IUMI issues best practice recommendations on the use of flexitanks

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) on October 10 published a comprehensive best practice guide for the safe use of flexible tanks for the transport of liquid cargoes.

Its objective is to provide underwriters, brokers and their clients with practical guidance to ensure cargoes transported by flexible tanks arrive intact at their chosen destination.

Flexible tanks – or flexitanks – are poly film bladders that are filled with a liquid cargo (such as dairy products, wine, fruit juice or non-dangerous oils) and then placed into a standard IOS container for transportation.

IUMI secretary-general Lars Lange said that “the use of flexitanks has grown significantly in recent years, mainly due to reduced transportation costs when compared with a tank container. But this method, if not correctly managed, is easily prone to damage. And once a flexitank is ruptured a total cargo loss usually occurs. This impacts not only on the insurer, the cargo owner and carrier but there is a very real risk of third-party and possible environmental impact as well”.

The paper outlines a range of potential risks, which include poor stowage, incorrect installation, overloading, material deficiencies and transport issues. It goes on to highlight the potential impact which might include additional costs incurred over and above the loss of the cargo and consequential damage. These potential impacts include ESG or third-party issues.

Recommendations for safe use and carriage are contained within the main paper and its three detailed annexes. They include:

• selection of flexitanks and containers,
• container preparation,
• installation,
• transportation,
• emergency preparedness.
Source: NorthStandard