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ALL ABOUT THE TANK TANK CONTAINERS • AN EXCELLENT SAFETY RECORD OVER NEARLY 50 YEARS OF INCREASING USE DOES NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT AND, TT CLUB SAYS, THE LESSONS MUST BE HEEDED THE EXPLOSION AND fire aboard the containership MSC Flaminia in 2012 had a long-lasting impact on the chemical supply chain, ushering in new provisions for the transport of substances liable to autopolymerisation and highlighting the potentially enormous liability shouldered by shippers and their freight forwarders when offering such goods for transport. The incident also rang alarm bells in the insurance community, given the high liability that emerged. And, while tank containers have a long and enviable safety record, the fact that the fire started in two tank containers with divinyl benzene has challenged assumptions. Indeed, the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) has already raised the
issue of a lack of expertise among some shippers and tank container operators, given the loss of corporate memory over the years and also the spread of the business into new areas. The TT Club, a leading mutual insurer for the chemical supply chain, has also given more attention to the tank container sector and last year held seminars on the topic in order to help foster greater understanding of the tank container for those businesses new to the sector or active on the periphery. TT Club has now collaborated with a number of experts to produce new guidance on managing risks in the tank container supply chain, published as part of its StopLoss series of loss prevention guides. This new publication
is intended to be a practitioner’s good practice guide covering all stakeholders through the tank container transport chain, whether operating, filling, discharging, cleaning or handling tanks. Informed by typical incidents, the document is structured in such a way that it follows the natural chronology of the transport chain in order to provide ease of access. The publication incorporates several pieces of valuable operational reference material, with references to the applicable regulations, concluding with a 13-point checklist aimed at supporting consistent and successful outcomes for the tank container supply chain. EMERGING RISKS Through analysis of TT Club’s claims record, it has identified a number of common errors and misconceptions in the use of tank containers, which have the potential to result in the deterioration or total loss of the cargo they contain or damage to the equipment itself. TT Club’s new guidance begins with a recap on the development of the industry, from the first designs of 1969 through the development of the concept through the 1970s, up to the standard design that is common around the world. While take-up of the tank container was slow to start with, its robust design and durability have made it the safest, most cost-efficient, flexible and environmentally friendly way of transporting bulk liquids, including chemicals, around the globe. Shippers are increasingly recognising the versatility of the tank container and favouring its use over drums and parcel tankers, TT Club says. More recently, operators have increasingly been incorporating emerging technologies, including tracking solutions to provide greater transparency and improve operational efficiencies, dual-temperature control units, telematics units to assist with temperature control and to monitor and record cargo condition during transport, and ground-level controls to minimise the need for personnel to work on top of the tank. All of these make the business of maintaining the condition of the tank itself more complex.
HCB MONTHLY | MAY 2020
