Oiltanking connections-Magazine No-32-1 2020-April en

THE WORLD OF OILTANKING VOL. 32/1 APRIL 2020

connections

FUTUREFUTUREPulling a rabbit out of the hat

Since time immemorial, humankind has been fascinated with predicting the future. Especially in view of the actual coronavirus pandemic among the increasing global demand for energy, international calls for sustainable energy, and the urgent necessity of addressing climate change, one might want to know what the future holds in store for oneself, the oil and gas industry in general, and for Oiltanking in particular?

Oiltanking’s markets are experiencing a period of structural changes due to a slowdown in global GDP growth, decreasing energy intensity, and the energy transition. In addition, the structure of global hydrocarbon trade flows is changing due to shifting regional supply-demand balances. As a result of market changes, customers and competitors are repositioning their strategies. For example, oil traders are optimizing their storage exposure, while NOCs and chemicals players are gaining significance. Oiltanking’s traditional customers, the oil majors, are pushing decarbonisation agendas in line with their corporate priorities. Our Strategy 2025 is a response to these changing market conditions. It will ensure sustainable success for Oiltanking as it paves the way for a new organization that is customer-centric and financially strong,

operates safely everywhere, and employs talented and dedicated people.

A company’s success depends among other things on the ability to monitor trends, to identify opportunities, and capitalize on the dynamic by weighing its implications for all stakeholders including employees, clients, and the environment.

At times like these we need to look after each other. These can be frightening times and not everyone will speak out if they have worries. But while we cannot foretell the future, we do we wish you some distraction and diversion with some of the future-related topics covered in this latest edition of connections!

Take care of yourselves and your families and stay safe.

E D I TO R I A L C O N T E N T S

CONNECTIONS 3

FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE

AMERICAS

APAC

Contents

LEISURE &ENTERTAINMENT

EMEA

04 Securing OTTC’s Status as a Premier Ethanol Export Hub

06 Open Dialog with an Important Message for the Future

23 A Gift of Health and Good Cheer!

08 Future Prospects: Power to Methanol

10 Curtain Up for ‘Green Spots’

14 Being Prepared for Potential Future incidents

17 Driving Into the Future

18 Setting the course for FAME

20 We can, we care ... Let’s Take Care of Each Other

32 In a nutshell

34 Cultural Experiences | Planning the future

42 Strategy 2025: The Oiltanking Management Team

13 Lexicon | SEND-OUT

24 Hearing colors

26 Goo-Goos

28 I do's

30 Number | 600:1

37 What will be, will be

43 Reader's Corner

44 Last but not least | Crystal Ball (of Science)

PEOPLE & PLACES

POWER TO METHANOL

08

LET'S TAKE CARE

20

CYBORG ARTIST

24

CONNECTIONS2

Publishing Credits connections Vol. 32/1/2020 Published by Oiltanking GmbH, Corporate Center, Koreastrasse 7, 20457 Hamburg, Germany, www.oiltanking.com, Telephone +49-40-37099-7485, Fax +49-40-37099-7499 Email [email protected] Coordinator Gabi Wuestenberg, Manager Communications Editor Renate Eijkholt Design raz design, Hamburg Print Beisner Druck GmbH & Co. KG, Buchholz Published Two times a year Copy Deadline vol. 32/2 week 36, 2020

ID-No. 2090465

Matti LievonenCEO | Oiltanking GmbH

“In every life there are moments in which the present seems more powerful than the past and the future.” Karoline von Günderrode*

* Karoline von Günderrode (1780-1806), was a German ‘Romantic’ poet, born in Karlsruhe.

Cover: More about the"Bugs Bunny" projectby Carolin Schulze and a borderline culinary experience on page 39.

In July 2019, Oiltanking North America contacted Green Plains, one of the largest grade producers in the world, about moving both their industrial-grade ethanol and fuel-grade ethanol export operations from their current service providers on the U.S. Gulf Coast to Oiltanking Texas City (OTTC). Green Plains indicated that winning the industrial-grade ethanol contract would be a necessary first step to securing the fuel-grade ethanol business, as having both ethanol grades at OTTC would support Green Plains' strategy to realize synergies in their export-focused ethanol portfolio through savings on rail and marine freight. Successful commercial negotiations for the industrial-grade ethanol were used as a springboard to secure the higher-volume fuel-grade ethanol contract, initiating a whirlwind finale to 2019.

Once the commercial team finalized the contracts in the fall of 2019 (with a starting date of January 2020), a lot

of hard work began for the Assets & Operations team. Two separate capital projects totalling nearly four million dollars were approved to enable this substantial new business. OTTC’s leadership rose to the occasion to ensure timely execution without sacrificing Oiltanking’s safety and operational standards. Process safety and project management were paramount while driving the two projects to completion. The seamless coordination and excellent communication by the OTTC Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, and Logistics teams resulted in the project launching both on time and on-budget.

A M E R I C A S A M E R I C A S

Thanks to a well-coordinated effort between Commercial and Assets & Operations, Oiltanking Texas City terminal (OTTC) welcomed Green Plains Trading Group, a subsidiary of Green Plains, Inc., as a new long-term customer on January 1, 2020.

Securing OTTC’s Status as a Premier

Ethanol Export Hub

RENEWABLE Green Plains uses corn as the primary feedstock

in ethanol production

OTTC has handled ethanol exports for over a decade, garnering much acclaim in the marketplace as a trusted service provider and expert on the subject. With these two projects officially commissioned in January, 2020, the new ethanol contracts are expected to generate a meaningful increase to the entire North American portfolio’s bottom line.

Industrial-grade ethanol is found in items such as cosmetics, perfumes, medical wipes, antiseptic gels, etc. Fuel-grade ethanol is widely used as an oxygenate to blend with gasoline as a finished fuel for vehicle engines. Fuel-grade ethanol’s high octane value, its competitive cost versus gasoline and other blending components, and renewable feedstock all contribute to the global demand for this product.

These renewable products are manufactured by Green Plains at a series of plants, primarily located in the U.S. Midwest, with corn as the primary feedstock. Both grades of ethanol held under these contracts are exclusively exported across the globe.

With the addition of the long-term agreements with Green Plains, OTTC further secures its position as the premier ethanol export hub on the U.S. Gulf Coast, and is expected to handle the biggest volume of ethanol exports in the U.S. in 2020 and beyond. This commercial development satisfies several key criteria for Oiltanking’s 2025 strategy, including maximizing the value of current assets, unlocking profitable growth, and driving sustainability, as well as further supporting the growth narrative unfolding in North America.

DRY MILL ETHANOL PRODUCTION PROCESS In dry milling, the entire grain kernel is first ground into “meal,” then slurried with water to form a “mash”. Enzymes are added to the mash to convert starch to sugar. The mash is cooked, then cooled

and transferred to fermenters. Yeast is added and the conversion of sugar to alcohol begins. After fermentation, the resulting “beer” is separated from the remaining “stillage.” The ethanol is then distilled and dehydrated, then blended with

about 2% denaturant (such as gasoline) to render it undrinkable. It is then ready for shipment. Source: RFA

Grain Receiving and Storage

Milling Cooking Liquefaction

Bottling,Dry Ice andOther Uses

DryerDried Distillers Grains

DistillersGrains toLivestockand Poultry

DistillersGrains toMarket

Wet Distillers Grains

SolidsDenaturant

Molecular Sieve

Distillation

Centrifuge

Feed

Syrup Tank Evaporator Liquids

Corn Distillers Oil

Biodiesel

Ethanol-BlendedGasolineto Consumer

Ethanol to Market Ethanol Storage

Fermentation

CONNECTIONS4 CONNECTIONS 5

responsibility, but take the time for safety. In addition to the STAC, we also have maintenance personnel and third-party contractors fill out a Job Safety Analysis sheet prior to being issued a work permit.

Can you give some examples of where Oiltanking Texas Cityemployees have shut down work because of unsafe conditions?

Axel Jiménez: We had a bad freeze at Oiltanking Texas City last year (Here in Texas, a bad freeze means freezing rain and ice). This caused a build-up of ice on the railcars and made climbing the ladder and working on top of the railcar dangerous. We had a unit-train of ethanol arrive, but we halted work until the conditions improved and we could safely climb the railcars and perform the job. This was a big deal because normally a unit-train is given just 24 hours to unload before charges begin accruing. But we called the management, told them, and they said “Okay.” It’s events like these that show the employees we really can shut down unsafe work.

You both are familiar with the company’s Safety Culture Ladder. Where would you rank Oiltanking Texas City on it?

Axel Jiménez: We are somewhere between proactive and generative.

Cole Parrish: I’d say between calculative and proactive.

What message would you want all Oiltankers to hear regarding improving safety in the future?

Axel Jiménez: Be open-minded, give it a chance.

Cole Parrish: Keep driving the message. Management, show your commitment to Safety. Make sure your actions match your words.

A M E R I C A S

In order In the lead-up to a celebratory fish fry honoring this monumental achievement, Dan Withers, Business Development Manager Oiltanking North America, discussed this accomplishment with two full-time Oiltanking Texas City employees, Operations Coordinator Axel Jiménez and HSSE Coordinator Cole Parrish. Surprisingly, both were hired by Oiltanking Texas City within a week of one another in 2004. This is the first time in their careers that they have witnessed a “1,000 workdays without lost time due to injury” milestone.

Dan Withers: I understand this is the first time Oiltanking Texas City has hit the 1,000 days without a Lost Time due to Injury milestone. What do you think has changed at the terminal in the past three years to make this milestone possible?

Axel Jiménez: People are “buying in” to the safety culture. We were always told by management “you can shut down unsafe work,” but until recently we didn’t take that in, thinking of it as mere words. Now

people believe it. Before these 1,000 workdays we had a really bad year – that made us want to change.

Cole Parrish: Now, there is more awareness, better examples from the management that they mean it, and employees feel more supported.

How do employees routinely talk about safety of a job to be performed and the importance of safety?

Axel Jiménez: We have weekly safety meetings with every shift. The Shift Supervisors discuss, encourage and support: “Take your time,” “slow down,” “identify unsafe conditions.” Also, every job requires a STAC (Securities Technology Analysis Center), or Safety Task Analysis Card to be filled out. On the STAC, the employee lists the hazards of the job about to be performed, and how the employee plans to mitigate them.

Cole Parrish: Employees now trust that if they see something unsafe, they can shut it down. People are no longer complacent about safety and taking

A M E R I C A S

At the beginning of 2020 Oiltanking Texas City reached a significant milestone: 1,000 days without

any ‘Lost Time due to Injury’ (as defined by the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration). Given there are, on average, 85 full-time employees at the terminal, that is 85,000 workdays without an injury leading to lost time! Adding in the contractors at the terminal brings the total number of people working at OTTC to 100, so 100,000 workdays without a Lost Time Injury!

REPRESENTING THE WHOLE TEAM Like their colleagues at Oiltanking Texas City, Axel Jiménez (right) and Cole Parrish, are

willing to work continuously to make Oiltanking a safer workplace. All are striving for a generative safety culture, and

pursuing the goal of zero incidents by living the Oiltanking values (Respect, Accountability, Integrity, and Responsibility).

with an Important Message for the Future

Open Dialog

MOMENTOUS OCCASION The "Safety First" rule was succesfully put into action

1,000DAYS

WITHOUT ANY

‘LOST TIME DUE

TO INJURY’


The Port of Antwerp currently uses methanol obtained from fossil sources, so this project is a practical step towards making the port more sustainable and, eventually, carbon-neutral. The sustainable production of methanol involves collecting CO2 using a new process called Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU), whereby at least some of the port’s CO2 emissions are recovered. This CO2 is then combined with hydrogen – sustainably produced using green energy in a new electrolysis plant. These two processes – Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) and electrolysis – together form the perfect basis for producing sustainable methanol.

What makes this demonstration plant unique is that it uses a combination of self-produced hydrogen by means of electrolysis, as well as by-product hydrogen from an existing production process within the port. The plant’s technical setup will feature flexible production modes, allowing it to capture incremental value from volatility in the utility markets.

In this way, the demonstrator could prevent one ton of CO2 emissions – or even two – per ton of methanol generated. Methanol may also be used as a sustainable fuel itself in the future – with minimal emissions of harmful substances – to power tugboats, or even ordinary road traffic. In fact, the Port of Antwerp is working towards introducing a methanol-powered tug in the near future.

Each partner plays an important role in the project: ENGIE, for instance, contributes its knowledge of the utilities market, while Indaver offers expertise on the collection of CO2. VMH is an experienced provider of capital to encourage the development of innovative new initiatives, and the Port of Antwerp serves as a bridge between the public and private sectors. Oiltanking, meanwhile, contributes its logistical

expertise to the overall project.

The project, which is expected to be realized next-door to Oiltanking Stolthaven, is exemplary for the transition towards sustainable fuels by integrating the electrical, fuel and feedstock markets. It underlines Oiltanking’s commitment to maintaining our essential position within the Port into the future. And while we contribute our own logistical expertise, we in turn learn about new products, technologies and regulations, and also strengthen our relations with other movers and shakers of our industry. As we move into the Pre-FID stage over the course of 2020, we will make sure to keep you informed about our progress on this exciting and innovative journey!

Status as of February 2020

E M E A

Since 2019, Oiltanking has been participating in a five-party consortium to investigate the feasibility of a demonstration plant for the renewable production of 4,000 to 8,000 tons of methanol per year. Helm-Proman Methanol AG and several knowledge institutes have also declared their support for this project. The “Power to Methanol” project is as ambitious as it is forward-looking.

Methanol is an important raw material with multiple uses within and beyond the chemical industry. Given the large chemical industry inside the port area, it is an essential substance in the port’s day-to-day operations; methanol is the starting point for all sorts of chemical processes used daily by its industrial players. Each year, the Port of Antwerp uses around 300,000 tons of methanol for chemical processes and fuel production.

E M E A


During 2019, Oiltanking worked as an expert partner with the Port of Antwerp, Indaver, ENGIE and Vlaamse Milieuholding on determining the feasibility of a pilot project to produce sustainable methanol. The partners are now preparing moving to the “Pre-FID (Final Investment Decision)” stage. Their close cooperation and commitment is a crucial step towards an integrated port and a circular economy.

SHAPING THE FUTURE A team of experts from various port protagonists work on solutions to make the Port of Antwerp more sustainable

FUTURE PROSPECTS:

Power to Methanol

Methanol• is the most basic alcohol and a basic chemical building block used in the production of a wide range of commodities of daily life, from plastic to windshield washers• can be produced using natural gas or coal, or from carbon dioxide & renewable hydrogen• is an affordable alternative transportation fuel due to its efficient combustion, ease of distribution, and worldwide availability • is cost-effective in terms of storage and fueling infrastructure• is biodegradable, and therefore a relatively sustainable fuel

© Port of Antwerp

To further elaborate on this concept and to come up with a plan of attack, a kick-off workshop was organized by Nancy de Groof, Karel Doffyn and Richard Dikkers and hosted at the Oiltanking terminal in Ghent on February 1st 2019. Anna Weritz, Group Function HSSE & Sustainability, joined the Oiltanking cross-regional team and shared the corporate Marquard & Bahls perspective on sustainability. During the various workshop sessions ideas, initiatives and ways to make our activities visible were discussed. The day closed with an agreement on the next steps.

Since this kick-off, a lot has happened: The project was embedded as a pilot within the Oiltanking Corporate Center Innovation initiative. The two selected pilot terminals where we test how to integrate Green Spots in the terminal operations

– Amsterdam and Terneuzen – came up with a detailed plan of measures for the years ahead. Areas for improvement include LED Lighting, Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU) optimization, solar panels, waste separation, motion detectors, solar boilers, ship-shore electricity, and frequency drives. In consultation with Assets & Operations and Group HSSE & Sustainability, options for measuring and reporting on Green Spots were discussed. A communication strategy and first communications materials such as a video and posters for display on the terminals have been developed by Oiltanking communications.

The pilot project will continue with regular sessions at both locations. The project team will also develop a global Green Spots framework that we can use to systematically roll out the project to our

Oiltanking seeks to respond to these developments and has been working for a long time to reducse its environmental footprint, especially in its core business. In an new initiative led by the European commercial and business development team, the idea of creating a label under which environmental projects and initiatives can be unified was raised, and the concept of Green Spots was born.

The rationale behind Green Spots is to promote the development of initiatives that reduce our

environmental footprint on the one hand, and more actively communicate as well as visualize what we are already doing on the other. It is designed for terminals that are committed to sustainable operations. The aim is to integrate the measures of Green Spots into the organizational structure to make it part of the existing terminal management systems. Terminals can share information about measures, as well as about the challenges faced, so that we can learn from each other. Focuses include – but are of course not limited to – the following areas:

Oiltanking has embarked on a journey to integrate sustainability even deeper into its core operations and align with Marquard & Bahls’ sustainability approach. Sustainability has therefore been defined as a key enabler in the new company strategy – for obvious reasons: Our company does business in a changing world, where not only social megatrends, but especially environmental ones such as climate change are becoming ever more important influencers of customer and employee expectations. During the course of this year we'll define Oiltanking's sustainability strategy and roadmap. In the meantime we are already doing some great work which we will share with you.

E M E A E M E A

Energy efficiency

Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

THINK TANK Colleagues exchange ideas how to promote sustainability

CURTAIN UP FOR

‘GREEN SPOTS’

CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS 1110

Waste & wastewater management/treatment

E M E A

other terminals as well. Irrespective of central developments, each terminal can already start creating a list of its existing “Green Spots” in preparation for joining the community. If you have any ideas for how we can

further advance the project, or would like to share successful projects at your location with us, we welcome

your input. Because as we all know: more ideas = more solutions!

• Tank & pipeline insulation• High-efficiency boiler• EV charging stations

• 11 K1 tanks VRU connected • Enabling biodiesel production & storage • Replacement of diesel- consuming installations

• Water treatment plant

• Improve energy & consumption measurement

• Connect more K1 tanks to VRU• Low-emissions vapor treatment system

• Frequency drives on pump motors• Replace current lighting by LED

• Solar panels on offices• Solar panels on empty terrains / bunding

• Ship-to-shore electricity• More EV & charging stations • Bicycle incentive scheme

• Wastewater pre-treatment plant

• Appoint energy, waste & emission coordinator

Existing Green Spots

Energy efficiency

Greenhouse-gas emissions

Waste management

Other

Green Spots 2020 Green Spots 2021+

WASTE AWARENESS

Colleagues from now on use steel bottles instead of plastic ones for their water

supply

Examples of Green Spots initiatives & future plans in Amsterdam

In order to guarantee a specific send-out rate into the gas pipeline grid, the design of the terminal must consider sufficient storage, pumping and regasification capacity. For natural gas to be transported efficiently over long distances without pipeline connections, it must be liquefied for volume reduction (see also page 30) by cooling it to approx. minus 160 °C. The LNG can then be shipped to anywhere in the world and put to use as industrial feedstock, for power generation, transportation fuel, or in your home for cooking and/or heating. The LNG is unloaded at an Import Terminal where it is temporarily stored in its liquid form and on demand transformed back into its gaseous form before entering the gas distribution grid.

At the moment a given molecule of methane (the main constituent of natural gas) extracted at a gas exploration well somewhere in the world leaves the

underground, there is no way of telling where it will end up and what other molecules it

will link up with during its journey. A molecule from Australia might find a new travel companion at the LNG Import Terminal where different cargos from around the world are unloaded. So the Australian molecule might be joined by a molecule from Qatar when it is pumped out of the storage for regasification and send-out into the grid. At some point, they could meet up with like molecules that originated not from a fossil source but from a renewable source (biomass/bio methane). During their journey it becomes more and more likely that

they will come into contact with other energy carriers like “green” hydrogen, which is permitted in the gas grid (at least a small percentage) after it is produced by wind energy and the process known as electrolysis.

The gas distribution grid is a large network of transmission pipelines of varying sizes and pressure levels (in Germany, the network comprises approx. 530,000 km). When they enter the network, none of the molecules know where and how they will be put to use. The future is not known to them. For one molecule, the journey could be a short one, and it might find itself leaving the grid at the first branch-off to be used as feedstock in a fertilizer plant, where it will willingly give away its hydrogen to form a new molecule (e.g. NH3 –

ammonia). Another molecule might travel for a long time through the dark network of underground pipelines, and be compressed several times as it is pushed away further and further from its entry point. Will it produce electricity, help to transport people in buses in a busy city, or provide warm water in your home? There’s no way of telling.

L E X I C O N

SEND-OUT

CORRECT CALCULATIONThe maximum and

minimum send-out rates are the most important

operation parameters for an LNG terminal

The term send-out generally refers to the natural gas that leaves an LNG Import/Regasification Terminal and is exported into the national gas distribution grid. The send-out capacity of such a terminal is usually stated in billion m³ per year (bcma).


“On October 22, 2019, at 19:00, a loud bang is heard at pump station 22 at the Oiltanking terminal in Terneuzen. Two operators, along with the driver of a vacuum truck, had been emptying a pipe filled with acrylonitrile, a flammable, toxic product. The product spills on the driver, and the two operators lie motionless on the floor of the pump station as the acrylonitrile spreads out on the road and into the pump station.”

For real? No. Fortunately, it was only the scenario of a Stage 2 emergency exercise held at the terminal.This kind of exercise is held every year in cooperation with government emergency services, to ensure that all parties are well-rehearsed in working with each other and have practiced realistic scenarios. Fire scenarios are practiced as well as those involving hazardous substances, and even

incidents in the port can be on the agenda. Before an exercise takes place, a delegation from Oiltanking will develop a scenario together with the government representative, jointly determining the relevant goals and key points of the exercise.

The municipal fire brigade has owned a basic decontamination unit since 2019, so it was deemed useful to combine this with the fast deployable HAZMAT (hazardous materials) response team in the above joint exercise.

This team consists of two specialized units that together – but independently of each other – go out to the site of the incident. In addition, the decontamination container will be on site which is built up by a separate fire department team that remains responsible for the decontamination of the

E M E A E M E A

EMERGENCY SERVICES Oiltanking colleagues work in close consultation with representatives of governmental institutions

Oiltanking cultivates a proactive safety culture. As part of this aspiration, Oiltanking Terneuzen cooperates with government emergency services. Read on for a review of the latest coordinated emergency exercise which took place at the terminal.

EFFECTIVE RESPONSE The procedure is agreed upon in the team

SCENE OF ACTION A stage 2 emergency exercise took place at the Oiltanking terminal in Terneuzen

Being PREPARED for Potential Future

INCI


E M E A

contaminated colleagues and HAZMAT suit wearers. A smooth and safe execution requires a lot of practice and organization.

The exercise: Step by step After the first alarm was received in the control room, the officer-in-charge of the Oiltanking fire service carried out a reconnaissance and upscaled the situation to a Stage 2 Emergency. A foam blanket was applied in the pump station, to ensure that the toxic and flammable acrylonitrile could no longer ignite or evaporate. Meanwhile, the truck driver was put under an emergency shower. Rescuing the two operators and sealing the leakage required the deployment of the HAZMAT response team. Once on site, the team first rescued the victims and handed them over to the decontamination unit. The team members then closed the leaks and were decontaminated themselves, all under the protection of Oiltanking’s foam-firefighting vehicle.

Oiltanking’s crisis manager also had his hands full during the “incident.” He consulted with the duty officer, hazardous substances advisor, and emergency medical assistance officer as he considered the risks to the

surrounding area, monitored the containment, and anticipated possible escalation. All in all, it was a successful exercise with the necessary “learning moments,” which the Oiltanking colleagues will give further attention to in future exercises.


E M E A

Not too long ago, an Oiltanking colleague interviewed a client for a customer satisfaction survey. Asked which car came to mind when he thought of Oiltanking, the client answered: “An E-model Mercedes Benz – but the one from the 90s.” Fair enough, it’s a solid and reliable German car – but … the 1990s?! That would make us a bit old-fashioned and dusty. Is this really how we are perceived? One thing is certain: Times have changed, our markets are more turbulent and volatile. We need to adjust ever faster to the changing needs of our customers who expect a pro-active and agile approach.

In its strategy, Oiltanking has defined nine “must-win” battles that must be won in order to be prepared for the future. One of them is Commercial Excellence, which is where the Global Commercial Development team comes into play. This newly formed team currently consists of three colleagues: Liesel Weisser, Reinhard Hable and Project Lead Peter van Wessel. The team will be further expanded as needed.

With effect from January 2020, the colleagues aim to improve Oiltanking’s commercial excellence by providing fit-for-purpose market intelligence. “We have a very good commercial workforce around the world with a lot of potential”, explains van Wessel. “We want to unlock this by,

for example, enhancing Key Account Management on both a global and a regional level. We will implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that will let us better gain business insights and capture our knowledge in a user-friendly system. This, combined with a global training & development program, will help us achieve our ambition to be closer to our customers, in a uniform way and with the

aim of extracting more value from our terminals!”

If we go back to our original comparison and transfer it to the present day, then customers of a taxi company no longer want just a modern and efficient Mercedes, but also digital interfaces to order this taxi conveniently, receive information about the arrival time and also to be able to pay easily electronically. In conclusion, Oiltanking's customers also expect more from Oiltanking and expect a more modern appearance.

Driving

IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT The decontamination

container is a mobile rapid-response system

JOINT EXERCISE Oiltanking colleagues work together with the municipal fire brigade and its gas suits team

FUTURE-PROOFING THE ‘OILTANKING CAR’ The Global

Commercial Development team is in the driver’s seat when it comes to helping Oiltanking achieve one

of its future goals

© picture: Mercedes-Benz AG

PETER VAN WESSEL leads the newly formed Global Commercial Development team

Into the Future

For 17 years, the Oiltanking terminal in Varna, Bulgaria, designed to handle sulfuric acid, had been devoted solely to chemicals storage. However, at the end of 2017, a major client announced that they were not planning to renew their storage contract. This left the Oiltanking Bulgaria team faced with a pivotal decision: whether to recommend that the shareholders divest from Bulgaria, or to prove that there was still potential.

The team opted for the latter and set out to find a client that would ideally make a mid-to-long term commitment, preferably with a liquid product that would not require too much investment for retrofitting the two vacant tanks, each with a capacity of 6,000 cbm. After analyzing the market, the shortlist of potential storage products that would meet this condition was: liquid fertilizers, vegetable oils, and vegoil derivatives. Oiltanking Bulgaria reached out to several possible companies and eventually came into contact with Bulmarket in 2018. This big Bulgarian

player on the oil and agricultural market has its own port in the delta of the Danube River. However, it needed a reliable operator for the import and export activities of its daughter company ASTRA Bioplant, which has seen rapid growth in the production and trade of biofuels and its components over the past three years.

To be able to service this client and obtain official authorization to handle flammable products, Oiltanking installed a firefighting system at the terminal. In addition, the company insulated the tanks and installed Measurements Instruments Directive (MID) certified skids for handling bonded warehouse products. Meanwhile, ASTRA agreed to apply for the license in its name; it was issued on September 26, 2019. The very next day, the first vessel with FAME on board docked at Oiltanking Bulgaria’s Berth 2.

Oiltanking Bulgaria opted to offer this type of storage

based on several criteria. First, the FAME market is undergoing strong growth in the region. Bulgaria became an important producer of FAME and has a unique position in this segment. On the one hand, its own fossil fuel resources are limited, and on the other it is surrounded by countries that operate numerous refineries: Romania has four refineries, Hungary three, Serbia two, and Bulgaria itself also has one. So demand for the bio-components that are blended into biodiesel is high.

Second, the chemistry between ASTRA Bioplant with its solid market position and Oiltanking was right from the beginning. During the project’s execution, ASTRA Bioplant even became a customer at another Oiltanking terminal in Europe. And – last but not least – Oiltanking is looking to promote its focus on renewables, and the terminal in Bulgaria can play an important part in this.

Currently, the total storage capacity of the terminal is 4 x 6,000 cbm, of which two tanks are dedicated to sulfuric acid and the others to FAME. ASTRA Bioplant has already expressed its readiness to rent additional storage capacity, should Oiltanking decide to build it. “We are currently evaluating this expansion opportunity”, comments Alexei Lisan, Managing Director Oiltanking Bulgaria. “Bulgaria itself is a predominantly agricultural country, making it a good candidate for becoming a serious player in the alternative fuels markets, and companies like ASTRA Bioplant are pushing it in that direction.”

E M E A E M E A

In 2019, Oiltanking Bulgaria took a decisive step towards securing the terminal’s future by adding the storage of Fatty Acid Methyl Esther (FAME) to its existing sulfuric acid storage. Today, the terminal’s capacities are 100 percent utilized.


* FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) is a blend of various fatty acid methyl esters that is commonly referred to as biodiesel

FIT FOR THE FUTURE Oiltanking Bulgaria’s

FAME storage capacities are now

operational and fully utilized

SECOND MAINSTAY The terminal in Bulgaria is

now able to store biodiesel as well as sulfuric acid

Setting the course for FAME*

Our Oiltanking colleagues in Colombia agree that our future lies in the hands of our children, and that family is very important. Adhering to the safety rules at the terminal is not only crucial for guaranteeing a safe working environment, but a very real prerequisite for returning home safe and sound at the end of the working day.

Oiltanking has implemented many safety standards and procedures at the terminal, and is continuously updating and improving them. The company is mindful of the environment and uses resources sparingly. A program of active breaks has been introduced, and healthy lunchtime food habits are promoted. But what about employees’ situation and habits at home? Imagine, for instance, a colleague leaving a night shift and instead of resting at home they simply proceed

with a regular daily routine, neglecting their sleep. Back at Oiltanking, the colleague will be more accident-prone due to sleep deprivation. “We know that the family is an important pillar and source of motivation for the employees. Which is why Oiltanking introduced a program called ‘CUIDEMOS DE LOS OTROS’ (Let’s Take Care of Each Other),” explains Ludis Plata, HR Manager Oiltanking Colombia.

The half-day event, held in two sessions, took place at the Hotel Corales de Indias in Cartagena in December 2019. It was designed for colleagues and their family members as well as their friends, so that they could better identify with the colleagues’ experience at the terminal. The program used a gamification strategy, meaning that the participants took part in a number of fun

P E O P L E & P L A C E S P E O P L E & P L A C E S

In late 2019, our colleagues at Oiltanking in Colombia showed family members and friends just how much they care about Oiltanking’s first rule of business: “Safety First.” Their “Let’s Take Care of Each Other” makes it clear that safety does not stop at the Oiltanking gates, and relates not just to colleagues, but to everyone in our lives.


THE GOLDEN HSSE RULES

The aim is to prevent

occupational accidents

Let’s Take Care of Each Other

WE CAN, WE CARE …

IMPORTANCEIt is necessary to identify

danger and to assess risks prior to start any activity

WHERE’S THAT HAT? Something’s missing from those paintings on the left! Exactly, the safety helmet!

activities that get the message across in a playful way. That is, that each and every one of us must understand and fully incorporate safety into our daily lives, and that safety does not end at the terminal gates, but is part of our DNA and matters in all places and at all times. At the same time, the program aimed to build awareness about the importance of spending quality time with one’s family so that employees can return to work fresh and rested.

During the session, the participants learned about practicing safety at home, as well as about avoiding obesity, eating healthy, and creating well-balanced lifestyle habits at home. Hazard identification and the importance of road safety were also on the agenda. The children took center stage during the program! In particular, they learned about how to identify unsafe acts and conditions by looking at pictures showing right and wrong behavior. Also, the classification of waste and recycling in accordance with the guidelines of waste disposal in Colombia were explained. In teams of two, they learned first-aid techniques and basic

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation). A safety-teaching activity that involved adding the missing and correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to an unprotected person drawn on a sheet of paper provided a great learning effect.

The event met with a unanimously enthusiastic response. “We’re certain that this activity will help us reduce future accidents and incidents at the terminal. We know that our Oiltanking employees will be cared for not only by the company but also at home!” comments María Pérez, HSSE Coordinator. In fact Oiltanking has received several comments from family members who now apply more security measures in their homes thanks to an improved perception of risk. They are grateful to see that Oiltanking cares about them, too! The plan is to carry out the program every year, identifying and focusing on different topics each time that are of interest and that will contribute to increasing the safety culture throughout the year.

CONNECTIONS22

A P A C

CONNECTIONS 23

COMPLIANCE Adhering to safety rules should also be applied outside the terminal

P E O P L E & P L A C E S

CLEVER CONCEPT Teaching hard facts in a fun way

SHAPING THE FUTURE Indian Oiltanking promotes health and safety awareness through various initiatives

The silence of mornings in the village of Dhutum is lately being broken by a new sound as the machines in the newly inaugurated open-air gym attract crowds of locals for a quick workout to start the day. The residents of Dhutum, a village close to Indian Oiltanking's flagship Navghar Terminal, is off to a healthy start to 2020, thanks to an outdoor gymnasium equipped with six exercise machines donated by the terminal.

The outdoor gym’s primary target clientele is Dhutum’s youth, who would have to travel some 20 kilometers to the closest city to access a comparable facility. The gymnasium has brought health closer to home for these youngsters, future stalwarts of the community.Dhutum’s school has stood strong for 60 years and shaped three generations of villagers, but needed a coat of fresh paint. Indian Oiltanking pledged to beautify the school, and managed to win over the Principal and the village council for a brighter color scheme. Brighter interiors mean less need for artificial lighting and a better experience for the students. So as the school introduces new curriculums and more contemporary tools for learning, the changing educational methods are thus complemented with a more modern look that points the way to the future.

Indian Oiltanking also commissioned artists to paint children’s favorite characters from their textbooks on the walls, and as a result the school looks livelier than it has in several decades.

Indian Oiltanking’s investment in the community’s future goes beyond health to address the safety of local citizens as well. After losing citizens to fatal accidents on the adjoining highways nearly every year, the village councils of the Dhutum Village at Navghar Terminal and Gujra village near the Raipur Terminal decided an outreach program on road safety was in order.

Indian Oiltanking saw this as an opportunity to build awareness among schoolchildren who in turn influence their parents and other elders at home. We conducted safety workshops in local languages, and gave each child the gift of a crash helmet, with instructions to pass it on to their parents and urge them to drive safely. With healthier and happier children in its adjoining neighborhoods, Indian Oiltanking hopes to ensure a safer and a happier future for its communities.

A healthy body is a good home for a healthy mind, and Indian Oiltanking is investing in the health and safety of the future generation around its communities by focusing on youth and children. A closer look at what this looks like in the villages near our terminals.

A Gift of Health and Good Cheer!

Thanks to this new body part Harbisson, who was born with a rare visual condition called achromatopsia (total absence of color perception), can now hear colors as musical notes. For instance, a glass of orange juice sounds like F#, while a glass of milk is silence.

Harbisson is able to perceive 360 colors – even colors that are invisible to the human eye such as ultraviolet and infrared light, and can even perceive colors from space by using the internet connection in his antenna to receive live images from satellites.

By now, color perception has become second nature and he now even dreams in color. His new sensory organ causes Harbisson to perceive

people and his environment completely differently from the rest of us: he can listen to the paintings in a museum, and going to the supermarket is like entering in a disco full of melodies. While others may choose their clothes by their looks, he dresses the way it sounds good to him. If he is happy he would probably dress in C major (blue, pink, yellow).

There are other artists who identify as cyborgs, like the Catalan Manel Muñoz (alias Manel De Aguas) who developed and installed barometric sensors in his body. Or fellow Catalan Moon Ribas, who has developed a seismic sense that allows her to feel real-time earthquakes in her body. In 2010, Harbisson and Ribas co-founded the Cyborg Foundation with the aim of encouraging people to augment their senses.

Harbisson’s next project is Time Sense, a wearable sensory headband that allows the wearer to feel the passing of the 24-hour clock around the circumference of their head. Harbisson believes that just as eyes can perceive optical illusions, at some point it will be possible to create illusions of time. If time illusions work, it

will be possible to stretch or control a person’s perception of time, age, and perhaps even travel through time.

Harbisson also notes that becoming a cyborg and having cybernetic body parts may change how people perceive the aging process. Instead of fearing old age, we may all look forward to being old in the future: Cybernetic parts will get better and better the older you get, as they will evolve along with technology.

NEIL HARBISSON The world’s first cyborg artist

– he no longer feels 100 percent human


L E I S U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N TL E I S U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Neil Harbisson is the first person in the world to officially be recognized as a cyborg by a government. The British-born, Catalan-raised cyborg artist is also known as the first person ever to have had an antenna implanted in his skull. The antenna works as a color sensor that measures the color frequencies in front of him and transmits them to a chip implanted in the back of his head.

H E A R I N G C O L O R S

ROYAL OVERTONES Mozart’s ‘Queen of the

night’, when visualized, becomes a broad spectrum

of color tones due to the many frequencies

‘BABY’ You may already know Justin Bieber’s song ... now you know what it looks like, too

© Lars Norgaard

© Neil Harbisson

© Neil Harbisson

CONNECTIONS 27CONNECTIONS26

AISSA MACARENA She was greeted by her parents Stephanie Flores, Terminales del Perú, and Roberto Seminario on December 22, 2019

LIAM This little guy was born to Elke Bettens and Kevin Lemey, Oiltanking Ghent, on October 30, 2019

SOPHIE VALESKA A precious little girl for Lilly Aguas and Oscar Acosta Maza, Oiltanking Servicios, was born on November 22, 2019

SEBASTIÁN TADEO On July 17, 2019, he made his parents Fiorella Salinas Prado and Carlos Antonio Mendoza Garragate, Terminales delPerú, very happy

SEBASTIÁN ALBERTO Silvana Karina Torres Donayre, Oiltanking Andina, and Alberto José Rondon Silva joyfully announced his birth on May 26, 2019

SOFIE LING YARU A sweet girl was born to Guo Yilin and Ling Jue, Oiltanking Singapore, on June 12, 2019

LUCIANA Yeinys Arellano and Reynaldo Alean, Oiltanking Colombia, are happy with their little girl born on August 18, 2018

ALANNA AINHOA She first made her parents Yesabel Alexandra Uribe Navarro and Ruben Lozano Vela, Terminales del Perú, beam with joy on May 24, 2019

FABRICIO JESUS This little ray of sunshine was born to Alneris Chiquinquira Medina Rodriguez and Jesus Emilio Morillo Quintero, Terminales del Perú, on June 4, 2019

PAULA VALENTINA Pamela Elizabeth Rosales Herrera and Wilfredo Enrique Cruz Valiente, Terminales del Perú, have been her happy parents since September 10, 2019

NORA December 14, 2019 was a joyful day for Yasmine Bastien and Tim Oosterlinck, Oiltanking Ghent

ADRIANA RAFAELA Milagros Visag Saldivar and Henry Inocencio Beraún, Terminales del Perú, welcomed this sweet addition to the family on August 8, 2019

MÍA VALENTINA Olga Lenin Munayco Aroste, Oiltanking Andina, and Luis Francisco Elisban Escate Castro became her proud parents on June 5, 2019

NIVAAN SANKAR Gunapriyaa and Sankar Thangarasu, Oiltanking Singapore, have been over the moon with the birth of their son on January 30, 2019

DARA SOFIA On November 9, 2019, Sindy Paola Aldana Negrete and Yeison Ortiz Martinez, Oiltanking Servicios, laid proud eyes on their daughter

ALBA LUCIA Silvia Espinoza Terrones, Terminales del Perú, and Devin Gomez Wong, are as radiant as their daughter, who was born on March 3, 2019

FLAVIA ALESSANDRA Natalie Coronado Pais and José Becerra Angulo, Terminales del Perú, have been her happy parents since February 25, 2019

ADRIÁN A bouncing baby boy was born to Adriana Alvarez Puerta and Jordi Trespalacio Carriazo, Oiltanking Servicios, on January 6, 2020

G O O - G O O S G O O - G O O S

In the Polish village of Miejsce Odrzanskie, which has a population of just 300, only girls have been born since 2010. The reasons for this are unclear. However, it is a fact that the mayor is hoping for male offspring for his community and for the future. He has even promised parents a “surprise” if they produce male offspring. Our surprise for you: the latest roundup of next-generation Oiltankers!

MAIA This little sunbeam belongs to Enith Sierra Patermina and José Manuel Alvarez Arrieta, Oiltanking Servicios, born on June 10, 2019

TUUR Grietje Lambrechts and Rocky Bogaerts, Oiltanking Stolhaven Antwerp, have been proud parents since August 25, 2019

ALANA A lovely daughter was born to Ludis Plata Coneo, Oiltanking Servicios, and Jaime Ruíz on March 27, 2019

OLIVIA The birth of their little girl on October 15, 2019 was a joyful day for Edina and Nobert Lantos, Oiltanking Hungary

Girl or Bo y?


Jonas Staut, Oiltanking Stolthaven Antwerp, put a ring on Vanessa De Ryck’s finger on June 15, 2019

Avani Sheta and Tarun Patel, IOT, celebrated their wedding on February 26, 2019

Edina and Nobert Lantos, Oiltanking Hungary, tied the

knot on October 15, 2019

The hearts of Sarah and Ismail Lancyta, Oiltanking Nusantara Persada, have officially been beating in sync since December 29, 2019

Jennifer Garcia and Jorge Pacheco, Oiltanking Servicios, became husband

and wife on August 19, 2019

Pamela Elizabeth Rosales Herrera and Wilfredo Enrique Cruz Valiente, Terminales del Perú, exchanged their wedding vows on July 20, 2019

Jean Alvarez, Oiltanking Servicios, swore undying love to Merylaura Rodriguez on December 28, 2019

I D O ` S I D O ` S

A wedding ceremony sets the seal on a shared future and is celebrated in many different ways. The scattering of rice or confetti is one such custom. Since sustainability is coming to play an increasingly important role at weddings as well, the use of dried leaves instead is one promising way to celebrate one's love for each other as well as for life. Read on to find out which Oiltanking colleagues will be joining their paths into the future.

Loving and Living

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L E I S U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

NUMBER

600:1600:1


Diesel Fuel10.722 kWh/liter (Liquid at atmospheric conditions)

Gasoline9.500 kWh/liter (Liquid at atmospheric conditions)

Propane7.028 kWh/liter (Liquefied under pressure)

LNG6.167 kWh/liter (Liquefied at approx. -160 °C)

CNG2.500 kWh/liter (Gas compressed to approx. 250 bar)

Hydrogen2.361 kWh/liter

(Liquefied at approx. -253 °C)

Hydrogen1.250 kWh/liter

(Gas compressed to approx. 690 bar)

Butane7.694 kWh/liter (Liquefied under pressure)

Butane0.033 kWh/liter (Gas at atmospheric conditions)

Natural Gas0.010 kWh/liter (Gas at atmospheric conditions)

Propane0.025 kWh/liter

(Gas at atmospheric conditions)

Hydrogen0.0028 kWh/liter (Gas at atmospheric conditions)

This is the ratio to bear in mind when discussing the benefits

of LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas): The volume of natural gas can be reduced by a factor of

approx. 600 when it is liquefied. This requires cooling the gas down to approx. minus 160 °C. For LPGs (Liquefied

Petroleum Gases) like butane and propane, the “volume reduction factor” ranges between 240 and 300. Unlike natural

gas, these gases can be liquefied by merely putting them under a little bit of pressure at ambient temperature (although cooling is also an option). For hydrogen (H2) the factor is around 800.

In other words, we can increase the energy density (energy content per volume, expressed in MJ/L or kWh/L) of these gases 240- to 800-fold, which makes them a useful alternative fuel for trucks, cars and ships, as fuel tank capacity is always a limiting factor. Your car’s 60-liter fuel tank, filled with natural gas under atmospheric pressure, would allow

you to travel a distance of only about 0.7 km. With the higher energy density of CNG (Compressed Natural Gas, approx. 250 bar), you could

go as far as 175 km, and with high-energy-density LNG, up to 420 km. So especially in the transportation sector, the volumetric

energy density is an important factor to consider in order to efficiently use the limited fuel-storage capacity.

VOLUMETRIC ENERGY

DENSITIES OF SELECTED

FUELS

Brazil Since 2018, Oiltanking Açu Serviços has promoted voluntary independent donations by participating in local campaigns in São João da Barra – RJ. The city is located near the Port of Açu Complex, where Oiltanking handles Ship to Ship operations for crude oil transfer. Oiltanking employees have been committed to the community from the beginning. Back in 2018, our colleagues participated in a winter campaign where donations focused on warm clothes, blankets and food

provisions to several nursing homes, including the local one, Retiro São João Batista. This nonprofit institution takes care of underserved elderly people with donations by the local community and by companies dedicated to their cause. The elderly receive proper basic health treatment, nutritional meals, shelter, and personal attention. Oiltanking again contributed to this nursing home in 2019, culminating with the company’s year-end party, when a total of 210 kilograms of food was donated

in a single day.

Campaigns like these not only help to build workplace solidarity at Oiltanking, but also encourage employees to engage with and contribute to their local community. Oiltanking Açu Serviços will continue to develop more such solidarity campaigns and to promote the idea among other companies.


HEART IN THE RIGHT SPOT “Corazón de Mandarina,” where

Oiltanking Ebytem proves its commitment to children and

the community of Brandsen


Argentina “Del otro lado del árbol” (“On the other side of the tree”) is the name of a project that led to the opening of a public children’s library in the city of La Plata, Argentina. It was initiated by a woman named Paula Kriscautzky, whose own daughter Pili died aged just five. Pili often had to spend hours and even days at the hospital for her treatments. There, she wished that nurses would bring her not just medicines and vaccines, but also colored pencils, drawing paper, and storybooks, and that she would be treated as a kid and not just as another patient. Based on this idea, a mobile library was created that moved around to the various rooms of the hospital to provide these things. Pili’s mother felt that this means of happiness should not be limited to the hospital, but should be extended to all kids, including healthy ones. The library finally opened in front of the Hospital on April 2, 2011.

Inspired by this project, “Corazón de Mandarina” was initiated almost five years ago in the city of Brandsen where one of Oiltanking Ebytem’s terminals is located. Two upcycled shipping containers were set up in a public square, each containing hundreds of storybooks, colored pencils and drawing paper. Here, various weekend activities are occasionally organized for kids and their families, ranging from storytellers and music bands to magic shows, puppet shows and outdoor movie screenings – always free of charge and with the clear intention of integrating kids and families from every part of the town.

During the course of 2019, Oiltanking Ebytem donated part of the PVC roof, as well as bathroom fixtures for people with disabilities (toilet, washbasin and support bars) needed to make the facility inclusive. As of January 2020, thanks to the company’s gift of an air-conditioning system, neither heat nor cold can impede the kids’ enjoyment of their ”library.”

NutshellIn a

FOR A GOOD CAUSE Oiltanking colleagues collected food and delivered the baskets to the nursing home


story building in 2017 Germany wouldn’t have one. So for the next three months, climbing [up and down four flights of] stairs became a part of my new routine.

I soon realized that the Oiltanking office in the Marquard & Bahls building is like a bubble containing an international environment with English-speaking people. Unfortunately for me, English is not so commonly spoken by the rest of the population (at least not to the extent I was used to from Greece). And so, without German language skills, everyday life is a lot more challenging. From finding a house to arranging utilities to acclimatizing to the

supermarket aisles and identifying food brands, everything takes a bit more effort. One gets creative … I suppressed my habit of reading food labels and went by pictures for the better part of the first year. The overwhelming volume of mail arriving at my new address was sorted out in three passes. First, throw away (sorry, I mean recycle) the bulk of

There is a Greek saying that could loosely be translated to “People plan, and God laughs.” The recent financial crisis has forged a more vivid stereotype of Greeks living

the life of Zorba, with no care in the world or plans for the future. Not true, at least for me.

After discussing our future with my spouse and reaching agreement on it, I signed my contract with Oiltanking to start as Senior Engineering Manager for Middle East and India at the Oiltanking head office in Hamburg. Off I went and after a smooth flight and a smooth taxi ride, my unscheduled fitness program started the moment I arrived at my new apartment: I had to carry my suitcases up four flights of stairs, as there was no elevator. I literally opened the storeroom door to check for a hidden elevator, as it seemed incredible to me that a four-


C U L T U R A L E X P E R I E N C E S

In January 2017 Gavriil Tasigeorgos moved from his home country Greece to Germany to start working for Oiltanking at the Hamburg head office. In the following, he tells us what he thought would await him in the future and takes a tongue-in-cheek look at some common stereotypes.

PORTRAIT Gavriil Tasigeorgos was born and raised in Greece, where he graduated from the National Technical University of Athens as Professional Engineer (PEng) and went on to obtain his MBA from the Technical University of Crete. He then gained in-depth professional experience in Downstream Oil & Gas, mostly in Greece. In 2017 he moved to Hamburg, Germany, to take up a new position as Senior Engineering Manager for Middle East and India for Oiltanking GmbH. On January 1, 2020, he moved to the Project Management Office and his current role as Lead Project Cost Engineer.


Planning

FUTUREthe

PLANTEN UN BLOMEN The urban park in the inner city of Hamburg is a great place to relax

"GATEWAY TO THE WORLD" Just as the city of Hamburg also colleagues at the head office are cosmopolite

advertising material; second, identify the mail I was actually expecting; and third, whatever was left. Even now, three years later and with some basic German under my belt (not proud of my progress, though), I first scan every letter for numbers, to see whether there is an amount I need to pay. I have no idea why Germany, so advanced in many aspects, is so fond of paper – including for cash transactions.

People, I have found, are very polite and helpful except perhaps when they are called on to provide Help as a Service (pun intended). Contrary to the Greeks, Germans (and I speak in stereotypes of course) absolutely LOVE rules. On my first trip back home, I remember telling my friends about the awesome power the instructions on an A4 piece of paper develop when attached to a wall (they might as well be cast in stone).

Driving is much safer, more relaxed and civilized in Germany compared to Greece, where driving is chaotic, undisciplined and not for the faint of heart (think of it as India “light”). I personally think a lot of people from northern Europe have developed a sudden and desperate belief in the power of prayer when driving Greek roads.


And what about vacation? Days off are often planned eight months in advance – something which is simply inconceivable to the Greek mentality, where these aspects of life are planned a few hours to three days in advance. You can also forget about just going out for dinner without reserving a table in advance. However, you can count on your German friends to be at the agreed place at the agreed time, even if you arranged it 15 weeks in advance, and without any other reassurances being necessary during that time. Now that’s what I call reliable!

A little over three years after my family and I embarked on our new beginning, my kids speak German with each other, and we feel more or less at home. Apart from the weather, which is nothing to brag about, Hamburg is an amazing city, beautifully planned with an abundance of parks, clean and secure. We also love to explore the city’s surroundings. One thing has changed however, and that is my view of the future. It’s (completely) unpredictable


KOS The island with its abundant sandy beaches and wealth of

Greek and Roman landmarks is a popular holiday destination

PLON CASTLE The cultural monument is located on a

hill and less than 100 km away from Hamburg

:© photocompany

In an effort to save damaged coral reefs, research teams are developing a wide variety of innovative methods. Scientists at the University of Exeter in the U.K. believe that music can help.

Fish play an important role in keeping coral reefs healthy. They clean corals by nibbling off their dead bits, which allows young coral to grow back. Apparently, the fish are attracted by signals emitted by their polyps. Unfortunately, degraded reefs do not smell or sound very attractive or are very quiet. In a six-week field experiment on Australia’s northern Great Barrier Reef, researchers placed waterproof loudspeakers in certain spots near corals, and played the sounds of a healthy coral reef. They compared the development of

the fish community with that of acoustically unmanipulated monitoring stations. The findings sound good: acoustic enrichment doubled the development of fish communities.

‘Water Music’

What will be, will be The song “Que Sera,

Sera” was first released in 1956 and sung by Doris Day in the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” The song title has developed into an expression of cheerful fatalism. However, the question of “what will probably be (in the future)” has become possibly more pressing than ever before. We’ve compiled some interesting projects and ideas that could affect our future. What will they be? Read on to find out!

ACOUSTIC ENRICHMENT The sounds of a healthy reef can help improve fish stocks


L E I S U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T L E I S U R E & E N T E R TA I N M E N T


Do they really exist, the “little green men” from space that have colonized human imagination for centuries, if not millennia? In the late 19th century, astronomers and scientists of other disciplines were quite certain about the existence of Martians – fictitious, highly civilized creatures who lived on the planet Mars. Martians are one of the most widespread and oldest examples of hypothetical extraterrestrial life within our solar system.

In fact, the chances of finding signs of life greatly increase if we look to

planets outside our solar system. More than 4,000 such “exoplanets” have been discovered in the past 20 years. The closest one is 4.24 lightyears (or 40,000,000,000,000 km) away, so we won’t be visiting it anytime soon – and proving the presence of life from a distance (i.e. through a telescope) is incredibly difficult. However, under the leadership of Dr. Ir. Frans Snik, University of Leiden (the Netherlands), Dutch scientists including Dr. Lucas Patty have now developed a precise method that involves looking at an elemental

property of life itself: homochirality, which means that the basic building blocks of life, such as sugars or amino acids, come in two arrangements that are mirror images. One is “left-handed,” the other “right-handed.” In non-alive “nature” such as space, these molecules will occur in equal

amounts of left- and right-handed arrangements. Biology, however, breaks this symmetry: thus all amino acids in living things on Earth are left-handed, while all sugars are right-handed. These molecules, and especially longer chains of them, interact very specifically with light.

Using a spectropolarimeter – a camera equipped with special lenses and receivers – the scientists measure the rotation of light reflected from surfaces. This ingenious technique (circular polarized light) also works from a vast distance and can therefore confirm the presence of living organisms. At this point, the researchers are busy further characterizing the signals they are seeing and gaining insights into the kind of signals they should expect from distant worlds. They are also currently working on a modification of the “TreePol” version that is compatible with the International Space Station ISS.

However, promising though it sounds, the method has attracted skepticism because of the costs involved and the fact that coral reefs grow very slowly. It takes at least ten years for a coral to reach a somewhat normal size again. However,

combined with active habitat restoration and effective protection measures, rebuilding fish communities in this way could accelerate ecosystem recovery on multiple spatial and temporal scales in the future.

In Search of ET

ON THE LOOKOUT If TreePol receives an alien signal in the future, the chance of alien life is very likely (Here, the device is shown measuring plants; to measure that of planets, it will be equipped with a huge frontal telescope)

© Lucas Patty

Insects as the food of the future? Ten kilograms of feed can go to produce one kilogram of beef – or some nine kilograms of insect meat. About a quarter of global greenhouse gases are caused by livestock farming. With this in mind, the German industrial designer Carolin Schulze investigated the question of sustainable nutrition and the prevailing reluctance to use insects as alternative food. Her project, called Bugs Bunny (Falscher Hase in German), is a morally and ecologically justifiable alternative that literally lifts insect meat to a new dimension. To this end, mealworms are crushed and mixed with spices and potatoes. Using a 3D printer, the paste is printed into handy bunny-shaped molds, which can then be cooked in oil and eaten. Schulze has already won several awards for her groundbreaking project of borderline culinary experiences, and for her commitment to reducing negative prejudices by providing positive first experiences of entomophagy*. These include the German Federal Ecodesign Award (Young Talent category) and the Future Award (Sustainability) in 2015. A first step in this direction on a political level was taken with the new Novel Food Regulation 2017** coming into force.

What’s up, Doc?

A FEAST FOR THE EYES Appropriate shaping can help make entomophagy more palatable

© Carolin Schulze

* Entomophagy = consumption of insects** The new Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 on novel foods improves conditions so that new and innovative foods can be placed on the EU market without problems

BUGS BUNNY, Carolin Schulze’s ecologically viable alternative to meat loaf, made of insect meat

© Carolin Schulze © Carolin Schulze


CONNECTIONS40


The right coffee to use: Use mocha rather than filter coffee, brewing the boiling water directly with the ground

coffee and plenty of sugar. Wait a little until the coffee grounds settle, and then enjoy the drink. A viscous residue will remain in the bottom of the cup.

Prepare the coffee grounds: Cover the cup with a saucer, turn both upside down briefly and then turn them

over again. A splodge of coffee grounds will be visible on the bottom: the object to be interpreted.

Be imaginative in your interpretation: Think abstractly and try to discern symbols in the grounds, which you then

link to make specific predictions.

CONNECTIONS 41

Meaning of the symbols

• Crown = love and prosperity• Moon = wealth and honor• Key = a wish comes true• Bird = problems are solved or news will be arriving soon

• Cloud = luck and success• Mountain = reliability and solidarity• Triangle = change is imminent• Fish = a happy turn of events ahead• Anchor = hope, loyalty

Here are some interpretation aids. For example, you may see a ...

I Spy with My Little Eye

The urge to predict the future is as old as mankind itself. A wide variety of methods have been and continue to be used today. What about you? Do you read horoscopes, or consult tarot cards? Here, in case you would like to try out your own clairvoyant abilities during a coffee break, are a few tips on coffee grounds. And whether you believe in such divinations or not, whether the prediction turns out to be accurate or not, it can certainly provide you with a little diversion!

Can’t decide what color to dye your hair? How about a hair color that constantly changes? The English company Unseen plans to launch its Fire product before the year is out.

Due to its chemical composition, the new hair colorant reacts to heat. Some of the molecules contained in the product are more stable at certain temperatures than others, so

they split or compound, absorbing incident light differently thereby creating different colors depending on the temperature of the body and its surroundings. Numerous colors are possible! After a few weeks, the tint washes out again and you can try a new shade! The future result: a unique color mix of fantasy and reality, and a heady combination of chemistry and technology!

Hair Today…Hair Tomorrow?

HAIR TREND OF THE FUTURE? Hair that changes its colors like a chameleon

The annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas is the world’s biggest industry gathering for anyone interested in consumer electronics. For over 50 years, it has served as a testing ground for innovators

and a showcase for next-generation pioneering technologies. Here is a small selection of some of the more or less promising future devices that were presented in January 2020.

Smart packaging The smart, fully recyclable shipping box from a French company is equipped with an interior camera, scales, electronic address label, tracking software, and sensors that measure temperature, humidity, and vibration. The battery is sufficient for at least 1,000 deliveries, which means it is no more expensive to use than sending a cardboard box.

Red or green? A British tech company uses a check whether certain products could cause intolerances (e.g. allergies, diseases). Using a wristband or app, a product’s barcode can be scanned while shopping, eliminating the need for time-consuming scrutiny and deciphering of ingredients. If the band is green, everything is fine; if it is red, best to avoid.

Talk to me! An Indian provider offers optimal yoga instruction at any location with its talking yoga mat. It plays spherical music as sensors check your posture and give corrective instructions.

Turning air into water An U.S. company has figured out a way to produce water using solar panels, which can each generate about 150 liters of water from water particles in the air. Modern technology should make it possible to use the devices even in cities with high levels of air pollution.

Will this be needed/used in future?

Not so long ago, the things we take completely for granted today may have been seen as groundbreaking and futuristic. We owe some these innovations to inventors who were way ahead of their time, and some of their inventions have become part of our daily routine. Do you know which visionary invented what? (The answer only contains letters from their last names):

1. Even though many people now use digital versions, our joy of reading is owed in large part to this man and his invention. (2nd letter)2. The iconic trousers that these two invented have had a huge following for nearly 150 years now. (5th letter)3. “You’ve got mail”? Who invented this electronic form of communication? (1st letter)4. His cool invention lets you keep food fresh much longer. (6th letter)5. His brilliant invention gave doctors "X-ray vision" (1st letter)6. No matter how you twist and turn it: this little grey object keeps things in place in a wall. (1st letter)

Once you've found the letters we’re looking for and put them in the correct sequence, you will get our English solution word. When planning your future, please remember the deadline for entries: September 1, 2020. Good luck from the connections team!


R E A D E R ' S C O R N E R

The Masyu (pearl necklace) logic puzzle was solved again by many of our colleagues! Congratulations to our winners, who we trust will enjoy their surprise prize: Sebastian Bregel/Oiltanking Finance B.V., Cisca Jansen/Oiltanking Amsterdam B.V., Johays Soleno Acendra/Oiltanking Ebytem (Puerto Rosales), Turno Uno, David Atencio/Oiltanking Colombia Servicios S.A.S., Wendy Van Poucke, Andy De Clercq, Tim Van Baeveghem/Oiltanking Ghent, Taufik Hidayat, Trian Hidayat, Samsul Bahri, Raharjo, Yunar Wahyudi, Destrinhart

Quasenta Mayda, Raphdiba Andrean Permana/PT Oiltanking Karimun, Gavriil Tasigeorgos/Oiltanking GmbH, Wolfgang Schüttler/Oiltanking Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG (Tanklager Hamburg Blumensand), Dennis van der Velden, Ulrich Naves, Olaf Hartmann/Oiltanking Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG (Tanklager Duisburg).

As we are all working in home office due to the Corona Pandemic, we are unfortunately unable to send this little surprise until later; we thank you for your understanding.

... and Action!Solve our riddle and don't miss out on the chance to win! Please send your entries to: [email protected], or contact us by post: Oiltanking GmbH, connections Team, Koreastrasse 7, 20457 Hamburg, Germany, or by fax: +49 40 370 99-7499.

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S

Answer to Our Last Puzzle

N E W Q U I Z

Future and Routine ? ? ? ? ? ?

Z O O M I N G I N

With William Yau (SVP APAC) now on board, the team has been complete since January 1, 2020, covering the three regions AMERICAS, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific including China and India), and the four central functions: Finance (CFO), Portfolio & Strategy, Assets & Operations (A&O including HSSE) and Human Resources (HR).

As Oiltanking we want to ensure “peace of mind in liquid storage logistics” going forward. This peace of mind

should extend to all stakeholders: We are trustworthy custodians of our customers’ products; we care about our environment; we protect our employees and assets; and we comply with the law. As a quality service provider, we focus on our customers’ needs by providing innovative solutions, responsibly and safely. Strategy 2025 defines our way forward, and each Management Team member is now coordinating its execution within their respective region or function (for more details, please see our last issue, Vol. 31 / November 2, 2019).

Our CEO Matti Lievonen has set Oiltanking on a new course. The Management Team has been complete since the beginning of the year, so all hands are now on deck to implement our Strategy 2025 and embark on a journey towards sustainable growth.

The Oiltanking Management TeamStrategy 2025:

With Oiltanking since01 / 2020

William YauSVP APAC

Claas PinkenburgSVP Portfolio & StrategyWith Oiltanking since10 / 2019 With Marquard & Bahls since 02 / 2017

Douglas van der WielSVP EMEAWith Oiltanking since08 / 2001

Yvan TavernierSVP Assets & OperationsWith Oiltanking since05 / 2013

Matti LievonenCEO Oiltanking


René AnghelCFO Oiltanking

With Oiltanking since04 / 2019 With Marquard & Bahls since 10 / 2018

Holger DonathSVP AMERICAS



Liz MayhewSVP Human Resources

L A S T B U T N O T L E A S T

Crystal balls are often thought to have mystical properties, as people claim they can be used to catch a glimpse of the future. The future is also reflected in the topics of digitalization and artificial intelligence, which in turn have had an impact on artists and the arts.

One of them is the German artist Arthur Schneid, whose oeuvre includes a painting called “Kristallkugel der Wissenschaft” (Crystal Ball of Science), a work from his “Big Data series” dedicated to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Its title implies the fact that the fundamental laws of the universe have not yet been fully researched and so, apart from more and more knowledge, there is also a lot of theoretical speculation, like looking into a “crystal ball of science.”

The magnetic coil of a particle accelerator (the circle) and the rods and cables connected to it served as direct inspiration for Arthur Schneid’s painting. The colors correspond to the color dial, yet their arrangement in space is meant to convey a sense of movement that “draws” the viewer into the inside of the circle. The center is formed by the “crystal ball,” in which, among other things, the face of a scientist is reflected.

Because Arthur Schneid believes that paintings should be “beautiful” in an aesthetic sense, he always strives to create an exciting balance in his works. In the Big Data series (oil on canvas) he mainly uses a spatula to create a pasty surface reminiscent of tiles, opening up paths for a strong sensual perception by the viewer. Apart from this, he draws his ideas mainly from the computer world’s hardware and software, because he is fascinated by the “beauty” of the technical arrangement on the electronic circuit boards. Viewers of his works are likewise fascinated, as an art award from the Munich State Zoological Collection and numerous exhibitions prove.

Picture: © Arthur Schneid

Crystal Ball (of Science)

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