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 be the last. Private equity doesn’t avoid storage terminals because the assets are unattractive. In fact, the fundamentals are compelling: irreplaceable land, strategic location, long-term demand for liquid bulk, and a growing need for diversification into fuels of the future. The real challenge is something else entirely – and it has nothing to do with macro, policy, or capital availability. It has everything to do with certainty. Private equity does not follow slogans. It follows conviction. And conviction is built when operators remove doubt, reduce...