STOCEXPO CONFERENCE UNVEILED
Over 20 leading authorities in the European tank terminal industry have been confirmed to speak at StocExpo, taking place on 18-20 March 2014 at Ahoy Rotterdam. The paid-for three day conference, designed to help operators adapt to the changing market and prepare for the year ahead, will span everything from emerging transport fuels to finance and from shale to cyber security.
Understanding supply and demand imbalances is a major challenge for terminal operators. Dr Frits Eulderink, Executive Board Member & Chief Operating Officer of Royal Vopak, will help delegates do this before exploring the emergence of LNG as a transport fuel and providing an update on Thames Oilport storage conversion.
Many are looking for opportunities for finance and growth. Eduard Ruijs, Director of First Reserve, will examine how to make a terminal attractive to investors. Eduard Ruijs was previously an investment director and partner at NIBC Infrastructure Partners and has experience spanning conventional and renewable power generation as well as energy distribution and storage infrastructure.
Cyber security is a growing threat to the terminal sector. In August 2012 reports suggest a virus called Shamoon hit Saudi Aramco, wiping out at least 30,000 hard drives. Sinclair Koelemij, Process IT Security Professional at Honeywell is an expert in this space. He will discuss what needs to be done in order to make an organisation’s employees aware and what methods can be put in place to combat this ever present threat. He has said: “Defense for critical infrastructure needs to be more protected than it was 10 years ago…I have seen companies that are really protected, but they are rare.”
The StocExpo conference will cover more conventional safety too. For instance in December 2012, the members of the VOTOB (The Association of Independent Tank Storage Companies) unanimously adopted a new approach called the ‘VOTOB Safety Plan’ which includes the Safety Maturity Tool. Sandra De Bont, Director at VOTOB, will talk about ensuring terminal safety and explain how the tool works.
“The starting point of this plan is that companies themselves bear the primary responsibility for their security”, she says, “companies need to measure their safety performance and thus get a detailed picture of where their strengths and their weaknesses lie”.
Another speaker John Reynolds, Managing Director at Reynolds Training Services, agrees that health and safety is front of mind within the industry, but thinks individuals need to take ownership of the issue too. Reynolds says: “Process safety is firmly locked in the collective conscience of the industry right now and, whilst this is fantastic, we must not lose sight of the need for good personal safety.
“After all, improving the safety of individual workers and reducing personal hazards will have a positive impact on the wider process safety culture of that organisation. Like a knife and fork, process and personal safety go hand in hand.” John Reynolds has 30 years experience delivering training, vocational competency assessment and consultancy to the petroleum sector. He will discuss process safety and operational principles modules training to meet competency requirements.
The rapid emergence of shale gas has sent gas prices plummeting in North America. For European players, trying to see how it could affect their strategy, Mike Henson, Manger of Infrastructure Development at Chevron will discuss the recent shale developments in the US and their ramifications.
StocExpo also features a major free-to-attend exhibition featuring over 180 exhibitors spanning the supply chain. StocExpo 2014 takes place from 18 to 20 March 2014 at Ahoy Expo, Rotterdam. To find out more about attending and to register visit www.stocexpo.com. If you are interested in booking your place for the conference please call Tim Ryan or Matthew Rawlins on +44 (0)20 8843 8803 / 8807 or email tim@stocexpo.com / mrawlins@stocexpo.com.