mm wide x 100 mm high”; and “/line thickness” is deleted from the fifth sentence and “105 mm wide x 74 mm high” is replaced by “100 mm wide x 70 mm high”. In the heading of 5.5.3, in the text in parentheses at the end, “or nitrogen” is added after “(UN 1951)”. A new Note is added after the heading: In the context of this section the term “conditioning” may be used in a broader scope and includes protection. There are corresponding changes in 5.5.3.6.2. Part 6 In 6.1.3.1, which explains the ‘clock’ mark for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), the third sentence is amended to read: Letters, numerals and symbols shall be at least 12 mm high, except for packagings of 30 l capacity or less or of 30 kg maximum net mass, when they shall be at least 6 mm in height and except for packagings of 5 l capacity or less or of

of the year in the mark may be waived. However, when the clock is not placed adjacent to the type approval mark, the two digits of the year in the mark and in the clock shall be identical. A new 6.1.3.14 is added: Where a packaging conforms to one or more than one tested packaging design type, including one or more than one tested IBC or large packaging design type, the packaging may bear more than one type approval mark to indicate the relevant performance test requirements that have been met. Where more than one mark appears on a packaging, the marks must appear in close proximity to one another and each mark must appear in its entirety. A new 6.1.4.2.6 is added: If materials used for body, heads, closures and fittings are not in themselves compatible with the contents to be carried, suitable internal protective coatings or treatments shall be applied. These coatings or treatments shall retain their protective properties under normal conditions of carriage. Identical text is added as a new 6.1.4.3.6. In both cases, subsequent paragraphs are renumbered. Several revised standards are added in Chapter 6.2, all relating to gas cylinders. A new 6.5.2.1.3 is added: Where an IBC conforms to one or more than one tested IBC design type, including one or more than one tested packaging or large packaging design type, the IBC may bear more than one mark to indicate the relevant performance test requirements that have been met. Where more than one mark appears on a packaging, the marks must appear in close proximity to one another and each mark shall appear in its entirety. The last row in the table in 6.5.2.2.1 – maximum permitted stacking load – and its corresponding footnote are deleted. In the first sentence of 6.5.2.2.2, “when the IBC is in use” is deleted. The last sentence of the first paragraph of 6.5.2.2.4 is amended to read: They shall be durable, legible and placed in a

5 kg maximum net mass when they shall be of an appropriate size. In the text of the note in 6.1.3.1(e), which explains the asterisk, the second sentence after the clock is replaced by the following: In such a case and when the clock is placed adjacent to the type approval mark, the indication

location so as to be readily accessible for inspection after assembling the inner receptacle in the outer casing. When the marks on the inner receptacle are not readily accessible for inspection due to the design of the outer casing, a duplicate of the required marks on the inner receptacle shall be placed on the outer casing preceded by

 THERE ARE CHANGES COMING TO THE PROVISIONS FOR THE MARKING OF IBCS

the wording “Inner receptacle”. This duplicate shall be durable, legible and placed in a location so as to be readily accessible for inspection. The second sentence of the second paragraph is amended to read: In such a case, the date may be waived from the remainder of the marks. A new introductory sentence to 6.5.5.1.5 reads: Metal IBCs with a capacity of more than 1500 l shall comply with the following minimum wall thickness requirement: There are changes to the table under 6.5.5.1.5(a). Text similar to that in 6.5.2.1.3 is added as 6.6.3.4 relating to large packagings. A new paragraph 6.7.3.15.6 is added: Except as provided for in this paragraph, portable tanks which have missed the timeframe for their scheduled 5 year or 2.5 year periodic inspection and test may only be filled and offered for carriage if a new 5 year periodic inspection and test is performed according to 6.7.3.15.4. Similar wording is added as a new 6.7.4.14.6. The second part of this two-part report on the Autumn 2019 session of the Joint Meeting, which will appear in the March issue of HCB, will cover other proposals for amendment – of which there were many – along with some interesting discussions on risk management.

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THE INTERNATIONAL CIVIL Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) held its 27th session in Montréal, Canada from 16 to 20 September 2019, with the aim of making progress on the development of the amendments to the Technical Instructions for the Transport of Dangerous Goods (Tis) that will be in effect in 2021 and 2022, subject to adoption by the ICAO Council in November 2020. The meeting was attended by representatives of 21 contracting states and six non-governmental organisations. It was chaired by Micheline Paquette (Canada) with Teun Muller (Netherlands) elected as

but need to be aware that the legal provisions are set by ICAO; its DGP also attempts to maintain harmonisation, insofar as is possible, with the UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, which also feed into the other modal, national and regional rulebooks. Any amendments adopted by ICAO will, therefore, be reflected in the 2021 edition of IATA’s DGR. DGP was faced by a lengthy agenda, agreed by the ICAO Air Navigation Commission (ANC); however, its work was made easier by the fact that working groups had met the week before to carry out a lot of the donkey work.

session in December 2018, which were included in the 21st revised edition of the UN Model Regulations. While there is a constant effort to maintain harmonisation, the practicalities and risks involved in the transport of dangerous goods by air are such that ICAO often feels the need to vary from the UN provisions. For instance, while the Panel included references to intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and portable tanks in the definition of selfaccelerating polymerisation temperature (SAPT), this was accompanied by a note to specify that they are not permitted for transport by air. This follows an earlier decision by the Panel that definitions should be included in the Tis even if the item being defined is not permitted for transport by air. In a similar vein, while DGP updated the list of references to provisions for which the transport of excepted packages of radioactive material would apply, it left out reference to the packaging orientation arrow provisions in 5;3.2.12 b), as it saw no value in it for air transport, and reference to the documentation provisions for consignments required to be shipped under exclusive use in 5;4.1.5.7.1 i), as these consignments would never be transported by air. The new provisions agreed by the UN experts to exempt battery-powered data loggers and other similar devices from the provisions of the regulations led to considerable discussion. That exception applies only to devices attached to or integrated into containers, overpacks and packagings, not to devices shipped as cargo, but ICAO remains concerned that such devices may still be hazardous to an aircraft. It was decided to refer the matter to the newly formed Safe Carriage of Goods Specific Working Group for its opinion, even though

vice-chair. Dr Katherine Rooney, chief of ICAO’s Cargo Safety Section, acted as usual as secretary. Those involved in the transport of dangerous goods by air most often use the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA),

UN AMENDMENTS The Panel examined the decisions adopted by the UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) and the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) at its ninth

there are concerns that any delay may cause problems in multimodal transport. In considering this matter, DGP identified two areas of concern: the hazards posed by the potential for devices to cause electromagnetic interference with aircraft systems; and the hazards posed by the

MORE THAN BATTERIES AIR • THE VERY SPECIFIC ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS BY AIR MEAN THAT ICAO’S DANGEROUS GOODS PANEL MUST INTERPRET THE UN PROVISIONS

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

lithium batteries themselves. It was pointed out that the lithium batteries included in the devices would be active during transport and may be attached to packages containing dangerous goods that, in the normal course of events, would need to be separated from fully regulated lithium batteries carried as cargo. In general, it was felt that mention needed to be made to address the issue, especially as the use of data loggers is becoming more widespread. However, it was also felt that the conditions under which the exception is permitted should be more stringent than those in the UN text. It was eventually agreed to adopt a new 1;1.1.5.1 i): data loggers and cargo tracking devices with installed lithium batteries, attached to or placed in packages, overpacks or unit load devices are not subject to any provisions of these Instructions provided the following conditions are met:

 ANY LITHIUM BATTERY ON AN AIRCRAFT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE AN INCIDENT

1) the data loggers and cargo tracking devices must be in use or intended for use during transport; 2) each cell or battery must meet the provisions of Part 2;9.3 a), e), f) (if applicable) and g); 3) for a lithium ion cell, the Watt-hour rating must not be more than 20 Wh; 4) for a lithium ion battery, the Watt-hour rating must not be more than 100 Wh; 5) for a lithium metal cell, the lithium content must not be more than 1 g; 6) for a lithium metal battery, the aggregate lithium content must not be more than 2 g; 7) the number of data loggers or cargo tracking devices in or on any package or overpack must be no more than the number required to track or to collect data for the specific consignment; 8) the data loggers or cargo tracking devices must be capable of withstanding the shocks and loadings normally encountered during transport; 9) the data loggers or cargo tracking devices must not be capable of generating a dangerous evolution of heat; and

10) the data loggers or cargo tracking devices must meet defined standards for electromagnetic radiation to ensure that the operation of the device does not interfere with aircraft systems. Note - This exception does not apply where the data loggers or cargo tracking devices are offered for transport as a consignment in accordance with Packing Instruction 967 or 970. The Panel also felt it would be useful to review the provisions for active devices in Packing Instructions 967 and 970 and to develop a more systematic, performancebased approach to developing future provisions. Also on the topic of lithium batteries, the Panel was not entirely happy with Special Provision A154, which prohibits the transport by air of lithium batteries that have been identified as being damaged or defective, and which had been revised to align with the UN Model Regulations. It seemed sensible to focus on determining that batteries are not damaged or defective, rather than take the UN approach of assessing whether they are. It was decided to add a new sentence at the beginning of A154: Lithium ion cells or batteries and lithium metal cells or batteries, identified as being defective for safety reasons, that have the potential of producing a dangerous evolution of heat, fire or short circuit are forbidden for transport (e.g. those being returned to the manufacturer for safety reasons or cells or batteries that cannot be diagnosed as defective prior to transport). The subsequent paragraph and indents are also amended to read: Lithium ion cells or batteries and lithium metal cells or batteries identified as being damaged such that they do not conform to the type tested according to the applicable provisions of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria are forbidden for transport. For the purposes of this special provision, these may include, but are not limited to: a) cells or batteries that have leaked or vented; b) cells or batteries that cannot be diagnosed prior to transport; or »

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c) cells or batteries that have sustained physical or mechanical damage. Examining the new text adopted by the UN experts on determining the transport index for overpacks and freight containers, the Panel made some revisions. For instance, while the UN text refers to a shipment from a single shipper, the Panel saw this as unnecessary, since overpacks can only be offered by a single shipper. Similarly, the new sentence for non-rigid overpacks was also deemed superfluous, as the requirements are the same as those for rigid overpacks. ICAO plans to take this back to the UN TDG Sub-committee, but for now the new text of 5;1.2.3.1.2 will read: The transport index for each overpack or freight container must be determined as the sum of the transport indices of all the packages contained therein. However, for a rigid overpack, or a freight container from one single shipper, the shipper may determine the transport index by direct measurement of dose rate. The transport index for a non-rigid overpack must be determined only as the sum of the transport indices of all the packages.

material were added to 5;2.4.5.5, although again the Panel thought the UN text contained an error, which will be raised with the TDG Sub-committee. The amendment involves the addition of a new final sentence in that paragraph: Any mark on the package made in accordance with the requirements of 2.4.5.3 a) and b) and 2.4.5.4 c) relating to the package type that does not relate to the UN number and proper shipping name must be removed or covered. The figure of the lithium battery mark in Figure 5-3 has been revised but the Panel decided to add a note to clarify that the larger mark, which appears in the 2019-2020 edition of the Tis, may still be used. The Panel agreed amendments to Packing Instructions 492 (for UN 3292), 870 (for UN 2794 and 2795), 871 (for UN 3028) and 872 (for UN 2800); these all relate to batteries (not lithium batteries). Once more, though, the Panel varied from the UN text In most other respects, barring some necessary editorial variations, the latest set of UN amendments were adopted into the TIs for the 2021-2022 edition (see for instance

within the overpack. New marking requirements for radioactive

HCB’s report on similar discussions at the autumn Joint Meeting that starts on page 50 of this issue). These include: - The expansion of the table of highconsequence dangerous goods in Table 1-7 in 1;5.3.1.2 to add the new entries for

 THE NEW COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN AMENDED

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

detonators (UN 0512 and 0513), Division 1.6 explosives, and the new UN 3549 entry for Category A medical waste -T he addition of references to “chemicals under pressure”, especially in 1;2.1.3 and 1;2.2.1 -F urther reference to UN 3549 in 1;6.3.5.1 -R eplacement of “radiation level” by “dose rate” throughout, with a new definition for dose rate -R eplacement of “risk” by “hazard” at various points throughout -V arious amendments to special provisions and packing instructions -C hanges to the requirements for the marking of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). The full list of changes can be found in the report of the DGP session, available at www. icao.int/safety/DangerousGoods/DGP27/ DGP.27.WP.049.FullReport.en.pdf.

It was proposed that designated postal operators (DPOs) should offer mail articles containing dry ice as a refrigerant for Category B infectious substances (UN 3373) separately from other mail; this would ensure that such shipments are subject to an operator acceptance check so that appropriate safety measures can be taken and ensure that information is provided to the pilot-in-command. Some thought this was already the case but there is evidence that DPOs do not always comply. It was agreed that including specific references would remove any ambiguity, while the proposal was revised to refer to Packing Instruction 954 to simplify the text. An amendment to Packing Instruction Y963 was proposed to clarify that dry ice as a refrigerant could be packed in a unit load device (ULD) containing ID 8000 — Consumer

commodities prepared by a single shipper, but that dangerous goods other than ID 8000 could not be packed in the same outer packaging. The revised packing instruction would align with the allowance for dry ice provided in Packing Instruction 954. The amendment, subject to some minor revisions, was agreed. Amendments to Special Provisions A88 (on the transport of pre-production prototypes and low production run lithium batteries that have not been subject to UN testing) and A99 (on the transport of lithium batteries larger than 35 kg) were proposed to require approval from the State of the Operator in addition to the State of Origin. The amendment was agreed, though there was still some pressure to add the State of Destination as well. An amendment allowing for electronic

information to be provided to the pilot-incommand in accordance with Part 7;4.1.1 of the TIs was proposed. While there was support for allowing electronic information, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) suggested more consideration was needed before introducing an allowance. The Federation felt there may be a need for a paper copy to be kept in addition to the electronic version, which might not always be accessible by the flight crew in an emergency. Further discussion of this issue will take place through a working group. Two proposals related to battery-powered equipment capable of generating extreme heat carried by passengers or crew were presented, both to achieve the same objective of ensuring measures to mitigate this risk apply to all batteries, not just lithium. Both amendments »

OTHER CHANGES There was lengthy discussion of a list of other, air-specific amendments that had been agreed at earlier sessions of the Panel and its working groups. It was confirmed that the draft training provisions, which introduce the concept of competency-based training, that had been included as Attachment 4 in the 2019-2020 edition of the TIs would replace the training provisions in Part 1;4 in the 2021-2022 edition, although there were some amendments from the earlier text on the basis of discussions at the DGP Working Group on Training and on feedback from industry and states that had begun the process of implementing the new provisions. Those changes include a restructuring of the material to align with similar competencybased training and assessment guidance in other ICAO manuals; provisions to take account of different levels of proficiency; a method for identifying the tasks for which an employee has been trained and assessed; and a transitional period to allow the training provisions in the 2019-2020 edition to be used until the end of 2022.

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proposed adding a new item for Table 8-1. A revised amendment was agreed that incorporated the intent of both proposals into the existing element for non-spillable wet batteries, and the element was expanded to include nickel-metal hydride and dry batteries. A proposal to add a specific reference to dry and nickel-metal hydride batteries in the provisions for dangerous goods carried by passengers or crew had been agreed at an earlier session but there had been no allowance made for passengers to carry a spare battery. While some though such a provision unnecessary, given these batteries are exempted from the provisions of the TIs if they comply with special provisions A123 or A199, the lack of an explicit allowance creates an ambiguity. It was proposed that one spare battery should be allowed, though it was then pointed out that passengers are already permitted to carry an unlimited number of spares. However, most Panel member supported the amendment. A report on the activities of the ICAO/ Universal Postal Union (UPU) Contact Committee was provided. Among the topics under discussion on the committee was the creation of a centralised dangerous goods reporting system for incidents involving dangerous goods, including unpermitted dangerous goods discovered in the post, and the use of security screening to detect undeclared dangerous goods. Other topics included efforts being taken by UPU with respect to advance electronic data, work being done by ICAO with respect to drones and challenges that may be encountered with respect to the post, security certifications, lithium batteries, controls over the introduction of dangerous goods in the post, use of customs declaration systems for the purpose of

LITHIUM BATTERIES An update on the progress of a performance-based package standard for lithium batteries that the SAE International G27 Lithium Battery Packaging Performance Committee is developing had been given at an earlier session. Once this work is complete, DGP will need to consider whether or not to adopt the standard in the TIs. If it is, then measures will need to be taken to provide reassurance to the aviation industry that a battery or package combination that has successfully passed the standard test is safe for transport. Draft text to address this need was developed for a possible new chapter in Part 6 of the TIs as a basis for discussion. The draft included a requirement for identification that a packaging and its contents are consistent with the actual

the state concerned in the approval. One of the two co-chairs of the G-27 Committee was in attendance and appreciated the discussion, stressing that the Committee itself is only interested in the packaging standard and that it is a matter for ICAO to decide how to use it. The chair of the UN TDG Sub-committee was also in attendance and noted that the UN experts have already embarked on discussions aimed at establishing a general mechanism for determining if a packaging is able to mitigate the hazards associated with articles that have the potential to produce excessive heat, which would include a method of determining who tested the package, what the results were and whether a particular package had been subject to additional testing. The outcome of this work may go a long way to allaying the fears of the

rejecting prohibited dangerous goods from the post, dry ice in the post and e-commerce. The Contact Committee was due to meet again in the first quarter of 2020, when it was anticipated that the topic of extra-territorial offices of exchange would be added to the agenda.

tests performed – this is seen as vital if operators are to have any confidence in the system. There will also need to be a clear set of marks on the package to identify that it meets the standards, which should include the name of the manufacturer and some form of audit trail, and to identify

aviation industry.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

 ALLOWANCES FOR THE CARRIAGE OF SPARE BATTERIES BY PASSENGERS HAVE BEEN CLARIFIED

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64 BACK PAGE

NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED FRESH AIR FIEND As regular readers of the Back Page may well have spotted by now, there are plenty of hazards in domestic activities, often emerging only when individuals are trying to keep things neat and tidy – a good excuse for the state of our office, we think. For instance, a man was injured back in November in Halifax, UK when his car exploded. What happened was something like this: stuck in traffic, the man decided that his car smelled bad, probably on account of him smoking in it. He sprayed an aerosol of air freshener all over the place to cover up the stink. His mistake was then to light up another cigarette. The lighter ignited the mist of air freshener, blowing out the windows of his car and buckling the doors; the blast was so fierce that it also damaged windows at nearby businesses. Police closed the road while they investigated what went on. Perhaps the good folk of Yorkshire are not attuned to dealing with domestic cleaning products. Nor indeed those of Essex: a very similar incident was reported in Southendon-Sea in September 2017.

The local fire chief said the outcome could have been much worse had there been anyone in the living room where the blast happened and urged the public to be vigilant: “Always store any aerosol canisters away from any source of heat or naked flame.”

THE TROUBLES ARE BACK Nor perhaps in Northern Ireland. Last November a woman was injured by falling down the stairs at her home in West Belfast after an air freshener exploded, blowing

CARRIE ON SCREAMING We all know that Hallowe’en is a big deal nowadays, and nowhere more so than in the US. But play with the dark side at your peril… Last 29 October emergency crews feared the worst when they attended a wrecked car in Huntington, West Virginia, especially when a young woman staggered from the wreck with her prom dress torn and covered in blood. The woman, a 20-year-old named Sidney, was fortunately not badly hurt. What she was, in fact, was dressed up as the character Carrie, as played by Sissy Spacek in the film of the same name; indeed, she had not been to any run-of-the-mill Hallowe’en party but had been playing the part in a promotion of Carrie the Musical. Sidney explained that at the end of the evening, she had been too tired to shower and remover her make-up before heading home and just got in the car and drove (not very well, clearly). She could not remember how she came to have her accident and, when speaking to the press afterwards, did not even recall where

out the ground-floor windows. Fire crews found that the air freshener had been left on top of a wood-burning stove and had heated up to the point where it exploded, creating an overpressure that caused the damage. The woman was rushing to find out what had gone on when she fell.

it happened. Her side of the story came out some time later on Twitter (of course). “If anyone wants to know how my weekend went I totalled my car while dressed up as Carrie and everyone who was a first responder thought I was dead HAHAHAHAHA IM SO SORRY,” she wrote.

HCB MONTHLY | FEBRUARY 2020

ADVERTISERS INDEX BADGP

Cameon

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13, 19 61 IBC

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HCB Magazine February 2020

Articles inside

News bulletin – tanker shipping

Ammonia offers carbon-free fuel

Stolt finds 2018 a tricky year

Chemship owners wait and see

AmSafe offers battery protection

CSafe opens Incheon cold chain hub

News bulletin – tanks and logistics

A good year for Raben

Coalition for net-zero household fuels

Bertschi looks further afield

Implico and Brainum join forces

Qronoport reduces waiting time

Nexxiot promotes standardisation

VTG expands data offering

VOLUME 41 • NUMBER

30 Years Ago

Packwise follows the IBC

Learning by Training