Tank Farm
Definition:
A Tank farm is an industrial plant for storing large quantities of liquid or gaseous products such as fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel, heating oil), petrochemical products (e.g. naphtha), liquefied petroleum gas (LNG, LPG), vegetable oils, chemical raw materials or alcohols.
Tank farms consist of several storage tanks of various sizes and designs and have infrastructure for handling, transport connections and safety technology.
They are often operated near ports, refineries, industrial clusters, pipeline hubs and logistical hubs and serve to supply industry, trade, transportation and energy supply.
Safety & environmental technology
Tank farms have comprehensive safety and environmental measures, such as leak monitoring, fire protection, explosion protection, collection pans, gas shuttle systems and emergency concepts.
Handling processes
Tank farms are hubs for transfers by pipeline, ship, rail, tank truck and container — often with loading and unloading facilities, sampling, cleaning and customs clearance.
Challenges with tank farms:
Complex safety requirements & handling of hazardous substances
Tank farms are subject to strict safety regulations (e.g. explosion protection, fire protection, ATEX, hazardous substances legislation). Missing or unclear information about terminal behavior can lead to serious security risks.
Sources/further links:
BAuA — Storage of flammable liquids & TRGS 509: https://www.baua.de
Challenging navigation & access controls
Large tank farms have multiple accesses, specialized charging points (e.g. bottom-loading vs. top-loading), PPE requirements and document requirements. Unclear location information causes errors and waiting times.
Sources/further links:
ECTA/CEFIC Loading & Unloading Guidelines: Guidelines | ECTA - European Chemical Transport Association
Loady's solution:
Transparent information on loading and unloading requirements
Loady provides structured information about:
- Permitted vehicle and tank types
- Security requirements (PSA, behavior at the terminal)
- Gas commuting/grounding obligation
- Document requirements (SDS, shipping documents, terminal registration)
- Opening times, slots & registrations
GPS navigation to gates & charging points
Exact location information helps drivers find the right gates, waiting areas and charging stations — including safety briefing and multilingual instructions via QR code.
