Vopak Celebrates 10 Years
Vopak is the world’s largest provider and offers complete storage and transhipment solutions at 80 terminals in 32 countries, covering and connecting the world’s major shipping lanes. Vopak offers more storage capacity than any other independent tank terminal operator in the world.
Vopak services the UK through four strategically located marine terminals; London, Teesside, Ipswich and Windmill with a total capacity of just under 800,000 m3.
Safety and quality are of utmost importance to Vopak and all terminals conform to the highest safety and quality standards. All Vopak UK terminals are top tier COMAH (Control of Major Accidents Hazards) sites and hold joint quality accreditation under British Standards to BS EN ISO 9001:2000 and are also regularly audited under CDIT, or Vopak’s own equivalent internal Terminal Health Assessment (THA) process. This high level of regulatory compliance demonstrates Vopak’s commitment to operating safely and reflects the professionalism of the terminals operations.
Over the years Vopak has invested in each of its UK terminals to keep up with market demand and improve with safety and quality standards.
Automation is a key focus area for Vopak. The petroleum loading bays at the London terminal are fully automated and configured with injection systems capable of delivering both gasoline and diesel additives, plus bio ethanol and bio diesel blend streams. This has improved time and cost efficiency for our customers. This change on focus towards automation also has some additional advantages by reducing hazards and the environmental footprint of the terminal. The terminal handles around 450 trucks per day with road tanker facilities also available on site.
Investment into the latest IT systems is something that Vopak recognises as key, allowing our customers and hauliers to place bulk orders on line. Vopak is able to provide a range of additional services including product reports, inventory and order visibility, all online and in real time. Having access to real time information is vitally important for our customers to perform in today’s dynamic business market and with systems put in place we proactively look at ways to further improve the services we offer.
In early 2007 Vopak Terminal London started on a programme of terminal improvements that would increase storage capacity by 41,800 m3 these tanks were built from the top down. This proved to be a successful method for Vopak and was later used to erect five 5,000 m3 tanks which were built in a complete new bund and exchange. Capacity at the London Terminal currently stands at 393,000m3 with land for further expansion.
Vopak Terminal Teesside was awarded the contract for the storage and handling of Bio ethanol produced by Ensus, making Vopak the leading Bio ethanol storage provider in the UK. This lead to eight 5,000m3 tanks being built in a new impermeable bund. These tanks have full blending functionality based round a new automated exchange. Part of the capacity will be pipeline connected to Wilton, bringing Teesside capacity to 287,000m3 making it the largest independent storage terminal in Teessport.
Investments are continuously being made into all terminals and the tanks and bunds both at London and Teesside have been constructed in accordance with the latest environmental and safety recommendations. These investments provide safer working conditions, cost and time efficiency for our staff and customers.
Vopak is well progressed to introduce a major fuels hub to the north east. The first stage of this project is up and running supplying diesel out of its Teesside terminal. The complete blending and fully automated road loading system for both petrol and diesel will be available at the Teesside terminal early 2010
If you would like any further information please visit our website www.vopak.co.uk
Posted: 05 Nov 2009