Women in Tanks: Julie Helms
CEO Julie Helms on growth, leadership, and the tank storage sector ‘I have always been driven by a need to understand how things work,’ says Discus CEO, Julie Helms. ‘My path has really been shaped by curiosity, understanding how systems operate, how people operate, and how to bring those together.’ Studying biology and psychology gave Helms the foundation to understand science, people, relationships and organisations more fundamentally. ‘That combination has guided my career,’ she says. ‘It led me to build business across five continents, step into leadership roles, and ultimately take on the responsibility of leading DISCUS as CEO.’ Helms […]
HMT LLC: Keeping pace with change
HMT’s director, strategic growth & sustainability, Allie Alderson explores the next wave of aboveground storage tank regulations The regulatory landscape surrounding aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) is shifting steadily, and in some cases, significantly. For many owners and operators, it can feel like the rules are no longer evolving in isolation, but rather converging into a more comprehensive framework that touches design, operations, emissions, and safety all at once. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that compliance is no longer a box to check at the end of a project. It is something that must be considered early, often, and with a […]
In Conversation With: Gary Reddecliffe
Woodfield Systems’ technical director shares the low-down on how the business creates bespoke loading arm solutions Tell us about Woodfield Systems Woodfield Systems designs, manufactures, and integrates customised bulk fluid […]
Hoyer Group: Transporting Chemicals
The experts at HOYER Group explain how the company makes global chemical logistics more resilient In the world of liquid chemicals, stability does not emerge where tankers dock or containers are loaded. True resilience in global supply chains is created in quieter moments – in places where liquid chemicals remain for hours, days, or weeks. Tank terminals, depots, hazardous materials warehouses, and specialised transshipment sites are the invisible nodes where complexity is managed, safety is ensured, and global material flows are synchronised. The HOYER Group recognised the central importance of storage early on. For the company, storage is not merely […]
VEGA: Improving safety, reliability & visibility
The experts at VEGA explain how their measurement products increase operational efficiency across fixed and mobile tank storage Tank storage continues to play a critical role across a wide range […]
Chemical Supply Chain: A system under strain
Tim Doggett, CEO of the Chemical Business Association examines the reality facing the chemical supply chain The global chemical supply chain is no stranger to disruption. But what we are seeing today is fundamentally different. It is neither a single disruption nor a series of events, but a convergence of multiple pressures – geopolitical conflict, energy volatility, logistics breakdown, regulatory uncertainty and long-term underinvestment – all bearing down on an already vulnerable system. We have seen similar pressures before, during the pandemic and following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, yet many of the underlying vulnerabilities exposed during those crises remain unresolved. […]
Exolum Mannheim: Pivoting with demand
How Exolum’s Mannheim terminal has evolved from traditional inland storage terminal to a strategically important multi-product hub As industries across Europe grapple with the declining chemical sector, storage terminals are in a unique position where demand is up. As part of this change, facilities are stepping up to handle the demands of these new imports. Connected to domestic and international markets by the River Rhine, road and rail, market leader, Exolum, has been adapting its Mannheim, Germany, terminal into a platform supporting chemical, industrial and fuel supply chains across southern Germany and neighbouring markets – serving both large groups and […]
Insights Global: Reshuffling your Terminal Footprint
Insights Global’s Patrick Kulsen explores how geopolitical events prompt traders, producers and consumers to rethink their supply chain structure Recent events, like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, were categorised as ‘highly unlikely’ just a year ago. Traders and supply chain managers are now waking up in a totally different world where past risk profiles and scenario planning exercises are unrealistic and need to be recalibrated and aligned to a new reality. The implications are immense, and the bulk liquid supply chain is finally getting its spotlight on a global stage. A New Era of Global Competition Since the […]
Perpetual Next: Scaling Sustainability in the USA
Rene Buwalda, CEO at Perpetual Next, looks at recent biomethanol developments in the USA Perpetual Next is rethinking how the world’s resources are used, uncovering new value in materials that might otherwise be discarded. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company develops, builds, and operates advanced production facilities designed to transform low-grade waste streams and organic residues into high-value commodities. At the core of its approach is the pre-treatment and conversion of these organic materials into biocommodities, tailored for different applications in the market. The core focus for this technology and its application is on fossil gas and carbon avoidance and carbon […]
GADOT Belgium: Customer-Focused
CEO of Gadot Europe, Wim De Windt, speaks to Anamika Talwaria about how the Belgium terminal won the LogiChem Excellence in Sustainability Award for its Low-Carbon Chemical Supply Chain Initiative Situated in Ghent’s North Sea Port, Gadot’s Belgium terminal benefits from an excellent strategic location. The 23-hectare site has direct access to both sea and inland waterways, combining storage with distribution and contract manufacturing activities. ‘That includes things like blending, reaction chemistry and filling of liquid chemicals,’ explains Wim De Windt, CEO of Gadot Europe. Proving that scale isn’t always the most key factor, the terminal handles around 300 ships […]
EN 14620: Raising the Standard
Dave Ward at Wardz Consulting looks at the revision of EN 14620 and what it means for the tank storage sector EN 14620 is the European Standard that deals with all aspects of the design, construction, testing and commissioning of vertical, cylindrical, tanks for the storage of refrigerated liquified gases (RLG’s). The development history extends back 70 years and the timeline is shown below. A full revision of EN14620 was commissioned by CEN (European Committee for Standardisation), in 2015 it is currently managed by Technical Committee CEN TC265/ Working Group10, which Dave Ward convenes. The aim of the revision is […]
Toptech: Turning Terminal Complexity into Competitive Advantage
The experts at Toptech explain how they are turning terminal chaos into streamlined data flows Terminal owners often struggle in an increasingly complex operational landscape. Years of acquisitions have left many organisations managing a patchwork of terminals and systems. These all have a variety of hardware, unique data formats, maintenance needs, and operational issues. Outdated and unreliable hardware is threatening terminal uptime and slowing down integration efforts. At the same time, there are too many different management systems in place, which take significant time to maintain and do not easily exchange data. In addition, third-party data ‘disconnects’ between carriers, drivers, and […]
Women in Tanks: Rebecca Broughton-Lee
Empowering colleagues to act safely with confidence is mission critical to UM Group’s environment, health & safety manager, Rebecca Broughton-Lee With a background in safety engineering, Rebecca Broughton-Lee is the embodiment of 2026’s International Women’s Day theme: Give to Gain. After all, she has to convince shareholders to prioritise people over profit, she laughs. ‘That’s never been a problem here at UM Group, though,’ she says. Joining the terminal business as an advisor, Broughton-Lee has been instrumental in UM Group’s safety overhaul. ‘This industry is an old one, and so the overhaul was more about being proactive and implementing new […]
White Hydrogen: Geological Curiosity or Energy Game-Changer?
Maia Khitarishvili, founder and CEO of H2Earth Dynamics, explores the world of white hydrogen – and how it fits in with the global energy transition Hydrogen has long been a multi-billion-dollar market as an industrial gas, even before the recent push to use it in the clean energy transition. Today, most hydrogen is made from fossil fuels (e.g. natural gas), which is carbon-intensive, but a new source of white hydrogen – naturally occurring hydrogen gas – is sparking interest as a potential game-changer. What is White Hydrogen? White hydrogen – also known as natural hydrogen – refers to hydrogen gas that […]
OpenTAS: Taking Storage Terminals from Automation to Autonomy
Co-CEO Monica Hildinger explains how OpenTAS is shaping the next phase of terminal operations When the global tank storage community gathered in Rotterdam on 10 & 11 March for StocExpo 2026, the conversation once again revolved around key challenges: increasing operational complexity, stricter regulatory requirements, workforce shortages, cybersecurity threats and the pressure to operate more sustainably and predictably. For Monica Hildinger, co-CEO of OpenTAS, these challenges signal more than incremental change. ‘The question is no longer whether to digitalise, but how to turn digitalisation into measurable efficiency, safety and ultimately autonomy,’ she says. This shift lay at the heart of her […]
Exolum: Safety as Essence & Global Excellence
Jesús Manso Manso, global HSSEQ lead at Exolum looks at safety in tank storage At Exolum, safety is an integral part of how we understand the business. It is not an added element or an occasional priority, but a criterion present in every decision, project and interaction. Protecting people, facilities and the environment is a responsibility we consciously assume wherever we operate, regardless of the country or context. When Exolum enters a new location, it often finds environments where safety culture is strongly linked to local regulations and the existing regulatory framework. These regulations are necessary and play a key […]
Energex: Storage Investment In A Shifting World
The experts at Energex look at the investor trends shaping storage sector acquisitions and refinancing in 2026 As politics and economics realign, so too do the priorities of investors in tank storage and pipelines. For owners and operators, understanding how lenders and equity providers now assess risk and value has become central to both acquisitions and refinancing. While familiar fundamentals such as market outlook, supply dynamics, customer integration and energy transition potential remain decisive, the weight investors attach to each is changing. Energy security and supply chain resilience, once background considerations, have moved to the foreground. In the process, hydrocarbons, […]
Port of Tarragona: Transforming Energy Hubs in the Mediterranean
The Port of Tarragona’s commercial coordinator, Jordi Anglès Jové, explores the energy transition projects developing in the Mediterranean Europe is going through a period of historic transformation in the energy sector that will change the world of energy as we know it today. Decarbonisation and energy transition strategies, energy costs and the increase in renewable energy production are just some of the factors that explain this transformation. The year 2025 was not good for the European energy sector. There were several announcements of plant closures in countries such as Germany and Italy, and the continent suffered higher energy and raw material […]
S&P Global CERA Consulting: Europe’s Bunker Fuel Transition
Nefeli Charitou, consultant at S&P Global CERA Consulting, looks at the opportunities for liquid storage The European liquid bulk storage industry is shifting away from traditional models, towards a period of change. Geopolitical turmoil, fragmented trade flows, and heightened energy security concerns intersect with ambitions for rapid energy transition. In this context, storage facilities will play a key role in Europe’s energy infrastructure, supporting economic resilience by storing essential commodities such as oil, chemicals and renewable fuels. Despite the European Union’s push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), the storage sector still relies on traditional fossil fuels, which make up […]
Samp: Where Maintenance Goes Wrong & How Operators Are Fixing It
The experts at Samp explore why preparation, not execution, is driving cost, risk, and rework in tank terminals In the tank storage industry, maintenance failures rarely happen because someone used the wrong tool or ignored a procedure. Far more often, they happen because the work was poorly prepared. By the time technicians arrive on site, key decisions are already fixed: access routes are defined, equipment is ordered, contractors are mobilised, and safety assumptions are locked in. When something goes wrong at that stage, it is usually too late to fix cheaply or safely. As many operators now recognise, maintenance problems […]
FETSA: Storage In A Contested World
Global relations have changed significantly over the last few years, but storage terminals will find business opportunities, says FETSA’s executive director Ravi Bhatiani It feels as though we have crossed […]
LBC Rotterdam: Circular Thinking Storage
Terminal manager at LBC Rotterdam, Mathias Potvin, explores the role of tank storage infrastructure in enabling a net-zero economy The circular economy is rapidly moving from theory into operational reality, and […]
Maximising Free Energy
Could liquid air energy storage be the key to electrification? Tank Storage Magazine investigates The UK government kicked off 2026 with a record-breaking auction for offshore wind. The 8.4GW secured would generate enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 12 million homes. Or, at least, it could if the country didn’t face a huge energy storage problem. Enter: Highview Power. The company that is looking to eliminate wind curtailment in the UK by storing excess energy as liquid air. So, how does it work? Highview’s chief market development officer, Gary Preece, explains: ‘Our technology can take the excess energy […]
Chane: A Changing Wind
Chane’s new CEO, Fabian Ziegler, sits down exclusively with Tank Storage Magazine to discuss his vision for the company’s future What led you to join Chane as CEO? I’ve had […]
From Manual To Mechanical
Tank Storage Magazine looks at how drones, robots and automation are promoting safer and more efficient inspection methods Drones and robotics are fast becoming a preferred option for tank maintenance. Whether it’s robots entering confined spaces, crawlers cleaning the sides, or drones running the show when it comes to monitoring and inspections, terminals are increasingly turning to equipment like this to reduce risk and asset downtime. Robots that can be submersed in hazardous materials and map out the structure of a tank, all while keeping an eye out for corrosion under insulation (CUI) and other maintenance issues help shorten inspection […]
Women in Tanks: Marina Andreou
VTTI Cyprus’ commercial manager Marina Andreou shares how her mantra of living life to the full landed her in the terminals industry Marina Andreou’s journey into the tank storage world began almost by chance – a case of being in the right place at the right time. With a strong foundation in customer service and a background in supply chain and logistics, Andreou was exploring opportunities to merge both skill sets in a more industrial and operational environment. ‘Around that time, VTTI was preparing to launch a major new terminal, and as its construction entered the first year, they began […]
Rockwell Automation: Driving Digital Sustainable Efficiency
Rockwell Automation’s ITD business manager, Héctor Mario Bravo Solarte, explains how artificial intelligence can enhance operational efficiency Across the global energy landscape, digital transformation is redefining operational efficiency, safety and sustainability. BCPGroup & MAGNETA, in collaboration with Rockwell Automation demonstrates how artificial intelligence and advanced magnet motor technology applications are driving progress across both energy production and storage sectors. Today, energy and storage operators alike face mounting pressure to balance productivity with sustainability. Integrating digital technologies, from intelligent control systems in the field to advanced analytics at the enterprise level, enables them to modernise operations, reduce emissions, manage costs and […]
The Future of AI In Terminals
With companies scrambling to incorporate artificial intelligence in almost every facet of their business, is it too soon for critical infrastructure to make use of this tech? Artificial Intelligence is being widely used in almost all industries. Digital tools have been on a steady incline in terminals for the last few years, facilitating training, streamlining work and even predicting maintenance issues ahead of time, but does AI have a place in the tank storage sector? Dijam Panigrahi, co-founder and COO of GridRaster thinks so: ‘The role of artificial intelligence is driving a fundamental shift, moving beyond the digital realm and […]
Fecc: Quo Vadis, Chemical Industry In Europe?
Dorothee Arns, director-general at Fecc, evaluates the ups and downs of the European chemical industry Working in the chemical industry has always been challenging. Boring times hardly ever happen, due to the overall cyclicity of the business and constantly changing market conditions with the associated imperative to adapt. This is especially true for Europe, with its structural competitive disadvantages in energy prices, raw materials, labour costs and taxes, plus the consolidation of markets. Additionally, chemicals has always been impacted by geopolitics. However, what we have been seeing in the past 12 months, in particular since early April 2025, marks a […]
Venliance: Why Private Equity Hesitates
Ahead of speaking at StocExpo 2026, Venliance CEO Samrat Singh explores six ways that storage terminals can finally unlock capital A few weeks ago, I was in Dubai meeting a fund that has over a billion dollars earmarked for real assets. Smart team. Great track record. They’ve backed ports, midstream infrastructure, and even a cross-border logistics platform. But when the topic of storage terminals came up, the conversation shifted. ‘Samrat,’ one of the partners said. ‘We like the sector. But before we go further, do they have contracted volumes?’ It wasn’t the first time I’d heard that question. And it won’t […]
InterContinental Energy: Producing The Molecules Of Tomorrow
Alexander Tancock, CEO and co-founder at InterContinental Energy explains how scaling up renewable energies could be the best way to create green fuels ‘In the last 60 years, there have only been a handful of new innovations in energy,’ says Alexander Tancock, CEO and co-founder of InterContinental Energy (ICE). ‘In the 1960s, we saw an uptick in nuclear and LNG. Then in the 1980s, wind and solar arrived on the scene. Now, we’re looking at creating a low-carbon economy with ammonia and hydrogen.’ But there’s a key difference. He explains: ‘In all four cases, these innovations were absolutely driven by […]
Mathias Potvin: Stepping Into The Spotlight
Editor Anamika Talwaria speaks exclusively to LBC Tank Terminals’ Mathias Potvin about his Plant Manager of the Year win When Mathias Potvin started his career at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, he wouldn’t have predicted becoming Plant Manager of the Year 2025. But today, he has been highlighted for his immense contribution to LBC Rotterdam – though he insists everything has been a team-effort. ‘It’s an honour, and I’m very proud,’ he says. ‘But especially because I think it recognises the work that we have done as a terminal in the past three years.’ Potvin considered himself to […]
