According to Montiano Blom, Commercial Excellence Initiatives Manager, SBS connects operational capabilities and planning with Vopak’s customer service needs. Customers can assign reference numbers to orders and carriers can track their loads via this reference number. “SBS is fully integrated with our terminal core IT system. What this means for our customers and carriers is that they now have 24/7 web access to a scheduling system that contains almost real time updated information,” noted Blom.

In addition, Vopak North America can now produce reports to support analysis on how effective scheduling has become. Customers and carriers can opt to receive an email notification reporting if the carrier arrived late at the terminal.

In the very near future, the SBS website will include several documents for customers and carriers to download, which will assist in further streamlining truck processing at Vopak North America terminals. Currently, carriers can find truck loading check-in forms for general and caustic/water blend deliveries and pick-ups [Image B].

Parent company, Royal Vopak, developed and launched SBS two years ago in the Netherlands for three Vopak terminals. Vopak North America’s Deer Park and Galena Park terminals launched SBS in March, with Long Beach, CA and Savannah, GA terminals following in May 2010.

With the Slot Booking System, Vopak North America is delivering a higher service level for customers and their carriers.

For more information and user regulations, please visit www.vopakamericas.com/truck-slot-booking.

Dock expansion means better service to Vopak customers

For the short term, Vopak has managed this issue by increasing dock throughput via more efficient planning and pre-berthing preparation. Although these changes improved vessel turnaround time, growing business volume continues to drive increased dock utilization. Vessel wait times have risen as dock utilization levels escalate. According to Stephen Mackay, “To achieve our two major strategic goals of Customer Leadership and Business Growth, we realized we had to address the demurrage issue more effectively.”

Three new docks to be completed by 2011

Deer Park decided the best long-term solution would be to increase the number of ship docks servicing Vopak customers by expanding and enhancing Ship Dock 3. “The scope of this project is to add two new jetties and alter Ship Dock #3 by constructing two extensions to the existing ship dock -- one to the east side and one to the west,” explains Mackay. “Extensions will be constructed for optimal safety and efficiency with hose towers, cranes, vapor recovery systems, associated piping, valves and advanced equipment needed to prepare us for a more fully automated terminal in the future.”

In addition, another barge dock (BD2) will be built along the shoreside of the new Eastern Dock. The new configuration allows a maximum of four ships and eight barges, compared to the current maximum of three ships and seven barges. Complete construction will take a full year, but one dock will be brought into service by approximately 4Q-2010. Overall completion is slated for early 2011.

 Other advantages afforded by the new ship dock include:

• Improved dock capacity (from 3 to 4), which is expected to save up to $30 million per year in customer demurrage charges;

• Faster turnaround capability, which will promote the business potential for existing customers, and drive greater terminal throughput; and

“The design we selected will also enable us to handle larger cargoes,” says Mackay. “This will enable us to  volume products such as fuels and ethanol, and realize our long-term strategy to do more with less.”

According to Andy Triplett, Vopak Project Manager, Tank T-203 is a 30,000 barrel capacity tank capable of storing VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) product. Like the previous two VOC product tanks completed as part of the 2007 project, Tank T-203 is a 73.5-foot diameter by 40-foot tall umbrella roof tank with an aluminum internal floating roof.  It is also equipped with a SAAB radar gauge and an ESD (emergency shutdown) overfill protection system for safety. When the tank is filled to a certain level, the ESD valve will close and no additional product can be placed in the tank.

“This is the third – and last – of the three VOC product tanks to be completed as part of the expansion project,” says Triplett. “Another component of the project was the demolition of the existing storm water tank and construction of a new storm water tank. Because Tank T-203 is built on the same footprint as the old storm water tank, we needed to construct a new storm water tank and place it into service before demolishing the existing storm water tank. Demolition of the riveted storm water tank was routine, but the removal and disposal of the eight feet of sludge built up over 50 plus years was not. With a good plan and a good contractor, the sludge was disposed of, in keeping with state and EPA regulations.”

Tank T-203 is scheduled to be mechanically complete by July 24th. Triplett and his team are currently in the process of hydro-testing the tank. This is done by filling the tank with water in stages (one-quarter full, one-half, etc.) and checking for excessive and differential settlement at each stage. Once the tank is completely full of water, it sits for 24 hours so that Triplett and his team can check for leaks.

“Normally, you don’t find leaks on a new tank, but the hydro test is more about the tank’s structural integrity”, explains Triplett. “Once it’s been hydro-tested, we can drain the water, clean it out, and it’s ready for service.”

Triplett says everything is currently on schedule for a late July completion of the tank and the 2007 Galena Park construction project. Congratulations to the team that brought this project in on time and on budget!

According to Mark de Hueck, General Manager of Vopak Terminals in Canada, no one imagined that the program would elicit such an overwhelming and spirited response. "To our absolute amazement, in a two-week period, approximately 400 ideas were submitted," he exclaimed.

Each region and terminal appointed an independent panel to review suggestions and select winners. Ideas were evaluated based on originality, feasibililty of implementation, cost-savings potential, among other criteria. Due to the overwhelming number of outstanding entries, the judges elected to award three grand prizes.

The Grand Prize of $1,000 went to the following three employees: Don Summers, Los Angeles Terminal, who suggested converting all toilets to low flush; Peggy Lucas, West Loop, who recommended revising the Vopak travel policy for management; and Michael Summers, Los Angeles, who suggested the installation of a hot oil filtering system.

In addition, 47 people received an Apple iPod prize for their suggestions and contributions. Some of their ideas included:

• Installing aerators in all faucets
• Utilizing boiler condensate return lines
• Washing and reusing work gloves
• Putting office lights on a timer
• Using energy-efficient light bulbs
• Storing documents electronically to lower stationery costs
• Allowing employees to cash out their allotted vacation time

Congratulations to everyone who searched for ways to save money. The ideas submitted ensure we all win!