HCB Magazine January 2019

EDITOR’S LETTER

January is the time of year when people take stock of their lives and resolve to do better. But New Year’s resolutions are often not kept. In any case, the idea that making a decision to be better in some way can make you a better person overall is, to be frank, fatuous. So this year I will not becoming vegan, I will not be having a Dry January, and I will not be shaving my beard.

But perhaps HCB can offer a resolution or two that would improve the industry. Here’s one: transport companies could remind their drivers to do a walkaround of their vehicles before leaving the yard. There are a whole lot of enforcement issues that could be avoided, simply by checking the load, fire extinguishers, personal protective equipment and the Instructions in Writing. Drivers used to do it – have they forgotten?

And there’s something else. As I was writing up my report from the European Chemical Transport Association’s (ECTA) Annual Meeting, which took place in Düsseldorf, Germany last November, I noticed something I had scribbled in the margin: we were still talking about the same old issues.

Don’t get me wrong: the ECTA Annual Meeting is always a fascinating and instructive day, as our report that starts on page 20 demonstrates. But some of the same topics came up again, notably driver shortages, the need to take advantage of advances in IT, and the need to build trust across the supply chain and for all participants to be more open with the information they have.

These three points have something in common. They are all to do with identifying and removing inefficiencies in the chemical supply chain, particularly in the transport of goods by road. And the ECTA meeting did address them in some ways. For instance, shortening gate-to-gate times at loading

and unloading points can make drivers more productive, helping to reduce the pressure to hire more drivers. ECTA itself has also been at the forefront of the development of the new electronic European Cleaning Document, the eECD, which leverages the power of digitisation to reduce paperwork and inefficiencies in the transmission of crucial information on tank cleaning between the various participants in the chain.

Those are, though, only two illustrations of what can happen if the chemical industry and its logistics partners approach the well known blockages in the system with an open mind. And there was still no sign that the need for more openness between supply chain partners (and, if the problem is to be addressed to the fullest extent possible, supply chain competitors) has any solution.

The need for trust and greater openness in the chemical supply chain is nothing new; we have been writing about it for more than ten years, and there are examples of how neutral platforms can give participants more confidence that the information they need to share will not be used by others to gain an unfair advantage. And yet, after all this time, both shippers and logistics providers display a reluctance to share that information.

HCB is now entering its 40th year of continuous publication. Looking back, I can see how attitudes have changed over those four decades. The current attitude to trust in the supply chain also needs to change. Perhaps I could persuade you to resolve to be more open with each other.

Peter Mackay

CONTENTS

UP FRONT

Letter from the editor

Years Ago

by Training

STORAGE TERMINALS

Go west!

encourages hub for the Med

Going for gas

tweaks growth strategy

bulletin – storage terminals

TANKS & LOGISTICS

Sign of quality ITCO continues @tco depot audits

in the Gulf

GPCA recognises need for change

A grand day out

chemical transport with ECTA

Editor–in–Chief

Plastic fantastic

Eurotainer gets into composite tanks

The acid test

Vale protects against corrosion

on Benelux Broekman buys VLS sites

bulletin – tanks and logistics

COURSES & CONFERENCES

Training courses

diary

Incident Log

LABELLING & COMPLIANCE

It’s not going to work CBA attacks Brexit REACH plans

by wireless DGOffice updates XML standards

On the road again

All the talks from the Labeline roadshow

REGULATIONS

The late show

readies harmonisation rule

Long train coming

experts line up next changes

Calendar of meetings

BACK PAGE

Not otherwise specified

NEXT MONTH

Chemical tankers – markets

Dangerous goods by air European chemical logistics Digitisation in the supply chain

Deputy

Cargo

Commercial Manager

Managing Editor

Media

Campaigns

30 YEARS AGO

A LOOK BACK AT JANUARY 1989

Flicking back through the pages of HCB’s January 1989 issue provides a fine example of just how far industry has come in the past three decades. A major survey on drums for the transport of dangerous goods looked in particular at fibre drums – actually ‘fiber drums’, as the piece concentrated on the US market.

However, the writing was already on the wall – the US DOT’s now-famous HM-181 rulemaking proposed severe limitations on the products that would be authorised for transport in fibre drums, especially corrosive and/or flammable liquids. Larry Bierlein, then general counsel to the Fibre Drum Technical Council, provided a thorough examination of the DOT proposals and the action that the Council was to take to protect its market. As an indication of the level of success that was achieved, it is sobering to look at the list of manufacturers that accompanied the article and realise that only two of the 13 companies are still in business.

Packagings were also high on the agenda at the IMO’s Carriage of Dangerous Goods Sub-committee, which had just finalised Amendment 25 to the IMDG Code. Our report highlighted the range of substances that IMO deemed unsuitable for transport in the various types of IBC, provisions for the use of which had only recently arrived in the UN Orange Book. In those days, the IMDG Code followed its own journey and today’s Code is much better aligned with the Orange Book, but in 1989 shippers needed to be very careful when consigning all manner of goods in IBCs.

That amendment to the IMDG Code also included substantial revisions to the provisions for marine pollutants, to align with Annex III

of Marpol, due to enter into force shortly. An article in the January 1989 issue by Hans Hermansson of Intertanko looked at the impact of the arrival of Annex II of Marpol, which applies to tankers carrying chemicals in bulk and which entered into force in April 1987. As expected, there had been a significant impact on the design, construction and equipment of chemical tankers but there had been some more unexpected impacts, in areas such as the wording of charterparties and the issue of waste treatment.

There was a sign of things to come with the launch of a standardised, computer-based dangerous goods checking and tracking system by the International Air Transport Association, SITA and Exis. The system promised to offer airlines, shippers and freight forwarders “both improved safety margins and considerable commercial benefits” by increasing the speed and accuracy in the transmission of crucial documentation. It is only now that IATA is getting to the point where electronic documentation is as commonplace for dangerous goods freight as it is for passengers and, as DGOffice reports elsewhere in this issue, there are still problems to be addressed in terms of the use of standardised forms and language.

There was plenty of interesting imagery in the January 1989 issue, most of it in black and white (colour printing still being comparatively expensive). But picture of the month was definitely a shot of Colum Boyle, chairman of CPV, handling over Stolt Tank Containers’ 2,000th tank to the then president of STC, Reg Lee, now president of ITCO. Thirty years on, only the hairstyle and the cut of the suit are different.

LEARNING BY TRAINING

By Arend van Campen A SCIENCE OF REALITY

Recently, I was invited to pitch my innovative research and ideas on management of complex systems (marine storage terminals) at the OpslagTanks conference in Spijkenisse, Holland. I was allowed 10 minutes in which to explain 9 years of research findings and to corroborate the conclusion that complex systems cannot be regulated from the outside with for example the PGS 29.

The results of my research by using systems science and cybernetics are that complexity is simply too large to be contained and described by regulatory standards, laws or compliance rules. After about 7 minutes, I started noticing the audience of about 100 people working in this industry looked lost, perhaps overwhelmed by the too technical explanations and abbreviations such as non-linearity, causality or my own definition of the limits of reality, coined Realimiteit.

Despite that I saw that few had understood, I was not approached by them to perhaps ask for an explanation, but was mostly met with silence. “What happened?” I asked myself. Did I explain this too fast, did I use too many difficult new expressions or definitions? Did I meet indifference, misunderstanding or did I discover that a reductionistic educated and trained audience was not yet able to understand a holistic vision? Were people in the audience suffering from psychological biases such as cognitive dissonance or confirmation bias?

I could not tell and the 10 minutes were just not enough time to show them the value of maximally controlled complexity. Back to the drawing board?

I did feel like Cassandra whose story I told to the audience as an introduction so they’d understand that someone who was able

to predict the future would never be believed. And, dear reader, that is exactly what happened. My story about an overlooked science called cybernetics was not yet really believed.

Steering with information, knowledge and through conversation would change mechanistic terminals into self-regulating, autodidact and autopoietic, but complex living and social systems of communication. But no one asked if I could explain these statements, so I felt quite alone as someone shouting in an empty desert.

But it is true; we can predict sustainability, longevity and prosperity of organisations because we have the sciences to do so. We can design viable systems which will be flexible learning systems, always open for change and not ignoring negative, corrective feedback. I mentioned that a badly designed system cannot be regulated into a well designed system. No, it needs to be redesigned.

Thousands of years of creating laws to prevent invasive behaviour have not led to the erasure of crime. Thousands of rules about Health, Safety and Environment have not yet led to a total erasure of accidents. More is needed. So when I tried to explain the Law of Requisite Variety, I felt I lost my audience all together. I regretted that despite my creative and concerned intentions, I was not able to warn them for an unavoidable entropy that lies ahead in the not too far future. They could not believe me.

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.

GO WEST!

TARRAGONA’S

THE BULK LIQUIDS storage terminal network in the Mediterranean is far less concentrated than its counterpart in northern Europe. Lacking a focal point, as is provided by the major ports of the Hamburg-Le Havre range (and, in particular, the Amsterdam-RotterdamAntwerp (ARA) region), the diversity and lack of coordination among the numerous ports and terminals results in inefficiencies and a weak focus for terminal customers.

In order to address this, the Port of Tarragona has for some years now been promoting itself as a hub for the chemical industry in the western Mediterranean,

highlighting its benefits in terms of a comparatively large chemical node, deepwater jetty facilities and connections both within the Iberian peninsula and more widely into the rest of Europe. As part of those efforts, the Port of Tarragona organised a second Hub Day workshop this past November to provide a forum for the discussion of a creation of a logistics hub for petrochemical products and to stress its aim of becoming a sustainable alternative to the ARA region.

The two-day event focused on the benefits that Mediterranean ports can offer in contrast to other well-developed logistics platforms in Europe. The port of Tarragona itself has 11 roro ramps and is equipped with four twin-gauge intermodal rail tracks for trains of up to 750 m. The port’s rail lines connect to the ZaragozaMadrid service and to Valencia and Barcelona.

The port of Tarragona is also recognised as the largest petrochemical cluster in southern Europe, with enormous potential for more rail transport links in the future.

Tarragona’s Hub Day aimed to raise debate about the steps that must be undertaken if Mediterranean ports are to become a serious competitor of the ARA region. The port of Tarragona acts as an excellent launchpad for innovation in this sense, due to its geography and infrastructure.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

The event kicked off with a boat tour around the port followed by a site visit to the TEPSA terminal, The tour, which was led by Genoveva Climent, commercial director at the Port of Tarragona, gave delegates to see first-hand the different areas that are dedicated to petrochemicals. According to Climent, petrochemicals represent more than 60 per cent of the port’s total traffic. The site visit gave an excellent overview of the growth happening within the port’s bulk liquids terminals while giving some idea of the potential of the port of Tarragona to act as a hub for the petrochemicals sector.

According to TEPSA, the port’s flexibility and commitment to the quality of its services

has led to the company becoming a strategic ally in its clients’ logistics chain, and its latest investment in tank storage at the Port of Tarragona has facilitated that journey. Other liquid bulk and container terminals at the port, such as DP World, mirror this sentiment, proving the potential for growth and development in the west Mediterranean region and specifically within the Port of Tarragona itself. Day one of Hub Day 2018 closed with a networking event and drinks reception, allowing everyone to come together and discuss the experience so far.

The second day started with a welcome address from Josep Andreu iI Figueras, president of the Port of Tarragona Authority. Andreu welcomed everyone with a brief insight into the port as well as an introduction to the day, which primarily focused on presentations from the event’s speakers on topics such as market trends, competitiveness and sustainability.

The keynote presentation came from Olivier Maronneaud, associate director chemicals at IHS Markit. Maronneaud spoke about the current state of the European petrochemicals market and trends over the past three decades. In his opening statements, Maronneaud discussed the different drivers that propel the petrochemical market, in the form of feedstocks, intermediates and end products. “When we talk about industry globally, we track the different markets,” said Maronneaud. “We track capacities and demand, as well as prices, and analyse production costs and margins.”

“When looking at trends over the last 40 years, we can see a clear cycle in average earnings on base chemicals and plastics,” continued Maronneaud. “From what we can see, these cycles repeat every five to seven years, with another down cycle expected soon.” Maronneaud also gave an insight into surplus capacity and annual demand growth trends over the last 30 years. There have been several spikes in both capacity and demand at various points throughout recent history. Notably, there was a large spike in surplus capacity, increasing to 12 per cent in 2008 during the global financial crisis, as a result of demand falling by an all-time record of 4 per cent.

“Any time that there has been a big decline in demand, it has impacted the capacity surplus and that has put more pressure on the market,” said Maronneaud. “The impact that we see in the early 2000s was actually relatively short-term. The investment cycle –or at least the consumption cycle – has picked up globally through the support of the central banks, which has helped to lift demand leading to a relatively positive environment for quite some time now.”

According to Maronneaud, the petrochemicals sector is currently in a period of stability. HIS Markit runs analysis reports every six months, with current results showing a relatively good view with regard to capacities coming onstream in the next five years.

According to Maronneaud, most of the global demand is being driven by China. It is expected that the market will remain stable over the coming five years.

Discussing the European market, Maronneaud said: “Europe is the third largest market in the petrochemicals industry. Looking forward, the relative share of west Europe is declining in both capacity and demand. This is mainly due to increases in consumption in Asia and production in China.” That means that Europe is becoming

significant as a key import region for chemicals. European domestic demand is slowly picking up after a wave of closures and rationalisations during the recession. Additionally, new investments have been announced throughout the value chain, which aim to drive growth in the European chemicals market.

Focusing specifically on the Spanish market, Maronneaud explained that imports into Spain equate to 2.3m tonnes in 2016, rising to 2.5m tonnes in 2017. Spain accounts for 9 per cent of the western European market for methanol, most of which is sourced from the Americas and Africa, with west Europe and the Middle East holding smaller shares. Maronneaud concluded by pointing out that the industry remains positive about the dynamic for petrochemicals in Europe, especially given that chemicals imports are rising.

COMPETING FOR BUSINESS

Patrick Kulsen, managing director at PJK International, spoke about storage market trends and competitiveness between the ARA region and the Mediterranean. “The ARA region benefits most from the River Rhine,” said Kulsen. “The infrastructure of the region allows it to serve intercontinental trade flows. »

The ARA is concentrated in the Benelux, while the west Mediterranean ports are stretched out along the coastline. According to market share analysis, throughput through the ARA – in terms of liquid bulk – is four times greater when compared with the west Mediterranean.”

In terms of overall bulk liquids storage capacity, the Port of Tarragona is the smallest with 911,000 m3 while the Port of Rotterdam boasts more than 20m m3 of total storage capacity. However, when it comes to logistics capabilities, there are fewer observable differences. “Logistics capabilities determine the accessibility and attractiveness of the port,” said Kulsen. “From my point of view, inland shipping is the major difference

between the north of Europe and the west Mediterranean. A lot of canals and rivers that enable transport of liquid bulk via barges prove to be a very efficient mode of transport. Additionally, a lot of pipeline connections in the ARA region boost its attractiveness.”

Kulsen provided two case studies as examples to support the adoption of the western Mediterranean as a logistics platform: jet fuel imports via Marseille and chemicals imports via Lavéra, both in southern France, versus Antwerp. The former is a matter of competitiveness in the southern part of the Central Europe Pipeline System (CEPS) pipeline. Due to increasing demand for jet fuel at European airports, there is more demand for pipeline capacity.

“The northern route is quite congested,” said Kulsen. “The southern route, however, is not, and a lot of that has to do with pricing.”

That pricing structure, which is based on the length of pipeline, led to Rotterdam and Antwerp were handling a lot more jet fuel than Marseille. However, changes introduced in 2018 mean that it is now cheaper to transport jet fuel through the French port, bolstering the potential of the Mediterranean. According to Kulsen, the total transport cost of jet fuel from the Middle East is now $27.02/tonne via Rotterdam and $22.91/tonne via Marseille.

The second case study looked at chemicals imports via Lavéra as compared to Antwerp. The northern region of Lombardy is the main centre of Italy’s chemical industry. Chemicals can be shipped in via the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea to Lombardy using rail and tank trucks; however, for imports from the US Gulf coast, the ARA is comparatively cheaper. Kulsen concluded by observing that it is difficult to gain an objective view and it is important to compare cost-effectiveness on a case-by-case basis.

COLLABORATION AND CHANGE

In a brief presentation, Josep Forcadell (left), sales director at Vopak Terquimsa, presented the findings from a case study regarding Vopak and the potential in the Mediterranean. Vopak currently has 66 terminals in 25 countries, with a total storage capacity of 35.9 m3. Vopak has two terminals in Spain, one in Barcelona, which acts as a distribution terminal, and another in Tarragona, which is the company’s industrial and hub terminal in the western Mediterranean.

“What we can see when we look at Spanish port competitiveness is that there is growth for different products,” said Forcadell. “Of the different coasts in Spain, the eastern coast is the one that has the most potential. Obviously, it varies product by product, but in particular when we look at chemicals, we see a positive trend.”

Of the Spanish ports, Tarragona, Barcelona and Valencia are the ports with the largest volumes, especially in chemicals. Tarragona is also one of the largest import points for LPG. Forcadell explained that total traffic in the Mediterranean, while fluctuating the past,

has seen steady growth over the past few years, with hub activity beginning to pick up since 2013.

The main focus of Forcadell’s presentation fell on whether there is a case for business in Tarragona. His answer, simply, was: “We do not know yet.”

The case study that he presented showed two different options: traditional and alternative. “The traditional way is focusing on one particular type of chemical,” said Forcadell. “In this case, we are looking at methanol coming from the Middle East, going to the ARA region, then back to Tarragona via another ship. The alternative way looks at a ship going from Italy to Tarragona directly, dropping some cargo and then traveling to the ARA region where it leaves the remaining cargo.”

According to Forcadell, this door-todoor study not only covers the shipping and road legs but also the terminal costs, something Vopak had not looked at before. Forcadell concluded with the results that that alternative way, which travels through Tarragona directly, is cheaper, faster and cleaner. “It is approximately 8 per cent cheaper to go to Italy from Tarragona,” said Forcadell. In addition, that approach saves five days’ sailing time, which also has an impact on emissions. Vopak also found that Tarragona is less congested than the main ports in northern Europe and, with more capacity coming to the port in the future, Forcadell concluded: “I believe that we will start to see a diversion from the more traditional way to the alternative way.”

GET PLUGGED IN

The last to speak was Charles Misseghers, an analyst at Union Maritime et Fluvial Marseille Fos (UMF), who discussed the potential benefits of moving the shipping industry into

a new digital era. According to Misseghers, there is a local problem and a global problem.

The local problem is that the discrepancy between the liquid bulk flows in the north and south is too large, with 70 per cent of flows in the north range and only 30 per cent in the south. “Even if Marseille is a big player in the south, they are nothing when you look at the global market,” he said. When compared with the ARA region, the western Mediterranean has more than 30 sites that are scattered over several thousand kilometres, and as such the west Mediterranean has weaknesses that the ARA region does not.

“We are extremely split,” said Misseghers

“The downsides of this mean that we attract lower volumes per site. It is also more difficult to massify flows as there are fewer vessels of differing capacities. It is a shipping industry problem that we are facing, whether you are a ship owner, a cargo owner or a ship broker. The ship broker is receiving money from the ship owner, not the cargo owner. This means that the broker is looking for a ship for every »

type of cargo and not thinking about the global market. Currently, you have one vessel and one type of cargo, so the only player that is receiving money is the ship broker, with a small percentage going to the ship owner.

“However, the situation should be that there is one vessel that is split into several capacities, and those capacities should then be sold as such. The main problem is that players do not talk to one another. Hub Day brings everyone together once a year and people talk at conventions, but other than that, players do not collaborate. It is time to boost and optimise the supply chain and unlock the potential of commercial and operational efficiency. When talking about digitalisation, the question is not when are we going to be disrupted by digitalisation, but how are we going to be disrupted?”

Misseghers spoke further about the necessity for partnerships within the shipping industry and about the importance of moving towards a collaborative community marketplace: “The aim is for everyone to work together. We need an online marketplace with full transparency where every player can utilise digital tools that will promote collaboration.” Misseghers introduced Shipping4all, a collaborative marketplace aimed at helping ship owners and operators to significantly improve the performance of their fleet, as well as to reduce costs and increase revenue margins across the board. The aim of the Shipping4all platform is to bring together businesses that want to buy or sell spare capacities and gives ship owners the opportunity to have an open discussion with

one another, facilitating transactions and contributing to market and supply chain efficiency.

The second Tarragona Hub Day closed with an interactive Q&A session moderated by Arnaud Waché, president of AWBP Solution. The session provided an excellent opportunity for an open discussion with the event’s speakers and opened the floor for debate.

The event’s aim is to shed light on the potential for the Mediterranean to improve the current logistic routes, reduce costs, improve delivery times and reduce CO2 consumption, all of which it is working hard to accomplish. Through collaboration and open discussion, Hub Day is – and will continue to be – a great player in the move towards innovation and change within the Mediterranean region. HCB www.porttarragona.cat/ca/

GOING FOR GAS

FINANCIALS • A RELATIVELY QUIET QUARTER SAW VOPAK REPORT GENERALLY WEAKER FIGURES BUT IT REMAINS UPBEAT ABOUT ITS PROSPECTS

VOPAK HAS REPORTED a 4 per cent drop in revenues and operating profit for the first nine months of 2018 compared to the year-earlier figures, with group EBITDA excluding exceptional items off by 3 per cent at €553.6m. For the third quarter, there was some improvement in profitability, despite a very slight decline in revenues compared to 2017.

Unusually, the company has not commented directly on the third quarter’s results. That is perhaps a reflection of the fact that it is in the process of making changes to its network of bulk liquids and gases terminals around the world, and also the difficult market conditions that obtain at present. For example, overall tank occupancy fell from 90 per cent in the first three quarters of 2017 to 86 per cent this year; Vopak says that reflects market conditions at its oil hub terminals, not least those in Europe and south-east Asia. By contrast, occupancy – and EBITDA – was firmer in its China/North Asia and Americas divisions.

Furthermore, the third quarter saw some exceptional items, including an agreement on a new pension plan in the Netherlands, which resulted in a book gain of €19.1m, and the deconsolidation of its wholly owned terminal in Venezuela, where local financial problems make it impossible to reflect actual operating performance.

Indeed, financial performance overall in 2018 is expected to be influenced by

currency exchange movements (particularly the US and Singapore dollars), and changes in the structure of the oil market, which have impacted occupancy rates and price levels in hub locations.

On the other hand, Vopak says its efficiency programme, designed to support margin development and reduce its cost base on an ongoing basis, delivered the anticipated €25m saving by mid-2018; this programme is continuing, with a target of achieving €40m of annualised savings by the end of 2019.

ADDING TO CUBES

During the quarter some 700,000 m³ of capacity was commissioned at the PT2SB

industrial terminal in Malaysia, in which Vopak has a 25 per cent interest. The remaining 1.5m m³ of capacity will be commissioned by the end of third quarter 2019, in line with the original plan. At the end of the third quarter 2018, Vopak’s global capacity stood at 36.7m m³, up from 35.9m m³ a year ago.

As part of its third quarter report, Vopak also announced a further expansion of activities in the LPG sector. A 15,000-m³ LPG import/distribution terminal is to be built in Richards Bay, South Africa, in partnership with its local partner Reatile, for commissioning in mid-2020, subject to final conditions. The site will, Vopak says, “facilitate further imports of a cleaner energy source into South Africa”.

Vopak is also to expand its wholly owned Vlissingen LPG terminal in the Netherlands by 9,200 m³ to serve the local and regional market for LPG and chemical gases. Completion of this work is also due by mid-2020.

In August, Vopak announced it would conduct a strategic review and “test the market” for a potential sale of its terminals in Algeciras, Amsterdam, Hamburg and Tallinn; this review is progressing on schedule, Vopak says. HCB www.vopak.com

NEWS BULLETIN

INTER CLOSES NUSTAR DEAL

Inter Terminals has completed the acquisition of NuStar Energy’s European bulk liquids storage business, as announced at the end of October, for a cash consideration of $270m. The transaction increases Inter Terminals’ storage capacity by 33 per cent to some 37m bbl (5.9m m3). The acquisition was funded through a common share issuance and cash available through Inter Pipeline’s revolving credit facility.

Inter Pipeline, Canada-based parent of Inter Terminals, says it is to spend a further C$20m in 2019 on its European terminal operations, with enhancements to its facilities in the UK, Sweden and Germany and the Amsterdam site acquired from NuStar, (above) to meet increased demand for storage. www.interpipeline.com

ZENITH TAKES OWNERSHIP

Zenith Energy has acquired the Portland Terminal Facility in Oregon from CorEnergy Infrastucture Trust. Zenith had been leasing the site, which CorEnergy bought in 2014, and has

held an option to buy it since February 2017. It has 84 storage tanks with a total capacity of some 1.5m bbl and acts as a rail/marine transloading facility.

“Our tenant’s operating team developed the commercial potential for the Portland Terminal, while CorEnergy fulfilled our role of funding the initial acquisition and upgrades,” says CorEnergy CEO/president Dave Schulte. “The relationship has proven beneficial to both parties. We are pleased with the transaction, to have had Zenith as a tenant, and to have played a role in its continuing terminal acquisition success.”

CorEnergy acquired the Portland facility for $42m and has since invested $10m to improve the asset; Zenith is said to be paying $61m for the Portland terminal, as well as CorEnergy’s remaining interest in the Joliet terminal in Illinois, in which Zenith is the major shareholder. “With the funds we are receiving, CorEnergy expects to invest in another asset in 2019,” says Dave Schulte. www.corenergy.reit www.zenithterminals.com

TALLGRASS GETS LAND FOR TERMINAL

Tallgrass Energy has secured a plot of land on the Mississippi River in Plaquemines, Louisiana, where it plans to build 20m bbl of tank storage for crude oil and refined products and export facilities capable of loading VLCC and Suezmax tankers.

As part of the $30m land deal, Tallgrassowned Plaquemines Liquid Terminal (PLT) has agreed to work collaboratively with the Plaquemines Port & Harbor Terminal District and to provide it with a 50-acre tract that will serve as a conservation easement adjacent to the historic community of Ironton.

“We are committed to being a good neighbour and we demonstrated that with this land transaction that represents a win for all parties,” says COO Bill Moler. “The community of Ironton benefits from a conservation easement that will provide a buffer between Ironton and any future development; and PLT procures the land needed for the proposed terminal and docking facility.” www.tallgrassenergylp.com

TANZANIA LOOKS FOR CAPACITY

The Tanzania Port Authority is planning a new jetty at the Raskazone oil terminal in Tanga, local press report. The new jetty will be able to handle tankers of up to 120,000 dwt, a significant step up from the current limit of 45,000 dwt.

Tanga currently handles imports of refined products and LPG through two buoy moorings. Addition of the new jetty will provide capacity to handle imports for Uganda, which would be moved to consumers by rail. Tanga Port is currently engaged in a consultancy project following a successful geotechnical survey. www.ports.go.tz

MORE TANKAGE IN PNG

Mobil Oil has commissioned a new diesel storage tank at the Idubada terminal in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, local press reports say. The new 5,600-m3 tank will “significantly improve” fuel supply reliability in the country, according to Mobil. Diesel will be sourced from the ExxonMobil refinery in Singapore. The Port Moresby facility now has five storage tanks. www.pngpartnership.exxonmobil.com

AMID SHELLS OUT

American Midstream Partners sold its refined products terminalling business to Sunoco LP for some $125m in cash, which will be put to reducing debt. The assets involved are located in Caddo Mills, Texas and North Little Rock, Arkansas and have a combined storage capacity of some 1.3m bbl.

American Midstream says the sale represents “continued progress towards [its] capital allocation strategy designed to reduce leverage and strengthen the Partnership”. Sunoco says the deal “builds on Sunoco’s strategy of adding fee-based refined product terminals into the overall portfolio”. Sunoco is part of Energy Transfer LP.

Partly as a result of the sale, ArcLight Energy Partners has revised the terms of its proposed acquisition of all of the common units of American Midstream Partners is does not already own. It is now offering $4.50 per common unit, rather than the $6.10 offered in September 2018. The proposed acquisition remains contingent on a number of approvals and agreements. www.americanmidstream.com

TM OKS SALE

TransMontaigne Partners has approved the planned takeover by an affiliate of ArcLight Energy Partners, originally announced in June 2018, after negotiations resulted in an increase in the offer price from $38 per common unit to $41, valuing the company at $536m.

The transaction will be effected through a merger between TransMontaigne and an indirect subsidiary of ArcLight, TLP Finance Holdings. The merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019, subject to the usual conditions. www.transmontaignepartners.com

TRAINS FOR TERQUIMSA

A new rail siding has been completed at Terquimsa’s terminal in Barcelona (above). The €1m facility can handle trains of up to 14 wagons along its energy wharf, in both Iberian and European track gauge.

“With this new infrastructure, Terquimsa allows Barcelona to connect with the Europe-wide railway, thus expanding our changes of being competitive as a port when it comes to putting products in Europe,” says Eduardo Sañudo, managing director of Vopak Terquimsa. www.vopakterquimsa.com

BUCKEYE TAKES THE CASH

Buckeye Partners has completed the sale of a package of US pipeline and terminal assets, which includes a number of airport fuelling facilities and two refined petroleum products terminals in California, to InstarAGF Asset Management for $450m cash. Buckeye

Development & Logistics will continue to operate the assets for the buyer under a long-term agreement.

Buckeye further reports that the sale of its 50 per cent equity interest in VTTI is on track and is expected to close early in 2019. Both sales are designed to reduce leverage and allow Buckeye to reallocate capital to take advantage of higher returns elsewhere. www.buckeye.com

MARTIN GOES TRUCKING

Martin Midstream Partners has completed the acquisition of Martin Transport from Martin Resource Management Corp, first announced in October 2018. Martin Transport operates a fleet of tank trucks that transport petroleum products, LPG, chemicals, sulphur and other products. It also has 23 terminals across the Gulf Coast and Midwest US and is “integral to Martin Midstream’s routine movements of sulphur and NGLs,” the company says.

Martin Midstream said in October that it was paying $135m plus up to $10m earn-out for Martin Transport, representing an EBITDA multiple of around 5.7 on Martin Transport’s estimated 2019 net income of $9.3m and EBITDA of $23.6m. www.martinmidstream.com

SIGN OF QUALITY

DEPOTS • THE @TCO DEPOT AUDIT SCHEME IS ALIVE AND WELL AND CONTINUES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE QUALITY OF TANK CLEANING AND REPAIR SERVICES IN ASIA

standards for repair, cleaning and waste management as well as for health and safety among depot employees. AICM had been concerned that many depots handled only dry box containers and had little experience with tank containers; moreover, surveyors sometimes had very close relationships with the depots for which they were working, something that tank operators felt was iniquitous to the need for independence.

RESPECT THE PLAQUE

WHEN THE ASIAN Tank Container Organisation (@tco) was first established, one of its main aims was to improve the provision of high-quality tank depot services in Asia. Working together with the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers (AICM), the body representing international chemical companies with activities in China, @tco developed an audit protocol and a network of properly trained and assessed surveyors.

Over the years, that system has been effective in lifting quality standards among tank depot operators, particularly in the independent sector. And the system is still in place, following @tco’s merger with the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) at the beginning of 2018. To show that nothing has changed, ITCO held an @tco Depot Forum meeting in Singapore on 22 November 2018, immediately after its Regional Meeting.

At the Depot Forum, ITCO president Reg Lee and technical director Graham Wood, both of whom were involved in developing the @tco depot audit scheme, stressed that it was designed to fill a gap, by setting recognised

There are, Wood said, many depots in China and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region that do not comply with local or government regulations. ITCO has no authority to get them closed down but it can report non-compliance and also make recommendations to chemical companies that they should only use @tcoapproved depots. ITCO does have the ability to withdraw accreditation from depots where standards are not being maintained.

However, Wood said, all those depots that have been successfully audited according to the @tco standards have managed to maintain that accreditation; indeed, most of them have shown an improvement in standards in their second and third audit updates.

Since the merger of @tco and ITCO, accredited depots have been offered a preferential rate to become members of ITCO, while ITCO continues to promote the accredited depots to its global member companies. The benefits of ITCO membership include access to ITCO’s technical specialists, who can give direct advice on matters such as tank repairs, cleaning and the relevant regulations.

There was, though, a note of caution: ITCO membership does not necessarily mean that a depot has been audited or meets the @tco audit standards. Only those listed on the ITCO website are authorised to call themselves @tco-approved and use the depot plaque that marks their successful audit.

At the end of the Depot Forum, Lee and Wood presented an @tco plaque to the latest tank depot to be successfully audited – and the first in Taiwan: Union Tank Container Management of Xianxi, near Taichung. This is the 20th third-party depot to be accredited by the @tco scheme and the 29th in all. HCB www.international-tank-container.org

GROWTH IN THE GULF

EVENTS • THE ISSUES FACING THE GLOBAL PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY ARE THE SAME AROUND THE WORLD, AS GPCA’S 13TH ANNUAL FORUM IN DUBAI LAST NOVEMBER ILLUSTRATED

THE GULF PETROCHEMICAL and Chemicals Association (GPCA) held its 13th annual forum in November 2018, attracting some 2,100 delegates to the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel in Dubai, UAE.

The forum opened with a welcome address from Yousef Al-Benyan (above), vice-chairman and CEO of SABIC and chairman of GPCA.

“Global challenges to transformation are real,” he began. “In order to meet these, regional and global chemical industry players need to focus their efforts on portfolio enhancement, competitiveness and growth measures.

To remain relevant in this transforming value chain, we must collaborate through value-creating and win-win partnerships. Collaboration with international and national

oil companies in North America and Asia, research and development investment, customer intimacy, and digitalisation are key to the viability of your business so if you’re not there yet, the time is now.”

Delivering the inaugural address, HE Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa (opposite), minister of oil in the Kingdom of Bahrain, called on the chemical industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to collaborate and innovate to meet today’s global challenges: “Trade wars, currency challenges and the commoditisation of products have led the chemical industry to the crossroads we are at today,” he said.

“We must acknowledge the key role the GCC plays in meeting global demand and utilise

our strong regional network, acknowledge best practices from across the globe and focus our efforts on capitalising on the numerous innovation opportunities that the move towards a circular economy will bring.”

According to Shaikh Mohammed, strong and visionary CEO leadership is essential for implementing the circular economy and reaching new levels of sustainable economic growth. By applying these principles, companies can design out waste, increase resource productivity and decouple growth from natural resource consumption. Citing the wave of innovation of ‘Industry 4.0’, the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ enabled by digital and physical technologies, Sheikh Mohammed urged industry leaders to embrace technology with cautious optimism, empower existing teams and future professionals keeping issues such as security and operation excellence at the forefront.

“To have the minister open the forum is a matter of great pride and underscores the significance of the GPCA Annual Forum in our sector and the region as a whole,” said Dr Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, secretary general of GPCA.

The minister’s speech set the scene for proceedings on day one, which included a glimpse into the future, and encouraged regional chemical industry professionals to leverage the full potential of data and circular economy, to increase efficiencies and foster further innovation.

HOT TOPICS

Representing one of the world’s fastest growing markets for refining and chemical products, Raghavendra Rao, India’s secretary, chemicals and petrochemicals, was also among the dignitaries attending the forum and addressing its theme of ‘executing transformation and investing in growth’. From global industrial opportunities in India, regional growth prospects and fundamental shifts in customer preferences, he provided a global outlook and highlighted issues that the industry as a whole needs to address.

Keynote speakers on day two were Murat Sönmez, managing director and head of centre for the fourth industrial revolution, and Fernando Gómez, head of chemistry and advanced materials industry, both from the World Economic Forum. They highlighted the importance of Industry 4.0, while Dr Aabed AlSaadoun, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for company affairs, ministry of energy, industry and mineral resources, discussed Saudi Arabia’s national industrial development and logistics programme.

Citing strong growth figures, throughout the two-day event, speakers highlighted the need for evolution within the chemical industry, bearing in mind the emergence of new technologies, product slates and upgrades in capabilities. They also reiterated the importance of ensuring that the industry’s commitment towards a circular economy remains steadfast and integral to creating economic value, jobs and mitigating environmental impact.

Among the speakers at the forum were Amin Nasser, president/CEO of Saudi Aramco; Musabbeh Al-Kaabi, CEO petroleum and petrochemicals at Mudadala; Mutlaq H Al-Morished, CEO of Tasnee; Jim Fitterling, CEO of Dow Chemical Company; Mark Lashier, president/CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical; and Daniele Ferrari, CEO of

Versalis. “These august speakers will address the challenges and opportunities of executing transformation and set out the key imperatives to invest in growth,” said Dr Al Sadoun.

Other exciting events on the forum agenda included a seminar on the circular economy and four masterclass sessions dedicated to the opportunities and challenges raised by digitalisation; cybersecurity; women in industry; and the global chemical industry in an era of protectionism. The forum focused heavily on the GPCA Sustainability Initiative, a new enterprise aimed at demonstrating the chemical industry’s commitment to achieving the global development goals and enabling a transition towards a circular economy.

In line with this year’s theme, GPCA, as the voice of the chemical industry in the GCC region, is placing greater emphasis on the need for increased plastics recycling in order to protect the environment and recover the utility of this valuable commodity. According to the association, GCC producers have a key role to play in positively transforming the industry. Governments and businesses in the region have been quick to grasp the importance of fostering sustainability, which must be supported and encouraged to help ensure a more sustainable and brighter future.

Indeed, the 2018 GPCA Annual Forum featured a Sustainability Zone, showcasing the technologies, techniques and initiatives responsible for transforming the industry by supporting a more sustainable future.

GPCA voices the common interests of more than 250 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for more than 95 per cent of chemical output in the GCC region. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing over $108bn worth of products every year. GPCA supports the petrochemical and chemical industry in the Gulf region through advocacy, networking and thought leadership initiatives aimed at helping member companies to connect, share and advance knowledge, contribute to international dialogue, and become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry.

Committed to providing a regional platform for stakeholders from around the world, GPCA manages six working committees – plastics, supply chain, fertilisers, international trade, research and innovation, and Responsible Care – and organises six world-class events each year. The Association also publishes an annual report, regular newsletters and various other industry reports. HCB www.gpca.org.ae

DAY OUT

THE EUROPEAN CHEMICAL Transport Association’s (ECTA) 2018 Annual Meeting took place as usual at the Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf this past 29 November, with a packed agenda for the one-day event. The meeting room was packed too, perhaps not surprisingly after what ECTA president Andreas Zink, director of LKW Walter, termed “quite a challenging year”. Companies involved in the transport of chemicals in Europe had faced continuing challenges from driver shortages and, after hot weather through the summer, low water levels on the Rhine. In addition, they were experiencing issues relating to the

interpretation by chemical shippers of the Safety & Quality Assessment for Sustainability (SQAS) audit scheme. On the upside, ECTA and its partner organisations had brought the electronic EFTCO Cleaning Document – eECD – to fruition.

Speakers throughout the sessions spoke at length about these and other issues facing the European chemical sector and its logistics service providers (LSPs), at the end of which they and the audience were rewarded with a fine dinner and yet more to chew over in the shape of a hard-hitting presentation on cyber-security.

OPEN THE GATES

Of all the major European chemical manufacturers, BASF has been at the forefront of several logistics advances

in recent years, perhaps helped by the concentration of its activities at the massive Ludwigshafen plant in Germany and a few other large facilities. Indeed, BASF had alerted the ECTA audience to its initiatives at other annual meetings in recent years, and Andreas Backhaus, senior vice-president, European site logistics operations at BASF, brought the 2018 meeting up to date.

Backhaus’ presentation was couched in terms of the ways in which day-to-day operations at BASF will – indeed, must –change, giving a model to other chemical manufacturers. He said that there are some things that industry has to come together to fix but that a company such as BASF has plenty that it can do on its own.

High on BASF’s agenda was investigation of how it can reduce gate-to-gate times for vehicles loading and/or unloading at its plants. At Ludwigshafen, for instance, such times can be anything from two to five hours, which is not acceptable. It is, though, quite a challenge at such a large site, where it may take a vehicle up to an hour just to drive from the gate to the loading/unloading point and back again. And there is the sheer scale of operations: Ludwigshafen handles around 2,100 trucks every day, as well as 400 rail cars

and, in a normal year, 20 barges. It also has 106 km of roads within the site boundary –and drivers can get lost.

But inefficiency in the loading/unloading process blocks the production cycle. BASF saw the process of addressing gate-togate times as part of its overall digitisation process. Optimising gate-to-gate times requires good planning and this means involving transport companies and freight forwarders. “Truck drivers just turning up doesn’t work any more,” Backhaus said. It leads to congestion and inefficiency.

To address the issue, BASF developed its OPTIMiSM software, which allows it to plan all operations at all loading points for all modes. Customers or hauliers use the system to book time slots. This system is currently being rolled out and will be followed by a yard execution system that will collect all relevant data for loading/unloading. BASF will reach out to customers and hauliers for their input, so as to create a link to the gate and the loading point. It will also include a tool to all drivers to check themselves in at the gate.

LOAD THE PILOT

In addition, BASF is piloting a pre-check system, through which vehicles are checked before they enter the site rather than at the loading point. This will lead to faster acceptance, fewer rejections and less wasted time. The use of the eECD, to which BASF has signed up, will contribute similar benefits.

On the hardware side, BASF is improving infrastructure at the main gate, extending the building and providing more parking space both inside and outside the gate. In the future, it may also be possible to move logistics operations to an external area, applying a ‘drop and swap’ system, which could cut turnaround times to a few minutes. In the nearer term, new automated loading stations are being installed – four were already complete, with another 22 due for installation in 2019 – that offer ‘smart filling’ by being linked directly to inventory management systems.

BASF has also set up a new team to draw up detailed schedules for loading points. This has also helped improve turnaround times. There is the potential for that process to be automated, Backhaus said.

BASF has also been extending the use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to move product around the Ludwigshafen site in 40foot ‘BASF-class’ tank containers. After a successful trial, three new AGVs have been added and are delivering in-plant efficiencies, Backhaus said – although it has been a bit of a challenge to get people used to the idea of self-driving trucks moving around the site.

Summing up, Backhaus said that the work that BASF is doing is an example of a change of mindset; it is no longer inwardly focused and holding on to its own data. The sort of predictive analytics that are needed to generate the efficiencies that it is looking for rely on the sharing of data. That concept offers a lot of benefits for the logistics sector as a whole.

THE VIEW FROM CEFIC

There were plenty of familiar faces in the audience at the ECTA meeting but a few missing, among them Jos Verlinden, logistics director at the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), who was due to retire at the end of the year. In his place, Simon Goswell, supply chain director, EMEA at LyondellBasell and chair of the Cefic Supply Chain Issue Team, introduced delegates to “the new Cefic”. He described the new structure Cefic adopted in 2018 and its greater focus on advocacy, asking: “What does that mean for the supply chain group?”

In 2011, Cefic published its Chemical Logistics Vision 2020 document, which had three main elements: safety, sustainability and improving processes through collaboration. That vision is still the same, Goswell said, and Cefic has delivered on those objectives. It has not done that on its own, though – there has been a lot of collaborative work, not least in partnership with ECTA.

The backdrop to current discussions in terms of the chemical supply chain covers both legislative and operational issues. On the one hand there is the drive towards a modal shift away from road transport, the European Commission’s (EC) recent Mobility Package, and increasingly tough requirements for emissions reduction. In purely operational terms, there are issues such as road congestion, driver shortages, rail reliability and a lack of connectivity, water level problems, and port congestion.

Legislation and policy in the freight transport sector has the unfortunate habit of focusing on individual modes, Goswell said. That means that while there is a lot of investment and frequent initiatives, there is no cohesive approach. As such, the Cefic Supply Chain Issue Team has set some priorities, including a position paper on the EC Mobility Package, where it has some concerns, especially in respect of drivers. A position paper on rail and intermodal transport had »

recently been approved by the Cefic Board. And it is looking at the carbon dioxide emissions calculation methodology, which has been criticised.

Also during 2018, Cefic provided support and encouragement in the development of the eECD, undertook the 2019 revision of SQAS, and is participating in the development of a Risk Management Framework for dangerous goods alongside EC and the EU Agency for Railways (ERA). Goswell ended by reporting that Cefic was due to move to new offices in January 2019; it is now located at 40 Belliard, B-1040 Brussels.

WHAT DOES THE TEAM THINK?

After his presentation, Goswell joined a panel session, moderated by Andreas Zink, alongside Jan Arnet, CEO of the Bertschi Group, and Frédéric Derumeaux, CEO of the Vervaeke Group. Goswell began by noting that there are big problems in terms of the need

for more infrastructure investment, but it is hard to control that. “What we can control,” he said, “is the development of the end-to-end supply chain conversation”. Without that, “we will always be sub-optimal”.

Derumeaux said that LSPs are facing increasing demands from their customers for more digitisation. Referring back to Backhaus’s presentation, he also noted that plants and terminals are beginning to compete on their ability to turn vehicles around quickly. Arnet’s view of the current issues facing LSPs is that there is a need for more integration. And, while there is undoubtedly a shortage of drivers, there is also a shortage of qualified people in many positions. “The challenge is to attract people to the industry across the board,” he said. “It’s not that attractive.”

Derumeaux’s opinion was that drivers are leaving the sector because of long waiting times. “Things are easier in container

haulage,” he said. “We have to do something – if we don’t have drivers we have a big problem.” Arnet suggested going to areas of low employment and setting up schools for drivers, and also noted that one traditional source of truck drivers – the army – is not producing enough people any longer. “Truck driving is not seen as a good occupation,” Derumeaux added.

Goswell was of the opinion that asset utilisation – and that includes human assets – is ineffective in the sector. Detaching the load from the actual shipment is the way to go, he said. The use of ‘drop and swap’ operations is attractive but, Derumeaux said, there is a risk of disconnecting the driver from the vehicle.

Goswell summed up the panel session with the observation that “We have to understand where we are before we can change it.” And, while the audience digested that snippet of wisdom, lunch was served.

THE ELECTRIC PORT

The extent of possibility offered by digitisation was ably illustrated by Erwin Verstraelen, chief digital innovation officer at the Port of Antwerp. Verstraelen took the position when it was created in 2017, with a remit to look at ways in which Industry 4.0 concepts could address the challenges being posed by increasing throughput in the port: notably growing pressure on space within the port and increasing congestion on roads and inland waterways. The solutions that the port is implementing require collaboration outside its boundaries, including with other ports.

“Creating a digital ecosystem is part of the port’s response to those challenges and it runs through most projects and initiatives,” Verstraelen explained. “Our role is to enable innovation in the port.” He described four initiatives that have been put in place within the previous 12 months:

• Portxl, which brings relevant start-ups into the port community and inspires new ideas

• NxtPort, a data platform that brings all stakeholders together

• Chainport, which brings together a group of 12 major ports around the world to exchange information and ideas

• Beacon, an Internet of Things (IoT) accelerator and ideas hub.

There are, Verstraelen said, several drivers for digitisation in the chemical supply chain. Maturing technologies bring new tools and opportunities at lower prices; some of those opportunities offer the chance to take a lot of inefficiency out of the system; and the process of globalisation during the 1980s and 1990s was built on the technology of the time and is due for an overhaul.

NxtPort, launched in early 2017, is fundamental to a lot of the work going on in this area, and not just within the Port of Antwerp – it is also the platform on which the eECD operates. NxtPort provides a link not only for the port and its immediate customers and users but also for the hinterland

community and overseas interests. It does not take a top-down approach, Verstraelen insisted: it was developed from a common realisation that something was needed.

“Stakeholders needed to trust each other and be willing to share data,” Verstraelen explained, and this took time. The first year of development was all about building the community and trust in the system. It was important that data owners can decide on who can see what information; NxtPort merely acts as a ‘data custodian’. Its core capability is to align and orchestrate data. This can speed up existing systems or prompt the redesign of systems for greater efficiency.

THE RIGHT PLATFORM

As an example of where NxtPort can go, Verstraelen explained the concept of ‘next mode of transport’. Every container arriving in the Port of Antwerp will move on. There is someone in the transport chain who knows where the container will move to next and by what mode, but that data is often not available to the terminal, which introduces an inefficiency. Sharing that information before the container arrives can have a big impact on the efficiency not only of the terminal operator but also on the container itself, which can move on to its next destination more rapidly.

“Current pressures mean this is the ideal time to be working on this,” Verstraelen said. “We either sit and talk to each other or we all fail.”

The availability of big data sets and the use of analytics can also help with the modal shift of freight traffic, Verstraelen added. Antwerp aims to reduce its reliance on road transport from 51 per cent of freight traffic in 2014 to 40 per cent in 2030, with much of that moving to rail. The port authority has always said that it has no power to force LSPs to make that shift but, through digitisation, it can now provide the information that can make it happen. There is the potential to take a similar approach to moving freight onto inland waterways but there are some specific problems that must be addressed first.

As with the case of BASF, Verstraelen believes that digitisation can help ease the driver shortage and reduce inefficiencies. A working group is looking at promoting night-time openings and driving, while another platform supported by the port, HAKKA, aims to reduce empty vehicle moves by matching cargoes with available space. The port is also looking at the possibility of allowing the use of AGVs on roads within the port area.

“I believe we are heading for a perfect storm,” Verstraelen concluded. Labour issues, mobility and sustainability all need to be addressed and digitisation provides the tools to do so. “This is the ideal time to change mindsets,” he said. “We need to take the next step together.” »

WORKING TOGETHER

ECTA managing director Peter Devos brought the latest news of the eECD project, which had just gone live. “Subscribe now!” he said – BASF, Covestro and Evonik have all bought three-year licences, which Devos hoped would kick-start usage.

The story of the development of the eECD is a story of collaboration: ECTA worked alongside Cefic, the European Federation of Tank Cleaning Organisations (EFTCO) and the Belgian chemical industry association Essenscia; the same bodies have set up the European Chemical Logistics Information Council (Eclic), which was formed in March 2018, to administer the eECD system.

Application of eECD is now moving into a “learning by doing” phase, Devos said. Initially it will effectively be a manual system, until it can be integrated with other applications, such as Elemica. Other issues are emerging, notably how to run digital and paper versions in parallel.

Devos then led a panel session featuring Erwin Verstraelen, Michael Kubenz, CEO of Kube & Kubenz, and Simon Hardy, digital business network evangelist at Elemica. With the aim of discussing the standardisation of processes, Kubenz explained that his company is still investing a lot in its legacy systems. “We can’t operate without them any more,” he noted.

Verstraelen assured the audience that there is no need to give up on legacy systems; rather, find a way of giving everyone access to data networks. This is likely to be easier for larger companies; small operators may not have the knowledge.

There has been disagreement over the need for standardisation of systems but Hardy said that standards give breadth. Once they are out there – and here he mentioned eECD again – then companies will adopt them. And systems such as Elemica and NxtPort can help by translating difference data sources.

CARE IN THE COMMUNITY

The final part of the day was left to Evert de Jong, Responsible Care director at ECTA, to give an update on developments with Responsible Care and SQAS. He began by summing up the 2017 results from the key performance indicator (KPI) reports from ECTA’s Responsible Care members. These showed continued increases in the number of movements and the total tonnage carried – now up to 101.6m tonnes – as well as more employees; on the other hand, there were also more incidents during transport and loading operations, which is worrying, even if there were fewer incidents at unloading points. Another concern is that 15 per cent of trucks used in the European chemical transport sector are Euro IV or earlier: there is a problem coming, de Jong said.

Cefic has been talking to its members after criticism has been expressed about the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission calculation methodology. ECTA and Cefic met in June 2018 to discuss the issue; it was decided to keep the subject in the KPI form but to make it voluntary. There was no agreement on revising the calculation guidelines. De Jong said that LSPs will probably be getting more questions from their customers on GHG emissions so they should keep making the calculation.

De Jong was also stern with some ECTA members who supply their KPI reports late; he wants the 2018 returns in February or March, not in October! Companies that consistently report late will have their

Responsible Care membership discontinued, he warned. On the other hand, he also reported that the Responsible Care workshop held by ECTA in October 2018 drew more than 50 participants, who provided a lot of input for ECTA’s 2019 programme. It was suggested that this level of interest indicates it may be worth holding two such events every year.

De Jong then turned to discussion of the revisions to the SQAS questionnaires for 2019. There are, he said, a lot of changes that will impact LSPs. Some of the questions that routinely get very high scores have been taken out: they provide no information. There have also been some textual changes for clarity.

But importantly – and this is something that LSPs will need to be alert to when they are being reassessed – several chapters have been

moved around and issues of sub-contracting, GHG emissions and plastics waste now have separate chapters. The pre-assessment document has been subjected to considerable amendment, the attestation is deleted, and the summary report has been amended.

De Jong highlighted the issue of subcontractors. Some Cefic members have been unhappy about the level of control that LSPs have over their sub-contractors, which has led to the introduction of more questions on the topic for transport service providers. LSPs will also have to report the number of subcontractors used and the tonnages involved.

ECTA is not happy with the extra work this will require and de Jong said he thought most LSPs will not have this data to hand.

THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT

It was a long day and delegates deserved the cocktails and dinner that were to follow, after a break to allow them to catch up on emails. Over dinner, Gerry Grant, who describes himself as ‘chief ethical hacking consultant’

working for the Scottish Business Resilience Centre, gave some tips to his audience on avoiding cyber-crime. “It takes a thief to catch a thief,” he began, but also noted that hackers are, by and large, lazy people. They go after easy targets, so there are some easy measures that can be taken to put them off.

Grant’s lively presentation ranged far and wide into areas that the audience may not even have thought about; it was also something of a scene-setter, as cybersecurity will become ever more significant as digitisation spreads through the supply chain. Look out for more on this topic during 2019. HCB

HCB will certainly look forward to ECTA’s activities this year; readers who want to know more should go to www.ecta.com; the website includes links to ECTA’s periodical newsletter, the October 2018 edition of which has more discussion of many of the topics on the agenda at the 2018 Annual Meeting.

PLASTIC FANTASTIC

COMPOSITE TANKS • TANK CONTAINER LESSOR EUROTAINER HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF RECENT ADVANCES IN COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGIES TO EXPAND ITS TANK FLEET

EUROTAINER HAS JOINED the ranks of tank container leasing companies to offer tank containers manufactured from composite materials. After what Eurotainer calls a “thorough analysis of the available composite tank container manufacturers”, it placed an order with the Australian firm Omni Tanker and has begun taking delivery of new 20-foot tanks.

“Eurotainer chose Omni Tanker due to its years of expertise in composites, a superior composite technology and a willingness to work with Eurotainer to build tank containers that meet the needs of our global client base,” Eurotainer says. “In turn, Omni Tanker was looking for a tank container leasing company that could help them expand

globally. Omni and Eurotainer are now working together to provide a product that offers a lightweight alternative to lined/coated steel tank containers.”

Omni Tanker is one of the world’s leading composite technology and manufacturing companies, having its own proprietary composite materials technology that can be applied to the manufacture of hightechnology composite tanks with exceptional chemical resistance and low tare weight for the bulk transport of corrosive and highpurity chemicals.

“It is these two primary attributes that separate Omni Tanker from the competition and makes their product the perfect choice for Eurotainer. The ability to offer our clients a safe, lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean and versatile composite tank container has been a goal of Eurotainer for some time,” Eurotainer adds.

“Omni Tanker has delivered with breakthrough technology that will transform

the tank container industry – a perfect fit for Eurotainer’s vision and commitment to provide innovative high-purity and corrosive chemical tank container equipment to its global customer base.”

OMNI’S INNOVATION

Omni Tanker’s OmniTAINERTM tank container design is a 22,500-litre unit approved for the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail. It includes a specially developed fire protection system that has been tested in Germany by BAM and passed the full engulfment fire test requirements of ADR and RID. It can be supplied in both T7/L4BH (bottom outlet) and T10/L4DH (top discharge) formats, with a test pressure of 4 bar.

Omni Tanker says the new unit is suitable for the carriage of high-purity chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide without the risk of contamination. It is also suitable for use with aggressive corrosive products such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, ferric and ferrous chloride and other acids, without degradation of the liner.

The OmniTAINER is equipped with the OmniSHIELD polyethylene interior, which was specifically designed to provide high levels of chemical resistance while also creating a seamless and low-stress polymer interior that facilitates cleaning.

Eurotainer had the first of the new composite tanks on display at its Customer Technical Day, held in Houston on 10 October, where 150 clients from around the world were on hand to see the equipment that Eurotainer has on offer and learn about technical and regulatory issues that impact the sector.

In other developments, this past November Eurotainer opened an expanded office space at its Shanghai facility, welcoming customers and business partners to join its Chinese team at an opening ceremony. Eurotainer says the expansion was made necessary by continued business growth in China. HCB www.eurotainer.com www.omnitanker.com

THE ACID TEST

CORROSION • FORT VALE IS TAKING A PROACTIVE STANCE ON THE THREAT OF CORROSION IN TANK CONTAINER EQUIPMENT, ADDING GREATER PROTECTION AGAINST AGGRESSIVE LADINGS

The ability of stainless steels to withstand pitting corrosion is indicated by its Pitting Resistance Equivalent Number (PREN), calculated according to the proportions of chromium, molybdenum and nitrogen within the steel. For instance, 304L-grade stainless steel has a PREN of 18, and 316L-grade a PREN of around 25. Stainless steels that are constantly exposed to seawater require a PREN of at least 40 to be fully protected.

PROTECT YOUR VALVES

Fort Vale Engineering, one of the leading suppliers of footvalves, manlids, couplings and other fittings for tank containers, is taking the issue seriously. It has traditionally used 316-grade stainless steel but for the past two years has been looking at ways to improve corrosion protection for its equipment.

This has led to the development of a new welded coating for its Superseat tank container valves. Fort Vale had looked at using Hastelloy C276, a ‘super-alloy’ with high levels of nickel and the addition of tungsten, which achieves a PREN of 45, but this is very expensive.

Instead, Fort Vale has opted to apply a weld overlay of Inconel 625, a nickel-based super-alloy that has long been valued for its high strength, excellent performance in elevated temperature applications, and good corrosion resistance in highly acidic environments. It has a PREN of 41, offering protection against products such as hydrochloric acid and hydrofluoric acid that can attack the passive layer of more common grades of stainless steel.

TANK CONTAINERS ARE built to last; their shells are almost always made of stainless steel, as are their main appurtenances, including their valves. That makes them impervious to attack by almost all commonly carried chemicals, even those that are highly corrosive. But they are not totally immune to corrosion. The industry is becoming increasingly aware of issues of pitting corrosion, sometimes resulting from

improper classification or mis-declaration of the product being shipped.

During its members’ meeting in Antwerp in September 2018, the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) heard a presentation by specialists from Brookes Bell, a technical consultancy with experience in corrosion problems in stainless steel. They explained how the chromium that is added to steel to make it ‘stainless’ forms a passive layer on the steel, protecting it from attack. That passive layer can be damaged, notably by exposure to aggressive halide ions. Once the passive layer is damaged, the underlying steel can suffer pitting corrosion.

Graham Blanchard, recently appointed as European sales director at Fort Vale, explains that this Inconel overlay is being rolled out across the company’s range of tank container bottom discharge footvalves and Cleanflow valves and will be supplied as standard, without additional cost to users.

Fort Vale will be explaining the advantages of its new corrosion protection approach at a number of major trade shows during the course of 2019; these include Transport Logistic in Munich in June, Intermodal Europe in Hamburg in November, and the Tank-ex show in the UK at the end of May. HCB www.fortvale.com

BUILDING ON BENELUX

WAREHOUSING • BROEKMAN’S RECENT ACQUISITION OF VLSGROUP ASSETS IN THE BENELUX WILL, BOTH PARTIES SAY, OFFER BETTER SERVICES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE CLIENTS

ROTTERDAM-HEADQUARTERED BROEKMAN

Logistics has acquired the VLS-Group’s warehousing activities in Belgium and the Netherlands. The deal reinforces Broekman’s market leadership in the warehousing, distribution and value-adding logistics of packaged and speciality chemicals in the Benelux region.

“This acquisition, the largest in our nearly 60 years of existence, marks a major milestone for Broekman Logistics,” says Raymond Riemen, CEO of Broekman Logistics. “By adding 150,000 m² of storage space, our covered warehouse portfolio increases by over 40 per cent whilst we grow our employee base significantly. On behalf of us all at Broekman Logistics, I warmly welcome each of the new 230 colleagues to our company.”

The VLS-Group, owned by leading Israeli chemical distribution company Gadot Chemical Group, offers integrated logistics and a range of value-adding services, such as drumming, toll manufacturing, transport management and tank storage, to the European chemical industry. The transaction sees six warehouse locations in Rotterdam-Pernis and Antwerp move to Broekman; it does not include VLS’s tank storage activities and other assets in Ghent, nor the VLS activities at three locations in Germany. Both parties agreed not to disclose the terms of the transaction.

“The divestment of our Belgian and Dutch warehousing activities to Broekman Logistics allows us to focus on our core activities, while ensuring a long-term and sustainable future for the employees and clients of the VLSGroup,” says Alain Poublon, CEO of the VLS-Group.

BETTER ALL ROUND

Explaining the reasoning behind the deal, Willem Jan van Amersfoort, managing director of Broekman Logistics’ Warehousing & Distribution division, says: “There is a strong strategic fit between the two companies, as the client base, locations of the specialised warehousing facilities and the type of value-adding activities complement each other. This acquisition brings additional valueadded logistics activities to our company, such as filling, drumming and bagging, of which our clients and partners will surely benefit.”

Anton van Dongen, director of Benelux operations at VLS-Group, adds: “We are looking forward to become a part of Broekman Logistics. Our customers will be offered the benefits of Broekman Logistics’ global network and thought leadership for chemical supply

chain solutions. As a joint team, we are certain that this is a merger of benefits where the two companies will continuously strengthen each other, both now and in the future.”

The five VLS-Group locations in Antwerp and one in Pernis will now operate under the Broekman Logistics brand and be fully integrated into the Warehousing & Distribution division. “We now operate state-of-the-art warehouses in all the major logistics hubs and gateways into Europe: the Port of Rotterdam, the Port of Antwerp and the Limburg area, expanding our global reach, whilst maintaining our personal touch,” Riemen concludes.

Broekman Logistics now operates some 445,000 m² of covered warehousing facilities and employs more than 1,000 people at 43 locations worldwide. Outside its Benelux hub, Broekman has operations in Poland and the Czech Republic, representative offices in Shanghai and Singapore, and 14 offices in strategic locations in India. Coverage elsewhere in the world is managed through Broekman’s participation in a number of global freight networks.

Broekman Logistics offers supply chain solutions in three divisions: aside from Warehousing & Distribution, it has multimodal expertise in its Forwarding & Shipping division and niche expertise in Breakbulk Logistics. HCB www.broekmanlogistics.com

BULLETIN

Davison, operations director at Hoyer Petrolog. “Scania have always offered an exceptionally reliable vehicle whilst also bringing the environmental benefits of returning excellent fuel economy and, importantly, this vehicle is always a popular choice with our driver workforce.” www.hoyer-group.com

ALL CHANGE AT WASCOSA

Following the expansion of its rail wagon fleet through the acquisition of 4,400 units from Nacco, Wascosa has restructured its operations and management structure, trimming the organisation from seven divisions to five.

HOYER’S BAG OF CASH

The Hoyer Group is planning to nearly double its investment budget next year to a record level of €173m. “The sustained positive business development enables this financial tour de force,” says CFO Gerd Peters (above). “We have identified promising investment projects in all business areas. This has resulted in a comprehensive investment package spread across the business development, property, plant and equipment, acquisitions and replacement investments business areas.”

Around one-third of the budget will go to modernising and expanding Hoyer’s tank container fleet, with its IBC rental business also to be developed further. Hoyer will continue to equip its fleet with innovative telematics system and is also looking at expanding warehouse activities in Germany and the Netherlands. At least €10m is earmarked for potential acquisitions and joint ventures, the company says.

Hoyer says it is allocating investment “primarily in business areas with attractive

future prospects”, not least in response to rising order volumes in its Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) business. “In the coming years, on-site logistics activities in particular will be driven forward and – initially in Germany and the Netherlands – the construction of a dangerous goods warehouse and an enlargement of the filling operations for small containers will be implemented,” Hoyer says.

The announcement followed the reappointment of Gerd Peters as CFO of the Hoyer Group, less than a year after leaving the position to take over as head of one of the group’s operating companies. He replaces Dr Philip Nölling, who joined Hoyer as CFO in February 2018 and is leaving the group “to devote himself to another task”.

In the UK, meanwhile, Hoyer Petrolog is expanding its truck fleet, adding 26 new Scania P450 units early in 2019. Further additions are planned as part of the company’s continuing growth programme.

“We are pleased to announce the arrival of new additions to our Scania fleet,” says Allan

A new management team reflects that restructuring, with Yann Bonguardo, formerly head of sales for Nacco, appointed as chief sales officer and a new CFO, Stephan Kellmann, who arrives from Von Roll. Markus Vaerst has been added as COO. They join CEO Peter Balzer amd CBDO Irmhild Saabel on the management board under chairman Philipp Müller, who says: “By restructuring the organisation and recruiting new specialists to strengthen our management team, we have created the necessary conditions to ensure we can deliver innovative and top-quality services to customers and respond flexibly to changing market requirements.”

At the same time, a number of senior personnel have decided to leave the firm during 2019. www.wascosa.ch

PROMOTION FOR PARR

Suttons Tankers has promoted Roger Parr as its new commercial director, in recognition of his “successful leadership in a series of continuous improvement projects” in his role as operations director west. That position will now be taken by Gary Oliver, who joins Suttons from DX Network Services, where he has been a regional director and operations director since 2010.

“I’m pleased to welcome Gary to the business and look forward to benefiting from his vast experience in senior roles, enhancing customer

relations,” says Michael Cundy, managing director. “And congratulations to Roger who is making a natural progression having been an integral part of our Commercial Leadership team since joining in 2015. These two appointments highlight our UK strategy to continually improve the customer experience and add value at all points in the delivery chain.” www.suttonsgroup.com

EVANS GETS RECERTIFIED

Evans Distributions Systems, a full-service third-party logistics provider based in Melvindale, Michigan, has achieved certification to the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system standard. The company originally obtained ISO 9001 certification in 1999 and has held the certification continuously since then.

“The success that we have had in maintaining and enhancing our quality systems over the past couple of years has proven to be beneficial to both our external and internal customers,” says Karen Toth, quality systems manager at Evans. “2019 will bring exciting new challenges to Evans and our team will be ready to ensure we are always exceeding our customers’ expectations.” www.evansdist.com

VOS ADDS TO PORTFOLIO

Vos Logistics has agreed to take over the family-owned transport company Gehlen Schols Logistics, based in Kerkrade, the Netherlands. Gehlen Schols is active in the full- and less-than-truckload transport sectors in the Benelux countries and Germany, in the automotive, construction, chemical and paper sectors. In addition, it has a 10,000-m2 warehouse facility at its headquarters location.

Gehlen Schols has a turnover of some €20m and 120 employees, who will continue to work under the Gehlen Schols name within the Vos Logistics Group.

“With Vos Logistics we can better facilitate our customers in their growth and anticipate developments such as digitisation and further sustainability,” says Marc Schols, operations director at Gehlen Schols. “On our side, with our strategic location in Kerkrade and strong position in the area of part loads in Germany, Belgium and the south of the Netherlands, we expect to be able to offer added value to Vos Logistics customers.” www.voslogistics.com

PIA INTO RAIL

La Petrolifera Italo Albanese (PIA) has operated the first block train from its bulk liquids and gases terminal in Vlore, Albania. The 80,000-m3 terminal handles LPG and refined products and is designed to supply both the local market and neighouring countries in the southern Balkans via the European Corridor VIII rail and road link.

“We trust that the development of the railway modality will improve the environmental sustainability and the safety of the transports of the goods from/to PIA terminal,” the company says. PIA is part of the PIR Group, based in Milan, Italy. PIA was established in 2000 specifically to take advantage of the opening up of new rail corridors in the Balkan EU states.

www,gruppopir.com

GROWTH PLANS FOR ALBATROSS

Albatross Tank-Leasing is now offering T75 cryogenic tank containers suitable for the transport of LNG, carbon dioxide, ethane, ethylene, nitrogen, oxygen and argon (below). Albatross notes that the move supports its customers at a time when the markets for LNG and other cryogenic gases is growing rapidly.

Albatross also reports that it is actively targeting the Russian market, having participated in the Khimia-2018 exhibition in Moscow at the end of October. Albatross is offering local shippers domesticated tanks, maintenance and repair through a number of partnering depots, and the use of its GPS tracking and route analysis systems. www.albatross-tanks.de

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

• February 4-6 – Perth

• February 5-7 – Sydney

• February 13-15 – Adelaide

• February 19-21 – Melbourne

• March 11-13 – Perth

• March 19-21 – Brisbane

Dangerous Goods by Air –Refresher

• February 4 – Sydney

• February 7 – Perth

• February 12 – Adelaide

• February 18 – Melbourne

• February 19 – Perth

• March 6 – Perth

• March 18 – Brisbane

AMSA Full Acceptance (IMDG)

• February 8 – Sydney

• February 11 – Adelaide

• February 20-21 – Perth

• February 22 – Melbourne

• March 22 – Brisbane

AMSA Full Acceptance –Refresher

• February 8 – Sydney

• February 11 – Adelaide

• February 22 – Melbourne

• March 7 – Perth

• March 22 – Brisbane

Dangerous Goods by Road

• February 13 – Perth

AITAC

PO Box 146

Riddell’s Creek, VIC 3431, Australia

T (+61 3) 5428 6077

www.aitac.com.au

Sea Transport of Dangerous Goods

• February 11-12 – Tullamarine

• March 4-5 – Tullamarine

Sea Transport of Dangerous Goods – Recertification

• January 31 – Tullamarine

• February 13 – Tullamarine

• February 26 – Tullamarine

• March 13 – Tullamarine

Air Transport of Dangerous Goods – Acceptance, Initial

• February 18-20 – Tullamarine

• March 25-27 – Tullamarine

Air Transport of Dangerous Goods – Recertification

• January 30 – Tullamarine

• February 14 – Tullamarine

• February 25 – Tullamarine

• March 14 – Tullamarine

• March 18 – Tullamarine

Dangerous Goods Driver Licence

• February 16-17 – Tullamarine

• March 16-17 – Tullamarine

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

Dangerous Goods Acceptance (Air)

• February 5-7 – Sydney

• February 12-14 – Melbourne

• February 19-21 – Brisbane

• March 5-7 – Sydney

• March 12-14 – Melbourne

Dangerous Goods Re-certification (Air)

• February 4 – Sydney

• February 11 – Sydney

• February 18 – Brisbane

• March 4 – Sydney

• March 11 – Melbourne

Dangerous Goods Awareness (Air)

• February 18 – Sydney

• March 15 – Melbourne

Dangerous Goods by Sea – Full Acceptance

• February 19-20 – Sydney

• February 26-27 – Melbourne

• March 6-7 – Brisbane

Dangerous Goods by Sea –Recertification

Shipping Lithium Batteries by Air

• February 25 – Sydney

CAMEON

PO Box 17345

Edinburgh EH12 1DJ, UK T (+44 131) 334 1929

www.cameon.com

Dangerous Goods by Air

• April 8-10 – Manchester Dangerous Goods by Air –Revalidation

• February 8 – Manchester Dangerous Goods by Road and Sea

• February 5-7 – Manchester Dangerous Goods by Road –Upgrade

• April 11 – Manchester Dangerous Goods by Sea –Upgrade

• April 12 – Manchester Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser

• February 25-March 1 –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 12-14 – Montreal

• February 26-28 – Calgary

• March 5-7 – Vancouver

• March 5-7 – Toronto Air Dangerous Goods, Recurrent

• February 13-14 – Montreal

February 27-28 – Calgary

March 6-7 – Vancouver

March 6-7 – Toronto

DANGEROUS GOODS

OF AMERICA

10400 NW 33rd Street, Suite 230 Doral, FL 33172, USA T (+1 305) 871 3313 www.dga4u.com

Initial IATA & HMR Air

• February 4-6 – Doral

• March 4-6 – Doral Recurrent IATA & HMR

• February 12 – Doral

• March 12 – Doral

IMDG Code & HMR Ocean

• March 11 – Doral

DANGO TRAINING SERVICES

169 Affric Road

Glenrothes KY7 6XA, UK T (+44 1592) 748234 www.dangerousgoodstrainingdts. co.uk

Dangerous Goods by Air

• January 28-30 – Aberdeen

• February 11-13 – Aberdeen

February 18-20 – Aberdeen

• March 4-6 – Aberdeen

Dangerous Goods by Sea

January 31-Feb 1 – Aberdeen

February 14-15 – Aberdeen

February 21-22 – Aberdeen

March 7-8 – Aberdeen

DG AIR FREIGHT

PO Box 140

Botany, NSW 1455, Australia T (+61 8) 8234 1622 http://dgair.com.au

DG by Air – Initial

• February 11-13 – Brisbane

February 18-20 – Sydney

• February 25-27 – Adelaide

• March 11-13 – Sydney

DG by Sea – Initial

• February 14-15 – Brisbane

• February 14-15 – Sydney

• February 28-March 1 – Adelaide

• March 14-15 – Sydney

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

• January 30-31 – Chicago

February 13-14 – Atlanta

February 25-26 – Philadelphia

February 28-March 1 –Los Angeles

March 7-8 – Chicago

March 13-14 – Las Vegas

March 18-19 – San Francisco

IATA Recurrent

January 31 – Chicago

• February 11 – Las Vegas

• February 14 – Atlanta

• February 25 – Los Angeles

• February 26 – Philadelphia

• March 4 – Chicago

• March 4 – Seattle

• March 14 – Las Vegas

• March 19 – San Francisco

IMDG Recurrent

• February 1 – Chicago

• February 13 – Las Vegas

• February 15 – Atlanta

• February 27 – Los Angeles

• March 6 – Chicago

• March 6 – Seattle

• March 15 – Las Vegas

• March 27 – Atlanta

Ground Transportation (49 CFR) Initial

• January 28-29 – Chicago

• February 11-12 – Atlanta

• March 11-12 – Las Vegas

Ground Transportation (49 CFR) Recurrent

• January 29 – Chicago

• February 12 – Atlanta

• February 12 – Las Vegas

• February 26 – Los Angeles

• February 27 – Philadelphia

• March 5 – Chicago

• March 5 – Seattle

• March 12 – Las Vegas

• March 20 – San Francisco

Multimodal Initial (49 CFR/IATA/IMDG)

• January 28-Feb 1 – Chicago

• February 11-15 – Atlanta

• March 11-15 – Las Vegas

Multimodal Recurrent (49 CFR/IATA/IMDG)

• February 11-13 – Las Vegas

• February 25-27 – Los Angeles

• March 4-6 – Chicago

• March 4-6 – Seattle

• March 25-27 – Atlanta

Ground/Air Shipping - Initial (49 CFR/IATA)

• February 25-27 – Philadelphia

• March 18-20 – San Francisco

Radioactive Materials (Multimodal)

• February 14-15 – Las Vegas

DGM TRAINING INSTITUTE

1813 Greens Road

Houston, TX 77032, USA

T (+1 281) 821 0500

www.dgm-usa.com

IATA/ICAO Dangerous Goods by Air – Initial

• March 4-6 – Dallas

• March 18-20 – Houston

• March 25-27 – Atlanta

IATA/ICAO Dangerous Goods by Air – Recurrent

• March 21-22- Houston

• March 28-29 – Atlanta

IMDG Code - Initial

• February 18-19 – Atlanta

• February 18-19 – Houston

• March 7-8 – Dallas

IMDG Code – Recurrent

• February 20 – Atlanta

• February 20 – Houston

• May 22 – Atlanta

• May 22 – Houston

49 CFR Dangerous Goods by Road – Initial

• March 4-5 – Atlanta

49 CFR Dangerous Goods by Road – Recurrent

• March 6 – Atlanta

Multi-Modal (Air, Road and Sea)

– Initial

• January 28-31 – Atlanta

• March 11-14 – Atlanta

General Awareness

• March 8 – Atlanta

Transport of Radioactive Materials by Air

• February 4-5 – Atlanta

• February 4-5 – Houston Shipping Lithium Batteries

• March 7 – Atlanta

ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS USERS ASSOCIATION (EEMUA)

2nd floor, 16 Black Friars Lane London EC4V 6EB, UK T (+44 20) 7488 0801 www.eemua.org/Training-andcompetency/ TankAssessor

• February 11-15 – Rotterdam

• March 18-22 – Lyon

• April 1-5 – Düsseldorf TankIntro

• April 8-9 – London

FREMANTLE TRAINING & TRANSPORT

Rathmore Lodge

Rathmore Road Torquay, Devon TQ2 6NY, UK T (+44 1803) 293344 www.fremantletraining.co.uk

ADR Driver Training

• January 28-Feb 1 – Plymouth

• March 11-15 – Bristol

• March 18-22 – Plymouth ADR Driver Training – Tanks &

Class 3 Refresher

• February 11-12 – Bristol

• April 29-30 – Bristol

GLOBAL TRANSPORT TRAINING

54 Norristown Road

Blue Bell, PA 19422, USA

T (+1 215) 283 0983

www.gttstraining.com

Multi-Modal - IATA/IMDG/DOT 49

CFR – Initial

• January 28-Feb 1 – Dallas

• January 28-Feb 1 – Jacksonville

• February 4-8 – Cincinnati

• February 4-8 – Philadelphia

• February 11-15 – Chicago

• February 18-22 – San Francisco

• February 25-March 1 – Baltimore

• February 25-March 1 – Houston

• March 4-8 – Atlanta

• March 11-15 – Indianapolis

• March 11-15 – Los Angeles

• March 18-22 – Newark

• March 18-22 – Seattle

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

• January 28-Feb 1 – Geneva

• February 25-March 1 –Amsterdam

• March 4-8 – Singapore

Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) – Recurrent, Category 6

• February 13-15 – Singapore

• February 27-March 1 – Milano

• March 27-29 – Amsterdam

Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) – Instructor Refresher

• February 27-March 1 – London

Professional Skills for DGR Instructors – Categories 1,2,3,6

• March 4-8 – London

• March 18-22 – Singapore Instructional Techniques for DGR (for categories 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)

• February 18-22 – Milano

• May 6-10 – Singapore

Shipping Lithium Batteries by Air

• January 28-29 – Geneva

• March 4-5 – Singapore

• March 18-19 – Miami

Infectious Substances Transport

– Train the Trainer

• January 28-Feb 1 – Geneva

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)

• February 5-8 – Orlando

• February 19-22 – Charlotte

• March 5-8 – Houston

• March 26-29 – Los Angeles

• March 26-29 – Denver

Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (49 CFR)

• January 28-29 – Baltimore

• February 5-6 – Orlando

• February 11-12 -Atlanta

• February 19-20 – Charlotte

• February 25-26 – Nashville

• March 5-6 – Houston

• March 11-12 – Dallas

• March 26-27 – Los Angeles

• March 26-27 – Denver

Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification - Recurrent

• February 6 – Sparta, NJ

Hazmat Air Shipper Certification (IATA)

• February 7 – Orlando

• February 13 – Atlanta

• February 21 – Charlotte

• February 27 – Nashville

• March 7 – Houston

• March 13 – Dallas

Hazmat Vessel Shipper Certification (IMDG)

• February 8 – Orlando

• February 22 – Charlotte

• March 8 – Houston

Shipping Lithium Batteries

• February 7 – Sparta, NJ Industrial & Hazardous Waste in Texas

• February 8 – Dallas

• February 13 – Houston

• February 22 – San Antonio

Complete Environmental Regulations

• March 4-5 – Sparta, NJ

• March 14-15 – Salt Lake City

RCRA Hazardous Waste Management Refresher with Recurrent Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification

• February 5-6 – Sparta, NJ

SPECIALIST TRAINING & CONSULTANCY

6 Venture Court

Altham Industrial Estate Altham, Lancs BB5 5TU, UK

T (+44 1282) 687090 www.specialisttraining.co.uk

ADR Initial – Packages & Tanks

• March 18-22 – Accrington

ADR Initial – Packages

• February 11-14 – Accrington

ADR Class 7

• March 25 – Accrington

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air (IATA)

• March 19-21 – Accrington

Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Sea (IMDG)

• April 1 – Accrington

Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor

• February 18-22 – Accrington

TRANSCHEM TRAINING

The Legion, Wigshaw Lane Culcheth, Warrington WA3 4LY, UK

T (+44 151) 488 0961 www.transchemtraining.com

ADR Initial

• February 11-15 – Wakefield

• February 18-22 – Warrington

• March 11-15 – Wakefield

• March 18-22 – Warrington

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

• February 4-15 – Pueblo

• March 4-15 – Pueblo

Tank Car Specialist

• January 28-Feb 1 – Pueblo

• February 25-Mar 1 – Pueblo

• March 18-22 – Pueblo

• March 25-29 – Pueblo Tank Car Specialist – Advanced

• March 4-8 – Pueblo Intermodal Specialist

• March 18-20 – Pueblo Leadership & Management of Surface Transportation Incidents

• February 11-15 – Pueblo

• March 11-15 – Pueblo Highway Emergency Response Specialist

• January 28-Feb 1 – Pueblo

• February 25-Mar 1 – Pueblo

• March 4-8 – Pueblo

• March 25-29 – Pueblo

Highway Emergency Response Specialist – Advanced

• March 18-22 – Pueblo

Crude-by-Rail Response

• February 26-28 – Pueblo

• March 5-7 – Pueblo

• March 26-28 – Pueblo

UPS

55 Glenlake Parkway NW Atlanta, GA 30328, USA

T (+1 800) 634 5656 www.upshazmatseminars.com

49CFR & IATA Dangerous Goods Seminar

• February 12-14 – Ontario, CA

• March 12-14 – Atlanta Lithium Batteries (DOT/IATA)

• April 10-11 – Dallas

WARSASH MARITIME ACADEMY Newtown Road, Warsash Southampton SO31 9ZL, UK

T (+44 1489) 556216

www.warsashacademy.co.uk

Basic Oil and Chemical Tanker Cargo Operations

• February 4-5 – Southampton

• March 18-19 – Southampton

Basic Liquefied Gas Tanker Cargo Operations

• February 12-13 – Southampton

YORDAS GROUP

Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University

Lancaster, Lancs LA1 4YQ, UK.

T (+44 1524) 510278 www.thereachcentre.com

CLP Workshop

• February 19 – Lancaster

Hazard Communication –SDS Workshop

• February 20 – Lancaster

Extended SDS - Understanding & Implementing Exposure Scenarios

• February 21 – Lancaster

An Overview of Chemical Regulations in Asia Pacific

• March 13 – Lancaster

CONFERENCE DIARY

JANUARY

European Oil Storage Conference

JANUARY 24-25, AMSTERDAM

Platts’ 12th annual conference on oil markets for terminal owners, ports, oil traders, financiers and analysts www.spglobal.com/platts/en/events/emea/ european-oil-storage/summary

COHMED

JANUARY 28-FEB 1, SAN ANTONIO Annual conference of the Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development (COHMED) programme https://cvsa.org/eventpage/events/ cohmed-conference/

Argus Americas LPG Summit

JANUARY 29-31, HOUSTON

Conference on market trends in regional LPG supply and demand www.argusmedia.com/en/conferences-eventslisting/americas-lpg

FEBRUARY

Digital Transformation in Chemicals

FEBRUARY 6-7, FRANKFURT

Inaugural event focusing on digitisation in the chemical industry www.argusmedia.com/en/conferences-eventslisting/digital-transformation-in-chemicals

Annual LNG Conference

FEBRUARY 12-13, HOUSTON

18th annual S&P Global Platts conference on the international LNG market www.spglobal.com/platts/en/events/americas/lngconference/summary

Storck Symposium 2019

FEBRUARY 17-19, HAMBURG

35th annual conference on dangerous goods transport (German language) www.ecomed-storck.de/Veranstaltungen/35Internationale-Gefahrgut-Tage-HamburgVeranstaltung-Hamburg-17-19-02-2019.html

Crisis & Risk Management Summit

FEBRUARY 18-21, KUWAIT

Seventh annual meeting on crisis resilience in the Middle East https://crisisandriskmanagement.iqpc.ae/

International Petroleum Week (IP Week)

FEBRUARY 26-28, LONDON

Annual week of meetings, lunches, conferences and seminars in London www.ipweek.co.uk/_nocache

Hazardex 2019

FEBRUARY 27-28, RUNCORN Conference and exhibition on hazardous area operations www.hazardexonthenet.net/event.aspx?EventID=4783

MARCH

PPC Spring Meeting

MARCH 3-5, SCOTTSDALE

Bi-annual meeting and tradeshow of the Petroleum Packaging Council www.ppcouncil.org/upcoming-meetings.php

Chemical & Product Tankers

MARCH 5-6, LONDON

Tenth annual conference, co-hosted by the International Parcel Tankers Association http://cpt-conference.com/

IATA World Cargo Symposium

MARCH 12-14, SINGAPORE

13th global conference on air cargo www.iata.org/events/wcs/pages/index.aspx

BADGP

MARCH 14, COVENTRY

Annual AGM and seminar of the British Association of Dangerous Goods Professionals www.badgp.org/event-3120064

SCHC Spring Meeting

MARCH 16-20, LAS VEGAS

Biannual meeting of the Society of Chemical Hazard Communication www.schc.org/meetings

AFPM Annual Meeting

MARCH 17-19, SAN ANTONIO

American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers’ annual meeting for refiners and marketers www.afpm.org/Conferences/

Dangerous Goods ANZ 2019

MARCH 18-19, MELBOURNE

Workshop on hazardous chemicals and dangerous goods compliance www.marcusevans-conferences-australian.com/ marcusevans-conferences-event-details

Tanks and Terminals 2019

MARCH 18-19, DUBAI

Conference and workshop on integrity management of aboveground storage tanks www.marcusevans-conferences-middleeastern. com/marcusevans-conferences-event-details. asp?EventID=24765&SectorID=7

Intermodal South America

MARCH 19-21, SÃO PAULO

International exhibition on intermodal logistics, cargo transport and international trade www.intermodal.com.br/en

LogiChem

MARCH 19-21, AMSTERDAM

Chemical supply chain and logistics conference http://logichem.wbresearch.com/

AFPM IPC

MARCH 24-26, SAN ANTONIO AFPM’s annual International Petrochemical Conference www.afpm.org/Conferences/

StocExpo 2019

MARCH 26-28, ROTTERDAM

The main annual exhibition and conference for the European tank terminal industry www.easyfairs.com/stocexpo-europe-2019/ stocexpo-europe-2019/

NACD Responsible Distribution Workshop

MARCH 27-28, ATLANTA

Meeting for code coordinators and others subject to Responsible Distribution www.nacd.com/meetings/workshops/

APRIL

COSTHA 2019

APRIL 7-11, LONG BEACH

Annual forum and expo of the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles www.costha.com

Gefahrgut & Gefahrstoff

APRIL 9-11, LEIPZIG

Trade fair for all those involved in the transport and internal logistics of dangerous goods and materials www.ggs-tradefair.com/?language=en

INCIDENT LOG

ROAD/RAIL/AIR INCIDENTS

Date Location Vehicle Type Substance Details Source

3/10/18 Providence, road tanker gasoline Tank truck with “more than 11,000 gal” (41.6 m³) gasoline rolled over on ramp to Route 95, breaching all Providence Rhode Island, US tank compartments; gasoline ran down ramp into Providence River; USCG involved in response Journal

5/10/18 Douala, road tanker waste oil Road tanker said to be carrying waste for a French company exploded, cause unknown; video showed flames, Xinhua Cameroon smoke from site of incident; one killed, at least 60 houses destroyed

5/10/18 Al-Faisaliya, road tanker diesel Road tanker overturned in town in Tabuk province, sparking fire; driver was trapped in cab and died in blaze; GDN Saudi Arabia fire spread to other vehicles parked nearby; local residents evacuated online

6/10/18 Mbuba, road tanker oil Road tanker with unspecified oil cargo collided with another vehicle on Kinshasa-Matadi highway; burning AFP Kongo, DR Congo oil spread to nearby market, homes; at least 60 people reported killed in blaze, many more injured

6/10/18 Baiji, road tanker oil Roadside bomb triggered explosion in road tanker at Chinese-owned refinery; one person killed, 23 injured, CGTN. Salahuddin, Iraq all refinery personnel com

7/10/18 Colts Neck, road tanker fuel oil Tank truck overturned on Route 18 in single-vehicle accident; two people in cab were killed in crash; nj.com New Jersey, US small spill of fuel oil cargo to shoulder; northbound lanes closed for response

9/10/18 Jacksonville, road tanker jet fuel Tank truck overturned, ruptured in crash on I-96, spilling some 3,000 gal (11,350 litres) jet fuel; spill ran into news4jax. Florida, US storm drains, much reaching nearby Hogan’s Creek; booms, vacuum trucks, skimmers deployed com

13/10/18 Ujjain, road tanker gasoline, Bharat Petroleum tanker overturned trying to avoid oncoming vehicle on Mohanpura bridge; fuel spilled from Free Press MP, India diesel manlids; some 20,000 litres thought lost; nearby farmland contaminated; four people injured Journal

21/10/18 Ugheli, road tanker diesel Road tanker overturned, allegedly when driver fell asleep, spilled diesel to road; spill caused other accidents; Leadership Delta, Nigeria scores injured but no fatalities; driver absconded in face of angry mob

22/10/18 Mexico City, road tanker alcohol Road tanker parked at alcohol plant in Cuahtemoc area exploded, cause unknown; explosion caused major Fox News Mexico fire, prompting evacuation of 2,000 nearby residents; one person hurt in blast

23/10/18 Quetta, van gasoline Truck collided with van carrying smuggled gasoline on highway; crash caused gasoline to ignite, causing AP Balochistan, Pakistan explosion; four people killed; two officers at nearby police post injured trying to extinguish blaze

28/10/18 Mathura, road tanker LPG LPG tanker exploded on Yamuna highway; reports varied: tanker either struck stationary vehicle or clipped Hindustan UP, India truck while overtaking; some said it was speeding away from police; 5 vehicles destroyed; 3 people hurt Times

31/10/18 Vaughan, road tanker fuel Tank truck crossed median on Highway 407, crashed into oncoming vehicle; tanker burst into flames; both CBC Ontario, Canada drivers killed; damage to road surface from heat of blaze; concerns over potential impact on waterways

1/11/18 Keningau, road tanker gasoline Driver lost control of tanker on Ulu Kimanis road, swerved and crashed into hillside; tanker caught fire; The Star Malaysia driver managed to escape from cab with injuries; fire service had situation under control within an hour (KL)

3/11/18 Mysuru, freight train gasoline Oil train derailed during shunting after discharging at IOC terminal; one tank car hit electricity pole and Star of Karnataka, India control box alongside track; derailment caused severe disruption to passenger trains; signal failure blamed Mysore

3/11/18 Mpika, road tankers gasoline Two Mount Meru tankers from Tanzania exploded on Great North Road; reports said they had stopped to Zambia Muchinga, Zambia sell fuel to a local vendor; some fuel splashed on ground and was ignited; both drivers fled Reports

3/11/18 Alma, freight train ethanol 32 tank cars of BNSF train derailed; five tank cars ruptured, spilling at least 18,000 gal (68 m³) ethanol to Star Wisconsin, US Mississippi River; two nearby highways closed, residents evacuated; BNSF crews stopped leaks Tribune

4/11/18 Watertown, freight train crude oil Second derailment in two days in Wisconsin involved at least 10 cars of CP oil train; no fires or injuries Star Wisconsin, US reported but CP said some of the tank cars were leaking crude oil to tracks Tribune

MARINE/INLAND WATERWAY INCIDENTS

Date Location Vessel

Source

5/10/18 Matanzas Bay, crude oil Around 100 m³ crude oil spilled to sea after equipment failure during discharge at Super Tanker Terminal, Havana Cuba Cuba’s main oil import facility; most of spill was quickly contained; authorities to investigate incident Live

17/10/18 Rio Cullen, oil facility oil YPF facility spilled 720 m³ unspecified oil to Rio Cullen; spill contained to river and lakes but significant TeleSur Magallanes, Chile impact on local flora and fauna; Chile’s Environmental Commission will take legal action

29/10/18 Zeebrugge, Mistral chemicals Cargo operations were suspended after leak of unspecified chemicals from containers and/or tanks aboard FleetMon Belgium Finland-registered ferry; no reports of injuries

MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS

Date Location Plant type Substance Details Source

28/9/18 Port Arthur, oil refinery sulphur Fire broke out in sulphur pit at Total Petrochemicals & Refining plant; above-normal gas emissions recorded; Dow Jones Texas, US site’s fire crews dealt with blaze, called for exclusion zone until gases dissipated

29/9/18 Chachoengsao, fireworks fireworks Explosion blew roof off fireworks factory, raining debris on neighbourhood; three nearby homes damaged; The Thailand factory two trucks at site destroyed; fire brigade said extremely hot weather was the likely cause Nation

2/10/18 Yanbu, petrochemical chemicals One worker killed, 11 injured by fire at Natpet plant; environmental teams monitoring air quality in nearby Arab Saudi Arabia plant residential area; no indication as to cause of fire or what chemicals or fuels were involved News

4/10/18 Tessenderlo, chemical hydrochloric “Massive” release of cloud of hydrochloric acid following explosion at Vynova plant; operator said there was Brussels Belgium plant acid no danger to the public but advised locals to keep windows closed; plant evacuated Times

4/10/18 Shubra al-Kheima, fuel depot fuel oil One killed, three injured by explosion in fuel oil storage tank at fuel depot north of Cairo; facility described Anadolu Qalioubiya, Egypt as an “oil pumping warehouse”; authorities investigating cause of explosion

6/10/18 Tsuchiura, fireworks fireworks

Ten people were injured by unexpected explosion of fireworks during national competition; event continued Xinhua Ibaraki, Japan competition for another hour before high winds prompted cancellation

6/10/18 Gardiner, airport aviation

Some 1,000 gal (3,800 litres) aviation fuel spilled from Gardiner Airport tank, some reaching Wallkill River; Hudson New York, US fuel thought that nozzle had not been replaced after plane had refuelled; responders unable to collect spilt fuel Valley1

7/10/18 St John, oil refinery diesel Major explosion, fire at Irving Oil refinery, caused by malfunction in diesel desulphurisation unit; at least CBC NB, Canada four workers, said to be contractors, injured; shelter-in-place ordered; authorities investigating incident

7/10/18 Goyang, pipeline gasoline Fire, explosion in storage tank with 4,400 m³ gasoline at Daehan Oil Pipeline terminal; responders prevented Yonhap South Korea terminal fire from spreading to other tanks but blaze was difficult to deal with; not clear how ignition happened

8/10/18 Kolkata, fireworks firecrackers Series of explosions at illegal cracker manufacturing unit in residential area killed one, injured 10; similar Times of India factory incident at another site operated by same owner in 2016; locals had complained about his activities India

9/10/18 Brod, oil refinery unknown Powerful explosion at Brod refinery, close to Croatian border; fire crews contained blaze; eight workers Reuters Bosnia hurt in blast; cause of explosion unknown

9/10/18 Shelley, pipeline natural gas

One of two Enbridge lines ruptured, exploded north-east of Prince George, cutting supplies to customers; Global BC, Canada nearby First Nation settlement evacuated; BC Energy Ministry investigating; cause currently unknown News

9/10/18 Durg, steel plant natural gas Nine killed, 12 injured by explosion in gas pipeline to coke oven at SAIL’s Bhilai steel plant; blast happened Hindustan Chhattisgarh, India during maintenance to deal with uneven pressure in line; SAIL, police investigating Times

9/10/18 Ichnya, ammunition ammunition 12,000 people evacuated after series of explosions, fire at ammo dump; no injuries reported; 20-km airspace BBC Chernihiv, Ukraine depot restriction imposed; defence ministry blamed sabotage by Russian interests

12/10/18 Osisioma, pipeline gasoline At least 16 people killed by explosion on abandoned NNPC pipeline; some reports blamed blast on fuel theft The Abia, Nigeria from line but locals said old line had been ignored by authorities after new lines had been installed Nation

15/10/18 Nairobi, airport aviation Fire broke out in fuel depot at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport; fire extinguished without damage; no Reuters Kenya fuel flight disruptions; cause of fire under investigation

19/10/18 Gatchina, pyrotechnics explosives Four workers killed in explosion at Avangard plant near St Petersburg; Avangard makes pyrotechnic devices TASS Leningrad, Russia plant and lawn furniture; nearby residential area suffered damage, several people hurt; criminal case opened

26/10/18 Badaun, firecracker fireworks Explosion in licensed firecracker factory killed eight workers, injured several nearby residents, passers-by; NewsJizz UP, India factory factory was busy ahead of Diwali; cause unknown, but police suspect someone may have been smoking

26/10/18 Amatlán, pipeline fuel Explosion during illegal tap on Pemex line by fuel thieves killed at least two, more injured or missing; spill Diario de Veracruz, Mexico of unidentified fuel reached nearby creek Xalapa

30/10/18 Los Angeles, port scrap metal Explosion in container of scrap metal at Evergreen terminal; nearby roads closed, terminal evacuated; Maritime California, US police investigated other containers to see if there were any other threats; incident treated as accidental Executive

5/11/18 Beresfield, warehouse sodium Container (probably IBC) with sodium hydroxide was damaged by vehicle, spilled 600 litres to bunded area; Newcastle NSW, Australia hydroxide plant, surrounding buildings evacuated; SafeWork NSW investigating incident Herald

5/11/18 Sihanoukville, market gasoline Fire broke out after leak at gasoline vendor’s shop near busy market; one person injured, several vehicles Khmer Cambodia destroyed; fire crews brought incident under control within an hour Times

8/11/18 Boksburg, chemical chemicals

Four people injured by explosion in workshop at Richbay Chemicals plant; fire caused further explosions in City Press Gauteng, S Africa plant drums and IBCs with corrosives, other chemicals; responders suspect chemical reaction

9/11/18 Hakkari province, army base ammunition

At least seven soldiers killed, 25 injured by explosion in ammunition depot at army base during firing of AP Turkey artillery; not clear if blast happened during training or if there was a clash with Kurdish rebels

IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK

BREXIT • AS THE POTENTIAL FOR A ‘NO DEAL’ BREXIT BECOMES EVER MORE PLAUSIBLE, PLANS TO REPLICATE THE EU’S REACH SYSTEM ARE SIMPLY UNWORKABLE, CBA SAYS

avoided is in the negotiation of an Associate Membership of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the EU body that administers REACH and related regulations, or some other arrangement that guarantees continued regulatory compliance by UK companies with the EU regime. Only such an arrangement will allow continued access to European markets for UK-based manufacturers.

THE UK’S CHEMICAL Business Association (CBA) is alarmed at the UK government’s expectation that, in the event of a ‘no deal’ exit from the EU, the structure of the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation can be simply transposed in full into UK law.

“We made our views clear to the Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey, before the Christmas break,” says Peter Newport, CBA’s chief executive. “The Minister has confirmed that the government intends to stick to its ‘no deal’ plan for UK REACH.”

The issue, put simply, is that the UK government appears to misunderstand the ways in which the chemical industry currently deals with compliance with REACH. As a result, Newport says, “The current proposals will damage the chemical supply sector and the many downstream UK manufacturing industries relying on chemicals for their products and processes.”

CBA’s view is that, if the UK leaves the EU without an agreement, the only way that these adverse consequences can be

As it stands, UK industry looks set to lose frictionless access to EU markets, which in 2017 accounted for 60 per cent of UK chemical exports.

HOW IT WORKS

“The chemical sector’s regulatory framework has a distinctive relationship with trade. Regulatory compliance is the key to market access. In this case, the EU alone determines the nature and extent of the compliance required,” Newport explains. “Compliance with EU requirements is non-negotiable. Failure to comply is a barrier to EU 27 market access. Without market access there can be no trade.”

If REACH is to be transposed in full into UK law, there will be a need to create a database of registered chemicals similar to that already currently held by ECHA. This will require access to the chemical testing data used to support the registration of substances under REACH.

“In meetings with Ministers and officials, CBA has pointed out that many UK companies do not own or have access to this data,” Newport points out. “They pay a fee to its owner(s) for Letters of Access generating an electronic token that enables the company to rely on the data set held by ECHA. Letters of Access only provide REACH compliance for EU markets.”

Test data is owned by one or more companies, not by ECHA and not necessarily

by UK businesses. Most is owned by consortia of European companies, which may sell copies of test data to a business in a third country, but this would be their commercial decision.

If existing test data is unavailable, or permission for its use for UK REACH cannot be secured, then a significant amount of animal testing would be required to recreate acceptable standards of data. Alternative forms of testing may be appropriate in some cases, but higher levels of animal testing should be anticipated.

On top of that, the cost to UK industry of establishing a ‘UK REACH’ would be unsustainable. UK firms currently hold more than 12,000 REACH registrations covering almost 6,000 chemical substances. The registration fees and data-sharing contributions funding the EU REACH process already total many millions of pounds. Yet, in recent meetings, Ministers appear indifferent to the further substantial costs faced by chemical firms as a consequence of establishing UK REACH. “Business cannot sustain the additional costs implicit in the Government’s proposals,” Newport says.

Further, the UK government has set a two-year target for the UK REACH entity to be set up and to acquire all the relevant testing data. “This timescale is unrealistic,” Newport insists. “The EU’s REACH regime took ten years to implement.”

HCB

FLY BY WIRELESS

E-FREIGHT • ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTATION OFFERS TO IMPROVE SPEED AND ACCURACY IN THE TRANSPORT CHAIN BUT, AS DGOFFICE REPORTS, STANDARDS ARE VITAL

THE INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENT of goods by different modes of transport generates a lot of paperwork. When such shipments involve dangerous goods, the volume of documentation is multiplied. There are strict regulations and procedures to be observed and many parties involved – shippers, forwarders, (ground) handlers, carriers and consignees, and potentially others.

All those parties play a distinct role and need access to certain information if they are to perform their activities properly.

The information accompanying the shipment needs to be available to all parties involved in the transport chain, but not necessarily at the same time as the goods themselves and not necessarily in the same format.

In the past, it has been common for each player in the transport chain to generate its own documentation. This has meant re-keying the data, with each step along the chain raising the possibility that errors will creep in. Experience shows that, for general goods, as many as 87 repetitions are possible – and,

with dangerous goods, the number is even greater. This adds to complexity, wastes time and can easily introduce errors.

APPLYING TECHNOLOGY

There have been many attempts to leverage emerging technologies to ameliorate this problem, going back at least 30 years. Recent innovations and developments by specialists such as DGOffice.net have meant that the need for each participant in the dangerous goods supply chain to re-key information has disappeared. And, while information still needs to be shared with other parties in the shipping process, the exchange of hard-copy paperwork is redundant, especially as regulators open up the documentation requirements to electronic copies and signatures.

This is leading to developments that focus on streamlining data sharing in such a way that it is beneficial and convenient for all parties involved in a shipment: systems that can support the exchange of information without the need for data to be re-entered.

DGOffice.net launched its dangerous goods data sharing standard, DGXML, publicly available under shared commons at www.dgm-sdg.com/dgxml, in July 2018 to implement an e-freight solution. This online software package automatically reproduces information and allows the data to be copied into the relevant places on each document or label that is required along the supply chain. This saves a lot of time and simultaneously removes the potential for errors to be made.

Only six months later, DGOffice.net is now handling some 32,000 multimodal webservice requests per day, and demand for the service is spreading rapidly. Users themselves are pushing automation in data transmission along their supply chains, bringing more and more parties into the e-freight club.

FAIR EXCHANGE

As a result of this growing demand, new projects are being initiated. DGOffice BV participates in several of these electronic data exchange projects, providing specific input on dangerous goods information requirements. One significant outcome of this work will be a new version of DGXML, due for release early

in 2019. This will be a version-controlled XML standard for use with any mode of transport, including multimodal shipments.

The aim of this work is to create a whole multimodal collaborative platform for dangerous goods shipments, through which all relevant data can be exchanged securely between relevant parties at the click of a button. DGOffice.net can function in this way through its e-freight solution, which enables users to distribute shipment information to other parties using DGOffice.net or external systems via an export as DGXML or IATA XML. As well as this, it is possible to import, validate, edit and re-validate XML messages received from parties outside DGOffice.net.

As shippers demand better management and greater visibility in the transport chain, the status of exported shipments is displayed in DGOffice.net. Each party in a specific transport chain, from consignor to consignee and all points in between, can access the validated information, which is automatically re-used where applicable.

In addition, there are build-in solutions that have been largely developed by or for forwarders. These solutions display all declarations that are sent to them by shippers using DGOffice.net. The status of a shipment can be changed by adding an AWB or station of loading/unloading. Updated declarations can be exported and sent to ground handlers and carriers, which can in turn update the information within the same process.

MOVE AWAY FROM PAPER

Recently, the first electronic Dangerous Goods Declaration (e-DGD) shipment was handled by Lufthansa Cargo in Frankfurt, Germany. Together with its project partner DGOffice. net, Lufthansa Cargo is now involved in a programme to test the implementation of the e-DGD, in which shippers are invited to share their experience in its application via the DGOffice.net e-freight solution. This project started in November 2018 and is due to end in the first quarter of 2019.

Another industry initiative is a digital logistics platform developed by efreight AG, based in Switzerland. This platform is based on a communication and transaction hub that allows the digital (i.e. paperless) and secure handling and monitoring of shipments by all modes of transport. By using this platform, connected users can communicate or exchange transport data and all manner of electronic documents through corresponding interfaces. The efreight AG platform cooperates with DGOffice.net for shipments that contain dangerous goods, generating e-DGDs via the online software program that can be added directly to the consignment data on the efreight AG platform.

COMPLIANCE ENSURED

The digitisation of dangerous goods documentation will have another positive benefit for industry: it will be easier to keep up to date with regulatory changes and

ensure that documentation remains compliant throughout the supply chain. Regulatory change is something that all those active in the dangerous goods supply chain have to face every two years, as they have done this month.

During November 2018, Labeline International, in cooperation with HCB, held two one-day seminars in the UK to help raise awareness of the upcoming regulatory changes (see page46). At those events, speakers highlighted IATA’s decision to made the electronic air waybill (e-AWB) the default document for all air cargo shipments. This is yet another example of how the digitisation of freight documentation is becoming the norm, with the air mode in the vanguard.

DGOffice BV develops and maintains the DGOffice.net online system, web services and databases. DGOffice.net has a modular design, which means that each user sees and applies only those modules that are relevant. The core component covers all basic tools, with other modules being added as needed; if there are any changes to a user’s requirements, adjustments can be made very easily.

DGOffice BV’s products are marketed via resellers located around the world. In addition, the company is active in the dangerous goods sector in terms of the provision of complementary services such as training, packing, consulting and labelling. A free demo of DGOffice.net is available through the company’s website, www.dgoffice.net. HCB

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

REPORT • BRINGING REGULATORY UPDATES TO THE REGULATED, LABELINE’S BIENNIAL ROADSHOW DELIVERED THE GOODS AT HEATHROW AND MANCHESTER IN NOVEMBER

THOSE WHO HAVE to observe the various regulations that cover the transport of dangerous goods by all modes are – or, at least, should be – aware that those regulations change every two years. This biennial cycle and the lengthy process involved in amending the rules mean that stakeholders should be well placed to maintain compliance when the change does arrive. Nevertheless, there are those who still seem surprised by the change. To help them, various training providers and other knowledgeable organisations provide support in one way or another. And, for the last two

biennial changes, dutyholders in the UK have been able to take advantage of an initiative by Labeline International, supported by HCB, to bring regulatory experts to industry in a series of one-day seminars.

Last year’s Biennial Roadshow made two stops: first at Heathrow on 13 November and then at Manchester Airport two days later. Both days were introduced by Richard Shreeve, sales director at Labeline International, and chaired by HCB’s editorin-chief, Peter Mackay. A panel of experts, including two from North America, discussed the 2019 regulatory changes, the reasons behind them, and the places where they thought industry might have issues with compliance.

Both days began with a light-hearted look at the evolution of dangerous goods transport

regulations, featuring the industry’s very own Laurel and Hardy – Jeff Hart OBE, formerly head of the Dangerous Goods Division at the UK Department for Transport (DfT), and Geoff Leach, formerly head of the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Dangerous Goods Office and chair of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel, and now an independent consultant.

WHERE THEY COME FROM Geoff and Jeff started by asking the question: why do we need all this regulation? “Isn’t it obvious?” said Jeff: accidents do happen and rules need to be in place to properly manage the risks inherent in the movement of dangerous goods. Also, setting common minimum standards facilitates international and multimodal transport. They showed some early attempts at regulation, such as the UK’s Explosives Act 1875 and Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928, both of which included provisions specific to transport.

The UN Model Regulations – the ‘Orange Book’ – were first published just over 60 years ago, so the system is now well established. The speakers reminded delegates how its provisions filter down into the rules they have to work with: the ICAO Technical Instructions,

the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, and RID, ADR and ADN for surface transport in Europe.

All these rulebooks were about to change from the start of 2019, although their use would become mandatory at different times. The ICAO Technical Instructions – and the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations – have been mandatory since 00.01 on 1 January 2019; there is a one-year transition for the IMDG Code Amendment 39-19, which may be used now but will not be mandatory until 1 January 2020; and in Europe there is a six-month transition period for RID/ADR/ADN, with use of the 2019 versions becoming mandatory as from 1 July 2019.

A subsequent panel session, involving Jeff Hart, Geoff Leach, Richard Masters (formerly with container line MSC) and USbased trainer and consultant Gene Sanders, looked in more detail at the 2019 changes, beginning with those that are common to all modes. These derive from the 20th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations, adopted in December 2016. There are changes in all Chapters, but those that are most obvious are the use of the word ‘hazard’ instead of ‘risk’ throughout, and the arrival of a number of new UN entries for articles containing dangerous goods, nos, in the various classes/divisions.

BY AIR AND SEA

Geoff Leach looked in more detail at the changes in the ICAO Technical Instructions. The format of the Shipper’s Declaration has been changed, and there is no longer any requirement for the title of the signatory and the place of signing to be shown. A long transitional period has been given to allow stocks of old forms to be used up. A new item on the Notification to Captain (NOTOC) is the date: this is such an obvious omission one has to wonder if there was a point to it not being there.

There is a new entry in the List of Dangerous Goods, ID8001, for disilane, with a note that it is forbidden for carriage by air.. Special provision A807 highlights that UN 1954 and 3151 must not be used for disilane or other pyrophoric gases. Elsewhere, packing

instruction 459 has been amended with new provisions for the packing of very small amounts of UN 3223 and 3224 self-reactive and polymerising substances and an outer packaging table has been added to align with the UN provisions. There is also an exemption from the segregation and cargo aircraft accessibility requirements for UN 3528 engines and machinery powered by flammable liquid.

There was a longer list of amendments in the IMDG Code, as enumerated by Jeff Hart. Some of these derived from the explosion aboard the MSC Flaminia in 2012, which was caused by the polymerisation of divinyl benzene in two tank containers carried in the hold. The maritime industry is concerned that information about cargoes that have the potential to spontaneously polymerise

or self-ignite is available to all parties along the supply chain, so when goods are shipped under temperature control, the words ‘TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED’ will now have to be added after the proper shipping name.

Shippers need to be aware that carriers may well demand some form of mechanical temperature control for such shipments.

Another significant change in Amendment 39-18 of the IMDG Code is the introduction of segregation group (SGG) codes to column (16b) of the Dangerous Goods List. These have been designed to help those in charge of stowage plans by indicating the type of product involved. For instance, a product’s segregation (SG) code may say ‘stow away from acids’; the SGG code now indicates whether a product is an acid, which may not be immediately obvious from the chemical name. »

Other new items in the IMDG Code include provisions for IMO Type 9 tanks, or ‘road gas element vehicles’ – these are referred to in other regulations as ‘multiple-element gas containers’ (MEGCs) or, in the US, as ‘tube trailers’. The IMDG Code now includes operational provisions at 4.2.6 and design, construction and approval provisions at 6.8.3.4.

Jeff rounded up is presentation by highlighting the daunting frequency of fires aboard ships – there is one major incident every two months and they do not often make the headlines. “The cause is rarely the ship,” he said. “The seeds of the incident are usually sown on land. IMDG training for short-based staff is vital. It is the only way to prevent these terrible events.”

ROAD WORKS AHEAD

The amendments in the 2019 edition of ADR are many and various, as Richard Masters enumerated. In the exemption threshold table in 1.1.3.6, it is clarified that articles are calculated as the gross weight of the article less any packaging; and when documenting goods to which 1.1.3.6 exemptions may be applied, Note 1 to 5.4.1.1.1(f) now requires the

calculated value of each Transport Category to be shown in addition to the total quantity.

A clarification to 1.4.2.2.2 indicates that the carrier may rely on a vehicle packing certificate to certify that there are no defects in the container or vehicle. New tunnel codes have been assigned to the new engines and machinery entries (UN 3528 to 3530), with details of exemptions found in special provision 363.

In common with the IMDG Code, a new section 7.1.7 sets out procedures for the carriage of temperature-controlled selfreactive or polymerising substances, replacing the existing arrangements; special provision 386 is modified for alignment. There are also a number of changes in Chapter 5 on marking, labelling and placarding, including some clarification on the use of GHS pictograms. Placards are no longer required for exempted shipments of UN 3077/3082 environmentally hazardous substances when in packages of less than 5 kg/litres.

Flammable corrosive gases have been added to the list of high consequence dangerous goods in the table at 1.10.3.1.2. The ‘FC’ classification code is added to applicable chemicals under pressure. There is a new ADR tank provision, TU42, which restricts the carriage of corrosive substances to those with a pH value between 5 and 8. This is applied to specified

substances and to UN 3264 and 3266 corrosive liquids, acidic/basic, inorganic, nos.

A quick survey of the audience at the events showed a surprisingly large proportion who were involved in some way with transport to and from the US, so it was fortunate that Labeline had managed to get Gene Sanders over from Florida to explain what is going on there. Those who follow regulatory developments in Washington, DC will know that things changed very quickly after President Trump came to power, with an immediate freeze on all new rulemakings and, subsequently, instructions to reduce the burden of regulation. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has since then had to fight much harder to get rules put in place to harmonise US provisions with those in effect in international transport, even though such harmonisation actually saves industry money.

At the time of the Labeline meetings, the 2019 harmonisation rule, HM-215O, was still a faint dot on the horizon; Gene said at the time that it would probably not appear until after January 2019, although subsequently PHMSA published its notice of proposed rulemaking at the end of November (see page 50). Gene also highlighted the sunset provision PHMSA gave to the existing requirements for polymerising substances, predicting accurately that this would be extended.

BATTERIES AND SHEETS

As ever, there was a presentation on lithium batteries but there is no one better equipped than Geoff Leach to give it, as he chaired the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel through the period when the rules were being established. There is clearly frustration building among the regulated community at the frequency with which the rules change, and regulators probably feel the same way. As it stands, the regulations seem to please no one –especially as it seems that most accidents involving lithium batteries in transport feature batteries that have not been manufactured or packaged to the expected standards.

Regulators are now trying to take a different, hazard-based approach. As part of this effort, the SAE Aerospace G-27 Committee is trying to develop a packaging

performance standard, which is currently on its fifth draft. This describes the test requirements to demonstrate that a package as prepared for transport does not present an unacceptable risk. Testing is designed to identify hazards from smoke, flammable gases and explosion when a cell in the package is forced into thermal runaway. It is intended that the standard will be extended with a test to identify ‘benign’ lithium cells and batteries – those that can be shown not to present a significant hazard when forced into thermal runaway. It will also include provisions for ‘generic’ packagings that can be used to prevent the spread of a hazard in the event of a thermal runaway.

This has been a lengthy process already and it will be some time yet – and a lot more testing – before the Committee is in a position to vote on the standard. And even when it is adopted, it will still have to be considered by a number of ICAO panels. Geoff said it is unlikely that the standard would be ready before 2021.

Gene Sanders returned to the podium with a presentation on the use of safety data sheets (SDSs) in the transport chain. Air carriers often use the SDS to check the classification of goods and the practice is spreading in the road mode, he said. If there is a mis-match it can result in the delay or rejection of shipments, timewasting and

unhappy customers. In some cases there are referrals to enforcement agencies. This is not the point of the SDS and it is important to remember that product classification in the Globally Harmonised System of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS), which is where the SDS format is described, does not always match classification in the transport regulations. Gene gave several examples where the two systems diverge, including one interesting case where a self-reactive liquid is assigned in the Model Regulations to Division 4.1 –flammable solid, while under GHS it should bear the ‘bomb’ pictogram and is described as a liquid. Furthermore, the transport regulations are not based solely on criteria: they vary by mode, by size and by origin and destination, so there can be no direct correlation between the transport provisions in Section 14 of the SDS and the GHS classification in other sections. Gene reminded the audience that anyone who completes Section 14 is required to have training in classifying dangerous goods for transport.

SEE YOU IN TWO YEARS

There was plenty more for delegates to get their teeth into during the Labeline

seminars. Herman Teering introduced the DGOffice approach to e-freight in the dangerous goods sector (see page 44); Richard Masters and Gene Sanders considered the consequences of the MSC Flaminia accident; Bill Diesslin of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) introduced the Certified Dangerous Goods Professional accreditation; and Caroline Raine of the National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC) ran through the various modal provisions relating to the transport of dangerous goods in limited quantities.

The seminars’ chair would like to apologise to those who attended the Heathrow event, which overran its timetable quite considerably; those who were at the Manchester event two days later were able to get away on time after some speakers had been shown the yellow card.

But the feedback from delegates and sponsors was overwhelmingly positive. In some ways it is a shame that the Biennial Roadshow will not be back until November 2020. HCB will make sure industry is aware of it before it happens; alternatively, keep an eye on the Labeline website, www.labeline.com, for early announcements. HCB

THE LATE SHOW

US • PHMSA HAS PUBLISHED ITS PROPOSALS FOR THE REGULAR BIENNIAL UPDATE RULEMAKING BUT IT WILL NOT BE IN FINAL FORM FOR SOME TIME YET

THE US PIPELINE and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the wing of the US Department of Transportation (DOT) that oversees the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR), has published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) under docket HM-215O designed to maintain harmonisation between the HMR and international regulations. The proposal incorporates many of the amendments contained in the 20th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations but, as ever, there are some variations from the UN provisions of which dutyholders both in the US and elsewhere need to be aware.

The NPRM was published on 27 November and comments were invited by 28 January. Publication of a final rule will be some time after that, so the US will be effectively out of step with the international rules that take effect on 1 January, particularly the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s

(ICAO) Technical Instructions. It is unlikely, however, that PHMSA’s enforcement efforts will be applied to compliance with updated regulations. It is also worth noting that the NPRM appeared much earlier than some had anticipated.

THE MAJOR POINTS

The NPRM under HM-215O includes many of the items that appear in other regulations as from 2019, such as:

• New UN entries and classification system for articles containing dangerous goods

• The requirement for a test summary document for consignments of lithium batteries

• Amendment to the aircraft passenger provisions for baggage equipped with lithium batteries

• New segregation requirements for lithium batteries and other dangerous goods,

particularly flammable liquids, in air transport, and

• Alternative criteria for the classification of corrosive materials.

PHMSA is proposing to extend the sunset dates for the provisions adopted in HM-215N two years ago concerning the transport of polymerising substances by two years to 2 January 2021. This is to allow it to finalise research and analyse comments and data concerning the issue, so that it will have “a more comprehensive understanding of polymerising substances” and can consider the most appropriate transport provisions.

In particular, and partly as a result of work by its Research and Development team, PHMSA wants to hear from dutyholders as to whether they are experiencing difficulties resulting from differences between domestic and international requirements for polymerising substances, their experience of using Test Series E with polymerising substances, and whether there are any alternative tests.

NOT WANTED ON VOYAGE

The aim of HM-215O is to harmonise the HMR with international requirements. However, PHMSA says, “We are not striving to make the HMR identical to the international regulations, but rather

to remove or avoid potential barriers to international transportation.” There are a number of new provisions derived from the UN Model Regulations and Amendment 3918 of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code that are not included in the NPRM, either because PHMSA believes they are already dealt with in the HMR or because they will be addressed separately.

1. PHMSA has not adopted the new special provision to allow the transport of fuel gas containment systems containing certain gases and being transported for disposal, recycling, repair, inspection, maintenance, or from the manufacturing plant to a vehicle assembly plant. PHMSA believes that the provisions in the UN Model Regulations are more appropriate for European road and rail regulations but is inviting industry’s views on whether similar provisions should be developed for inclusion in the HMR.

2. PHMSA is also not adopting new provisions for the transport of damaged and defective cells and batteries of UN 3090, 3091, 3480 and 3481. It believes that the existing packaging and hazard communication requirements in §173.185(f) of the HMR already address such consignments.

3. The IMDG Code now includes provisions for “road gas elements vehicles” – what are referred to in the road regulations as “multiple-element gas containers” (MEGCs). PHMSA says the existing provisions in the HMR authorising the use of MEGCs and tube trailers adequately address the issue.

4. The 2017-2018 edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions included proposed revisions to the training provisions, most particularly in terms of the use of competency-based training. It was ICAO’s intention that these changes would take effect in 2019, although

that has since been delayed by two years. As such, PHMSA sees the provisions as incomplete. In addition, while welcoming discussions on improving the quality of employee training and assessment, the training provisions in the HMR are not prescriptive and allow employers to tailor training programmes in a manner that best addresses its employees’ needs.

While those programmes may be suited to the use of competency-based training, PHMSA is unlikely to make it mandatory.

It is, though, inviting comments specific to this issue. HCB

The full details of the NPRM can be found in the Federal Register at www.federalregister.gov/ documents/2018/11/27/2018-24620/hazardousmaterials-harmonization-with-internationalstandards. HCB will take another look at the rulemaking once the final rule is published.

LONG TRAIN COMING

MULTIMODAL • IT SEEMS

LIKELY THAT THE TRANSPORT REGULATIONS WILL INCLUDE A LOT OF CHANGES IN 2021 AFTER THE UN EXPERTS’ LATEST MEETING, WHICH FACED A VERY HEAVY AGENDA

the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 32 non-governmental organisations.

Testing

THE UN SUB-COMMITTEE of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) held its 53rd session in Geneva from 25 June to 4 July 2018. The meeting was chaired by Duane Pfund (US) with Claude Pfauvadel (France) as vice-chair. It was attended by experts from 20 countries, observers from three others, and representatives of the EU, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),

Attendees were faced with a heavy agenda as the Sub-committee sought to clear up most of the outstanding issues before it ahead of the final meeting of the biennium, which was to begin on 26 November. As usual, matters relating to explosives were remitted to a specialist working group; its discussions, along with those in plenary relating to listing, classification and packaging, were covered in the first part of this two-part report on the meeting in last month’s issue (HCB December 2018, page 52).

ELECTRIC STORAGE SYSTEMS

No regulatory meeting goes by without some reference to lithium batteries but, as the Subcommittee’s recent discussions show, new battery technologies are coming along that will need to be examined closely in order to ensure safety during transport. That was not to say that there are still not matters relating to lithium batteries to be concluded.

The Rechargeable Battery Association (PRBA) and the European Association for Advanced Rechargeable Batteries (Recharge) proposed, on the basis of experience, to remove fully discharged batteries from the list of tests required in 38.3.3(a) and (c).

There was no support for the proposal. Most experts felt it premature to make such a move without further test result data, while the expert from China reported that, in some cases, fully discharged primary batteries had resulted in fires and explosion when undergoing testing.

Hazard-based classification

France and Recharge reported on the ongoing work of an informal working group looking at the development of a hazard-based system for classifying lithium batteries, work that might also point towards ways of classifying other battery technologies. Discussions will also move on to the role of packagings in mitigating hazards. A further meeting of the group was scheduled to take place at the

International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Geneva office in early December.

Proper shipping names

PRBA and Recharge returned with a formal proposal to simplify the use of proper shipping names for lithium ion and metal batteries packed with equipment. Currently, there is disharmony between the provisions of the UN Model Regulations and those contained in the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Technical Instructions, which can cause problems for shippers of equipment such as power tools, which are often contained in a box with spare batteries.

With some amendments, the proposal was deemed to be a suitable way to get around the problem, which had been discussed at previous meetings. The Sub-committee adopted a new paragraph (5) for packing instruction P903:

For packaging containing both cells or batteries packed with equipment and contained in equipment: (a) For cells and batteries, packagings that 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 transport 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 transported 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.

There is also a new special provision 390, assigned to UN 3091 and 3481:

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 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 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.

Damaged or defective batteries

A further paper from PRBA and Recharge, this time with the participation of the Medical Device Battery Trade Council (MDBTC), addressed issues surrounding the requirements for damaged or defective lithium cells and batteries in special provision 376, particularly in light of decisions made by the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) in October 2017. The joint paper argued that special provision 376 does not currently cover all scenarios in which it might apply, leading to confusion among shippers and carriers, and offered some textual revisions to help clarify matters.

The Sub-committee concurred with the idea but took a red pen to the proposed changes. In the end, it was agreed to amend the Note to special provision 376 to read: »

NOTE: In assessing a cell or battery as damaged or defective, an assessment or evaluation should be performed based on safety criteria from the cell, battery or product manufacturer or by a technical expert with knowledge of the cell’s or battery’s safety features. An assessment or evaluation may include, but is not limited to, the following criteria:

• Acute hazard, such as gas, fire, or electrolyte leaking;

• The use or misuse of the cell or battery;

• Signs of physical damage, such as deformation to cell or battery casing, or colours on the casing;

• External and internal short circuit protection, such as voltage or isolation measures;

• The condition of the cell or battery safety features; or

• Damage to any internal safety components, such as the battery management system.

Sodium ion batteries

The UK followed up on an earlier thoughtstarter document with a proposal for a new special provision to provide an exemption for sodium ion cells and batteries and a list of issues for further work.

There was support in principle for the proposals but most experts felt that more information was needed; it was also pointed out that sodium ion batteries cannot be compared to other energy storage systems and would require a fresh approach. The proposal

was withdrawn but will appear again in a new form that would take account of the comments made.

Lithium battery mark

In an informal document, PRBA and Recharge tested the waters for a proposal to allow the use of smaller versions of the lithium battery mark on packagings that are not large enough to carry the full-size version. It was pointed out that 5.2.1.9 already allows the use of smaller marks in such cases but, noting the difficulties being experienced in the field, it was agreed that the wording of that provision might benefit from amendment. A further proposal would be made at the next session.

ICAO reported that the issue would be brought to the attention of the DGP at its October 2018 and a report on the outcome of discussions at that meeting would be provided to the Sub-committee at its next session.

Sodium nickel chloride batteries

A very extensive informal document from Switzerland proposed that cells and batteries containing sodium tetrachloroaluminate should be exempted from the provisions of the Model Regulations when in a ‘cold’ state. Such cells and batteries only work at high temperatures and the cathode, anode and electrolyte are effectively ‘off’ at temperatures below 98˚C.

Although the expert from Switzerland stressed that no incidents involving such

batteries have been reported for many years, most experts were reluctant to provide a blanket exemption. They noted, for instance, that a certain amount of sodium remains in the battery even in the discharged state, and that this hazard cannot be ignored; others considered that these cells and batteries fall most easily under UN 3292 and that specific transport or packing provisions could be developed.

The exert from Switzerland was invited to consider the comments made and to submit an official proposal for the next session.

TRANSPORT OF GASES

Acetylene

Canada proposed that the shell requirements in 6.2.2.1.3 for UN acetylene cylinders be revised to better align with the specification in the ISO 3807:2013 standard. On the basis of informal documents from the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) and Germany, the experts agreed to amend the heading of the second table in 6.2.2.1.3 to read: “For the acetylene cylinder including the porous material”. In the table, under “For the cylinder shell”, reference is now made to two additional standards: ISO 4706:2008 and ISO 7866:2012+Cor 1:2014.

Marking provisions

ISO returned with text to clarify the marking provisions for UN pressure receptacles, after raising the topic a year earlier. ISO noted that similar text has already been adopted for RID and ADR in Europe but elsewhere there is still the possibility that the wrong decision is made. The experts agreed with ISO’s proposal to add a Note to 6.2.2.7.2(c), although it was reworded before being accepted: For the purpose of this mark the country of approval means the country of the competent authority that authorized the initial inspection and test of the individual receptacle at the time of manufacture.

The experts also noticed that the same Note should also be added to 6.2.2.9.2(c).

ISO standards ISO brought along its usual list of new and revised standards relevant to the transport of gases. The experts agreed most of them, which involves the following changes: Replacing ISO 10156:2010 with ISO 10156:2017 in 2.2.2.1 and 2.2.3

• Adding a new row to the end of table in 6.2.2.1.1 for ISO 11119-4:2016 Gas cylinders – Refillable composite gas cylinders –Design, construction and testing – Part 4: Fully wrapped fibre reinforced composite gas cylinders up to 150 l with load-sharing welded metallic liners

• Adding a new row to the table in 6.2.2.3 for ISO 14246:2014+Amd 1:2017, with applicability of the existing reference to ISO 142464:2014 limited to 31 December 2024

• Adding a new row at the end of the first table in 6.2.2.4 for ISO 20475:2018 Gas cylinders – Cylinder bundles – Periodic inspection and testing

• Deleting the row for ISO 10462:2005 in 6.2.2.4, as this is no longer applicable after the end of 2018.

A proposal to add a reference to ISO 17879:2017 Gas cylinders – Self-closing cylinder valves – Specification and type testing was not adopted. The experts noted that it would imply a significant increase in the pressure value for the burst test, a change that had not been reached by consensus at ISO. The ISO representative withdrew this item but said that work would continue with industry bodies to try and reach an agreement.

The Sub-committee noted that there might be other standards that are referenced in

Chapter 6.2 that might have been superseded; the ISO representative offered to check them and return with a proposal for the necessary updates at the next session.

Toxicity

Another paper from ISO proposed updating the LC50 values referenced in packing instruction P200, to harmonise with those given in ISO 10298:2010. Several experts felt that more information supporting the changes was needed before a decision could be taken. ISO offered to work with industry bodies to compile the required data.

Waste gas cartridges

At a recent session of the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP15), Ireland had opened discussion on the development of provisions for the transport by road of waste gas cartridges (UN 2037) similar to those already in place for waste aerosols (UN 1950).

As this was thought to be a multimodal issue, Ireland was asked to bring the proposal to the UN. Ireland’s proposal included textual changes to special provision 327 and LP200 and a new special packing provision for P003. There was support in principle for the proposal but it was felt that the text that was offered needed work. A revised proposal would be made to the next session.

Composite cylinders

ISO reported that Denmark had experienced a number of incidents involving composite cylinders without liners, manufactured from two parts joined together with an adhesive, »

constructed according to EN 12245 and in LPG service. The European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) has initiated a revision of EN 12245; meanwhile, a recent Joint Meeting of RID/ADR/ADN decided to forbid the manufacture of such cylinders.

The Model Regulations refer to ISO 111193, which is very similar to EN 12245 and ISO suggested a similar action should be taken by means of new Notes to 6.2.2.1 and 6.2.2.2. Its proposed texts were adopted in square brackets, pending confirmation at the next session.

Gas-based suppression systems

The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) observed that chemicals under pressure, without subsidiary hazard, and widely used in gas-based fire suppression systems are now assigned to UN 3500; this entry includes a maximum periodic inspection interval of five years. However, other gas-based suppression systems assigned to UN 1956 have a ten-year inspection interval. Cefic proposed aligning these two provisions by means of the amendment of packing instruction P206.

There was support in principle for the change but no consensus on how to achieve it. Cefic was invited to take account of the discussion and come back with a revised proposal at the next session.

LABELLING AND PLACARDING Special provision 363

Germany felt that the placarding requirements for engines and machinery of UN 3528, 3529 and 3531 are misleading, particularly the statement that placarding shall be “in accordance with 5.3.1.1.2”. ADR/RID refer instead to 5.3.1.7, which is the equivalent of 5.3.1.2.1 in the Model Regulations, but this is not clear either. Germany offered some amendments to the texts in the last paragraphs of SP 363(j) and (k).

The Sub-Committee agreed that the proposed amendments would improve the understanding of placarding provisions. In the

last paragraph of both SP 363(j) and (k), “in accordance with 5.3.1.1.2” is deleted and the following sentence added at the end: “Placards shall correspond to the class indicated in Column 3 of the Dangerous Goods List of Chapter 3.2 and shall conform to the specifications given in 5.3.1.2.1.”

Label 9A

Russia felt that 5.2.2.2.1.3 and 5.2.2.2.1.5 were confusing, in terms of their treatment of the recently adopted label model 9A, which is specific to lithium batteries, and offered some textual changes to help clarify the requirements. The Sub-committee disagreed, feeling that the proposed changes did not help. The Russian expert maintained that further alignment with the description in the table in 5.2.2.2.2 could be possible and a revised proposal may be forthcoming.

Placards

Russia had also been wrestling with inconsistencies in the translation of the term ‘placard’ in other languages, not least Russian, where it is expressed as ‘information board’. In comparing the ways in which other languages deal with ‘placards’, Russia preferred the German version – ‘grosse Zettel’ or ‘big label’. The Sub-committee took note of Russia’s paper and asked the Secretariat to see that the proper terms are used in the next revised edition of the Model Regulations.

PACKAGING ISSUES

Stacking load of IBCs

Following up on its informal document from the previous session, the International Confederation of Plastics Packaging Manufacturers (ICPP) proposed a revision of 6.5.2.2.2 to clarify the role of the stacking symbol for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). ICPP’s simple solution was to delete “when the IBC is in use” from the first sentence of 6.5.2.2.2, which the Subcommittee agreed to adopt. The Subcommittee spotted that the same change should be made to 6.6.3.3, which relates to large packagings.

A proposal from Cefic to introduce a new definition of ‘carriage’ specifically for use in the context of 6.5.2.2.2 did not receive support, as the definition offered was significantly different from that already used in legal instruments relating to land transport.

Maintenance of IBCs Belgium followed up on its informal document that had been discussed at the previous session, relating to the marking of IBCs to identify the party performing routine maintenance. The proposal contended that there is no value in knowing the identity of the party performing routine maintenance when that is done on behalf of the owner (not least as the definition of ‘routine maintenance’ includes cleaning).

The Sub-committee did not agree with Belgium’s argument, pointing out that similar situations can be found elsewhere in the Model Regulations relating to other means of containment. To introduce an additional clarification for IBCs only would be misleading, it was felt.

Marking of composite IBCs

Another paper from Belgium queried the intent of 6.5.2.2.4, which requires that the marks that are placed on the inner receptacle of a composite IBC shall be “placed in a location so as to be readily visible when the inner receptacle is placed in the outer casing”. Belgium noted that most composite IBCs have a rigid inner plastics receptacle housed in an open cage and that in such cases the marks on the inner receptacle remain visible. However, other types of composite IBC exist that have full external walls (either metal or plastics), which are designed for specific applications. In these IBCs, the mark of the inner receptacle is not readily visible once the IBC has been assembled.

The Sub-committee confirmed that the aim of 6.5.2.2.4 is that the marks should remain visible throughout the life of the IBC and not just during assembly. Belgium withdrew its proposal, although the problem of how to meet the requirements in an IBC with full external walls persists.

Aluminium drums

Italy felt that the current text in various paragraphs in 6.1.4 relating to the compatibility of the packaging material and the material to be carried is inadequate, particularly given the potential corrosion issues with some common substances that might be carried in aluminium drums.

There was a difference of opinion within the Sub-committee. Some experts felt that Italy had hit on an important point but that it had more general applicability and it would therefore be more appropriate to insert a general requirement in Chapter 6.1; others, conversely, felt that there was no need for an amendment as the issue is already adequately covered in the general requirements in 4.1.1.2.

After some discussion, the Sub-committee adopted a new paragraph 6.1.4.2.6:

If materials used for body, heads, closures and fittings are not in themselves compatible with the contents to be transported, suitable internal protective coatings or treatments shall be applied. These coatings or treatments shall retain their protective properties under normal conditions of transport.

The existing 6.1.4.2.6 and 6.1.4.2.7 are renumbered to take account of this addition. The Sub-committee also invited experts to review Chapter 6.1 and see if there are other places where a similar text should be inserted.

Informal working group

An informal document from the UK noted that the 53rd session of the Sub-committee had been presented with six papers dealing with Chapter 6.5, noting that the text of Chapter 6.5 has not been subjected to review for around 20 years. In that period, the number and types of IBCs in transport have proliferated. The UK felt it would be an opportune time to conduct a broader review of the whole of Chapter 6.5 and offered to organise an intersessional working group.

Most of the experts who expressed an opinion felt that there was no need for such a review on the basis of safety, as IBCs have a generally good safety record. The UK expert explained that the proposed review could help harmonise the approaches taken in Chapter 6.1 and 6.5 and better align with 6.6 and 6.7. However, taking into account the comments made, the UK may return with a list of specific items to be addressed.

Multiple markings

Cefic and the Dangerous Goods Advisory Council (DGAC) returned to the topic of the multiple marking of packagings, including IBCs and large packagings, indicating conformity with more than one successfully tested design type. The issues raised had »

been acknowledged and there was a general consensus that mention should be made in the Model Regulations of the possibility that packagings could conform to more than one design type. Cefic and DGAC offered some concrete proposals for amendment of the existing text.

The Sub-committee agreed with some of those proposals and, after some further amendments, adopted a number of changes. A new sub-paragraph 4.1.1.3.1 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.

Interim text agreed at the previous session was further amended and adopted: 6.1.3.13 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 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.

The new 6.5.2.1.3 contains much the same text but is specific to IBCs, and a similar 6.6.3.4 is specific to large packagings.

Minimum wall thickness

The Stainless Steel Container Association (SSCA) returned with data to support its earlier proposal made in 2013 to remove the requirement that metal IBCs should have a minimum wall thickness of 1.5 mm. SSCA believes this requirement is a vestige from earlier provisions when metal IBCs were seen as small tank containers; its paper noted that there are no similar minimum wall thickness requirements for other types of IBC.

The Sub-committee could not agree on a position, with some experts considering that the minimum wall thickness guarantees a minimum level of safety and others feeling that concerns are related more to the expected lifetime of a metal IBC than the thickness of the wall. Several experts asked for more time to consult stakeholders so the Sub-committee invited SSCA to submit an official document for the next session.

Date of manufacture

Belgium raised the issue of the ‘clock’

marking on the inner receptacles of composite IBCs; this mark shows the month and year of manufacture. Industry has queried why the date of manufacture is still required within the UN mark, especially if the clock is positioned adjacent to the UN mark.

The Sub-committee agreed with Belgium’s argument and adopted a new text for the note explaining the asterisk after the clock image in 6.1.3.1(e). The second sentence is replaced by:

In such a case and when the clock is placed adjacent to the UN design type mark, the indication of the year in the mark may be waived. However, when the clock is not placed adjacent to the UN design type mark, the two digits of the year in the mark and in the clock shall be identical.

In the second paragraph of 6.5.2.2.4, the second sentence is amended to read: In such a case, the date may be waived from the remainder of the marks.

PORTABLE TANKS

Corrosives

The pressure-relief devices of portable tanks used for Class 8 substances must be inspected annually, according to 4.2.1.17.1. However, Canada said, the text does not specify how they are to be inspected, which results in different approaches being taken. Its paper suggested referring to 6.7.2.19.8(e).

There was support for clarification of 4.2.1.17.1 but not in the way that Canada proposed. The proposal was therefore withdrawn but may reappear in a different form at the next session.

Holding time

Belgium proposed that the Model Regulations should adopt the requirement introduced in the 2017 version of RID/ADR/ADN that, for tank wagons and tank containers carrying refrigerated liquefied gases, the consignor must enter in the transport document the date at which the actual holding time ends, in a specified format.

The Sub-committee agreed this would be useful and adopted two new paragraphs: 4.2.3.7.3 The date at which the actual holding time ends shall be entered in the transport document (see 5.4.1.5.13). 5.4.1.5.13 Actual holding time In the case of portable tanks carrying refrigerated liquefied gases the consignor shall enter in the transport document the date at which the actual holding time ends, in the following format:

“END OF HOLDING TIME: ………….. (DD/MM/YYYY)”

Special provision TP19

Belgium returned to another topic it had raised earlier, namely the intent of portable tank special provision TP19, which requires that the calculated shell thickness of a portable tank must be increased by 3 mm when used for the transport of UN 1017 chlorine or UN 1079 sulphur oxide. Does this additional 3 mm apply at the point of construction or should it be there during the life of the tank?

The Sub-committee agreed that clarification would be useful and adopted a new text for TP19 in 4.2.5.2:

At the time of construction, the calculated shell thickness 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 calculated shell thickness.

Expired inspection dates

In an informal document, the UK said it had recently become aware of situations relating to the use of portable tanks that are not covered

by the text in Chapter 6.7. The UK sought the opinions of the experts on two cases:

• The conditions that should be applied to portable tanks that have gone past their required inspection date but are intended to continue to be used for the transport of dangerous goods, and

• Portable tanks that intend to switch from general cargo to dangerous goods, which may have originally been inspected and certified for dangerous goods but have not been in such use and may have missed one or more inspections.

Several experts felt that, in the second case, portable tanks should be subject to the fiveyear inspection and test before being put into dangerous goods service. Others, however, pointed out that they had not had time to consider the issue before the session. The UK expert was invited to take those comments into account and to submit an official document for the next session.

Design pressure

A similar fate befell an informal document from Russia seeking to amend 6.7.3.1(b)(ii) dealing with the design pressure calculation, its belief being that the current text is not applicable to portable tanks. There was some support in principle and the Russian expert was invited to submit an official document at the next session.

Chapter 6.10

Russia noted the wide support given by the Sub-committee to its proposals for a new Chapter 6.9, giving provisions for the design, construction, inspection and testing of portable tanks with shells made of fibrereinforced plastics (FRP) intended for the transport of substances of Classes 3, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 8 and 9. It now came with a further proposal for a parallel Chapter 6.10 covering FRP portable tanks for the transport of Class 2 non-refrigerated liquefied gases.

The meeting of the working group on FRP portable tanks took note of Russia’s proposal but intends to focus on Chapter 6.9 first. The working group also looked at the logistics involved in bringing experts together and said it would look to hold a two-day session concurrent with the 54th session of the TDG Sub-committee. »

The IMO representative welcomed the work on FRP tanks, noting that related discussions by IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee was held in abeyance pending a decision by the Sub-committee. IMO is keen to see this completed in time to allow provisions to be included in the IMDG Code for mandatory application from 1 January 2024.

Minimum shell thickness

At the previous session, Belgium proposed insertion of a reference to 4.2.5.3 in 6.7.3.4.1 on the minimum shell thickness of portable tanks used for the transport of nonrefrigerated liquefied gases. Most experts

supported the proposal and had asked for a formal proposal, which was now forthcoming. However, the Sub-committee, while agreeing that the current text would benefit from clarification, could not reach a consensus on the Belgian proposals. Belgium will revisit its proposal at the next session.

MISCELLANEOUS PROPOSALS

Editorial corrections

Germany had spotted two errors, which the Sub-committee acknowledged and adopted as corrections to the 20th revised edition of the Model Regulations. In LP 905, “cells and batteries” is replaced by “cells or batteries” twice. Special provision 323 contains an expired transitional provision and was deleted; reference to SP 323 was deleted from Column (6) in the Dangerous Goods List against UN Nos 3101 to 3120.

Portable tank instructions

Germany also noted that portable tank instructions TP35 and TP37 contained expired transitional provisions and that transitional provisions in TP38 and TP39 were due to expire on 31 December 2018. All could therefore safely be deleted in the 21st revised edition of the Model Regulations. Again, this was agreed by the Sub-committee.

Language inconsistency

France had been looking at the use of French and English in the definition of the term ‘U’ in 6.7.2.12.2.1 and 6.7.3.8.1.1; the English text refers to ‘thermal conductance’ and the French to ‘conductivité thermique’. In France’s opinion, neither of these is accurate. The Sub-committee agreed to amend the English term “thermal conductance” to “heat transfer coefficient”, while the French text remains under review.

‘Structurally serviceable’

Germany and Cefic noted that 7.1.3.3 includes a definition for ‘structurally serviceable’ for cargo transport units used for the transport of explosives; this is the case in the IMDG Code but in RID/ADR the corresponding requirements have been implemented for all classes of dangerous goods. Germany and Cefic aligned themselves with the RID/ADR position but had other questions on the extent and applicability of the requirements.

Several experts noted that the concept of ‘structurally serviceable’ in 7.1.3.3(b) had originally been introduced to address the transport of explosives in bulk and expressed concern about the impact of extending its scope to dangerous goods of all classes.

It was suggested that the Working Group of Explosives should be asked to review the issue. Some experts felt it would be more appropriate to replace the current specific criteria with a more general requirement. The German expert said she would continue to work on the issue and invited other interested delegations to help in generating a revised proposal.

Definition of flash point

Russia queried why the Model Regulations have no definition of ‘flash point’, especially as the term is used more than 200 times in the Model Regulations. There is a list of international and national standards used for the determination of flash point in 2.3.3 but nothing in 1.2.1. RID/ADR/ADN do include a definition but, according to the Russian paper, it is not wholly acceptable.

The Sub-committee did not support the proposal, with some experts concerned at the potential unintended consequences of adopting a definition that could conflict with the standards listed in 2.3.3.

GLOBAL HARMONISATION

The European Industrial Gases Association (EIGA) proposed that the Model Regulations should adopt the exemption provided by special provision 653 in RID/ADR/ADN for small cylinders of carbon dioxide, argon, helium and nitrogen. All are inert gases that present little risk in transport.

Most of the experts who expressed an opinion felt that, while the exemption could be justified in land transport, it would be unwise to extend it to other modes. Others felt it would be dangerous to ignore filling provisions and training requirements. The EIGA representative said he would take account of these comments and submit a revised proposal for the next session.

Training in Canada

Following the implementation of competency-based training standards by ICAO and similar initiatives by the Dangerous Goods Trainers Association (DGTA), Transport Canada is reviewing it domestic training provisions and provided an update on work to the Subcommittee. One concrete proposal is that, in collaboration with the Canadian General Standards Board, a dangerous goods training standard is currently being developed that may be incorporated by reference into Canada’s domestic TDG regulations.

The expert from Brazil reported that similar discussions had begun at national level. Meanwhile, ICAO said that the guidance material on competency-based training published in 2017 had been revised to take account of feedback received. The Sub-committee urged those countries looking at this topic to continue to provide it with information.

An informal document from DGTA suggested establishing an informal working group on the subject but the overall feeling of the Sub-committee was that this would be premature.

Thermal insulation

In implementing the new section 7.1.5, adopted by the Sub-committee in December 2016 and applicable to selfreactive substances, organic peroxides and other substances stabilised by temperature control, WP 15 had determined that the measures in 7.1.5.4.5(c), (d) and (e) were meaningless without some mention of thermal insulation and had added additional text to those sections in ADR. The Netherlands now came to the Sub-

committee to suggest similar adjustments for the Model Regulations.

Opinions were divided within the Subcommittee; some were in favour of the changes while others felt they were unnecessary. There was certainly a feeling that stakeholders at national level should be consulted before agreeing any changes. As such, the amendments were placed in square brackets pending confirmation at the next session.

IAEA harmonisation

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) presented a list of proposed amendments to the Model Regulations to align with the 2018 edition of the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (SSR-6, Rev 1). The IAEA representative expressed some concern about the potential consequences of the revised wording for 1.5.2.5 on emergency preparedness for consignors and carriers and the Sub-committee agreed; it was decided to defer a decision on 1.5.2.5 and 1.5.2.6 to the next session to allow time for experts to consult with stakeholders.

A large number of other amendments were adopted; many of them are editorial in nature, but there are many very technical and detailed changes. Those involved in the transport of radioactive materials are advised to consult SSR-6, Rev 1 for full details.

Oxidising substances

France reported on continuing work on the testing of oxidising substances, focusing on consequential amendments to Tests O.1 to O.3 after the replacement of cellulose as the reference material and taking into account the needs of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). France’s paper offered proposals for changes to the texts relating to those tests in the Manual of Tests and Criteria; various opinions on these proposals were expressed and the proposals will now be revised in light of the comments made.

TDG AND GHS

The TDG and GHS Sub-committees held their third joint session to discuss matters relevant to both regulations. »

Explosives

Sweden reported on progress with the revision of Chapter 2.1 of GHS, which contains the classification and labelling provisions for explosives. The GHS experts originally based this chapter on the classification system used in the Model Regulations, which relies on explosives being packaged or configured for transport. Their packaging often has an important role in their classification. However, GHS needs to recognise explosives that are not packaged for transport and discussions have been going on for three years as to how best to achieve this.

Sweden’s paper included a tentative system of classification of explosives for GHS purposes; it was pointed out that the suggested system would not require additional testing and would ensure consistency with the transport regulations. There were a number of observations on particular aspects of the proposals during the joint session, which will help inform ongoing work. A further paper was planned for the next session.

ISO 10156

EIGA reported on the update to standard ISO 10156:2010 Gas cylinders – Gases and gas mixtures – Determination of fire potential and oxidising ability for the selection of cylinder valve outlets. The 2017 edition includes a new test method to determine the flammability limits of gases and gas mixtures in air and a new calculation method to determine the lower flammability limits of gas mixtures. EIGA asked if it would be appropriate to update the reference to the standard in Chapter 2.2 of the Model Regulations and Chapter 2.2 of GHS.

The TDG Sub-committee agreed to the change, with some additional consequential amendments elsewhere in Chapter 2.2; amendments concerning GHS were held over for endorsement at the subsequent meeting of the GHS Sub-committee.

Aerosols

Cefic and EIGA offered proposals to classify chemicals under pressure within Chapter 2.3 of the GHS, analogous to the provisions adopted by the TDG Sub-committee for the new UN numbers 3500 to 3505. Their reasoning was that chemicals under pressure used for spray applications present hazards that are similar

to aerosol dispensers. Due to the similarities in hazards, aerosols and chemicals under pressure can be combined in the same chapter of the GHS using similar classification criteria for the hazard of flammability.

There was a lengthy discussion of the issues raised, which will be taken into account in a revised proposal at a future session. One item that was raised is that there may have to be an amendment to special provision 362 in the Model Regulations.

Physical hazards

In an informal document, Germany continued its discussion of ways to handle the classification of physical hazards according to the GHS, in particular to identify the possible and impossible combinations of physical hazards. Germany offered to lead a correspondence group to continue with the work.

There was general support for the programme of work outlined by Germany and a number of comments were made.

In particular, there is a difference between GHS and the Model Regulations insofar as the transport provisions recognise a precedence of hazards. There was, however, no decision on the establishment of an intersessional working group.

Use of the MTC

The chairman of the Working Group on Explosives submitted a document with a proposed list of amendments to Sections 1 and 10 of the Manual of Tests and Criteria to take account of its use in the contextof GHS. The joint session noted the progress made and that work on other sections of the Manual was expected to be completed before the end of the biennium. HCB

The fourth and final session of the TDG Subcommittee of the 2017/18 biennium was held from 26 November to 4 December and was followed by the ninth session of the Committee of Experts on TDG and GHS, which adopted the amendments that will appear in the 21st revised edition of the Model Regulations. A report on those meetings will appear in a forthcoming issue or issues of HCB.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL REGULATORY AGENCY MEETINGS, 2019

MEETING AGENCY VENUE DATE

Joint meeting of Experts on the Regulations ECE Geneva Jan 21-25 annexed to ADN (WP15/AC2), 34th session

Administrative Committee of ADN, ECE Geneva January 25 22nd session

Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention IMO London February 18-22 and Response (PPR), 6th session

Dangerous Goods Board, 114th meeting IATA Singapore March 5-8

Joint meeting of the RID Committee of ECE/OCTI Bern March 18-22 Experts and the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP15)

Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP), WG/19 ICAO Montreal April 1-5

Editorial & Technical Group (IMDG Code), IMO London April 1-5 31st meeting

Ad hoc Working Group on the ECE/OCTI Geneva April 24-26 Harmonisation of RID/ADR/ADN with the UN Model Regulations

Marine Environment Protection Committee IMO London May 13-17 (MEPC), 74th session

Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous ECE Geneva May 13-17 Goods (WP15), 106th session

Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), IMO London June 5-14 101st session

ECOSOC Sub-committee of Experts on the ECE Geneva July 1-5 Transport of Dangerous Goods (55th session)

ECOSOC Sub-committee of Experts on the ECE Geneva July 8-10 Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (37th session)

Dangerous Goods Board, 115th meeting IATA Montreal August 19-22*

Joint meeting of Experts on the Regulations ECE Geneva August 26-30 annexed to ADN (WP15/AC2), 35th session

MEETING AGENCY VENUE DATE

Administrative Committee of ADN, ECE Geneva August 30 23rd session

Sub-committee on Carriage of Cargoes IMO London Sept 9-13 and Containers (CCC), 6th session

Editorial & Technical Group (IMDG Code), IMO London Sept 16-20 32nd meeting

Joint meeting of the RID Committee of ECE/OCTI Geneva Sept 17-27 Experts and the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP15)

Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP), 27th session ICAO Montreal Sept 19-20*

Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous ECE Geneva Nov 11-15 Goods (WP15), 107th session

RID Committee of Experts’ standing working OCTI * Nov 25-29 group (11th session)

ECOSOC Sub-committee of Experts on the ECE GenevaDecember 2-11 Transport of Dangerous Goods (56th session)

ECOSOC Sub-committee of Experts on the ECE Geneva Dec 11-13

Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (38th session)

ECE – UN European Commission for Europe; IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency; IATA – International Air Transport Association; ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organisation; IMO – International Maritime Organisation; OCTI – Central Office for International Rail Transport

* Details to be confirmed

GENERAL NOTE: These regulatory authorities are the international organisations responsible for the provisions governing the carriage of dangerous goods by various modes of transport. The list contains the major sessional meetings, together with certain scheduled working group and ad hoc group meetings. HCB will keep readers informed of further relevant meetings as and when they are called.

NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED

ALMOST DEATH METAL

Most people die in bed, so it’s probably a good idea to get up in the morning. But be careful of that too – records show that more than 400 people in the US alone die each year through falling out of bed, and there are plenty of fatalities involving pyjamas.

But the home is also a source of multiple hazards, as some recent reports illustrate. In early December, firefighters had to run for cover during a response to a house fire in the small community of Northdale, Florida. A neighbour called 911 after smelling smoke and seeing flames in the home, but when the fire crews arrived they were faced with a series of explosions.

Deputies had to move news crews back from the fire and evacuated six nearby homes. The explosions were later identified as flamethrowers and live ammunition going up in flames.

Around the same time, a 53-year-old man was arrested after breaking into a nearby house and then assaulting a deputy with a knife. It turned out that the felon was lead guitarist in the death metal (ask your kids) band Cannibal Corpse; not only that, he was also the occupant of the house that was on fire.

There is no mention in the police log of alcohol or narcotics being involved but … well, one cannot help but wonder.

ACROSS THE STREET

In September last year, a 75-year-old man was arrested after firing a 12-gauge shotgun through the wall of his home in Winchester, New Hampshire; it seems from reports that he was inside firing out and we cannot find anything that says such behaviour, while odd, may be illegal in itself in the state of New

Hampshire. Who knows, he may have just been trying to shoot cockroaches (it would not be the first time such activities have turned up here on the Back Page).

The problem was not firing the gun, it was where the round went: through the wall of the house, across the street and into a fireworks store. In less than a minute, the store was filled with fire, smoke and exploding fireworks. Damage was estimated at between $600,000 and $1 million.

The man was arrested on charges of reckless conduct, criminal mischief and falsifying physical evidence. The contemporaneous press report notes that it was not known if he had a lawyer and that his phone number was not published. It also says his arraignment was scheduled for 3 January – we will come back to this if we hear more.

CAREFUL WHERE YOU SIT

It is not just firearms that can be dangerous in the home; one also has to take care how one takes one’s ease. There was been a general recall on a lavatory product, the Flushmate II 501-B pressure-assisted flushing system, after a number of incidents were reported in the US and Canada.

Flushmate – a division of the Sloan Valve Company – supplies a range of systems that boost the flushing action in a toilet and reduce water consumption. However, the company has received more than 1,400 reports of the units bursting in use, 23 cases of injury (including one requiring surgery) and property damage exceeding $700,000.

While the company’s website proudly proclaims its systems as “the clear winner in watercloset performance”, there is also a recall on the Flushmate III. Best take a look under the lid.