Carriage, Handling and Storage of Dangerous Goods along

ACTIONS
Technical and Management
PORTS AND TERMINALS 17
Oil storage tanks should be provided with a release-prevention barrier with a leak-detection system.
All storage tanks should be provided with a corrosion protection system for the part of the tank in
contact with the soil unless a cathodic protection assessment indicates corrosion will not reduce the
floor thickness below the minimum allowed before the next internal inspection.
Tanks must be painted in accordance with nationally-recognised industry standards.
According Section 6 of API Std 653, tanks should be inspected based on service history and from corrosion
rates determined by previous inspections. Where not known, it recommends:
• external inspections every 5 years;
• internal inspections every 10 years; and
• inspection intervals never exceeding 20 years.
Procedures be in place for monthly visual inspections of storage tanks for discharges and
maintenance deficiencies.
Tank inspections and repairs should only be carried out by a qualified and competent person.
Documentation of inspections and tests should be kept at the terminal.
Institutional and Capacity Building
Relevant line agencies should determine minimum standards for the design, construction, maintenance
and testing of storage tanks.
2.3.2.2 Storage Tank Secondary Containment (Bunding)
RECOMMENDATION
Member Countries should ensure that petroleum terminals and ports have adequate secondary
containment (bunding) for storage tanks in case of a major spill or overflow.
Challenge
The secondary containment (bunding) is very important to contain liquid in the event of a leak or
an overflow. The National Working Groups did not have the necessary technical equipment at their
disposal to determine whether such were sufficient. Without this equipment, it is difficult to determine
the exact content of the secondary containment, to establish the condition of the bund wall and floor
construction and to verify if the penetration joints are leak-tight. Some major accidents have proven
the importance of secondary containment and therefore it is included in the recommendations.
Although priority should be given to preventing a loss of primary containment, adequate secondary
containment remains necessary as this will provide assurance for protecting the environment and
the safety of local communities in the event of a loss of primary containment.