New PIANC Guidelines for Oil and Gas Marine Terminal Design and Assessment

In response to a recognized need for international guidelines for the design of marine oil and gas terminals, PIANC Report 153-2016 was published in 2016. The new report, Recommendations for the Design and Assessment of Marine Oil and Petrochemical Terminals, provides guidance for both design and assessment of marine terminals handling oil, products, and liquid petrochemicals. This is the first comprehensive global guideline focused on the design of such terminals. The document published in 2016 specifically excluded liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals as well as single point moorings (SPMs) and multi-buoy moorings (MBMs) from the scope of the document. However, the working group is currently working on an update to the document to incorporate provisions for each of these terminal types. The very nature of the marine oil and petrochemical trade is global, yet terminal design and maintenance requirements are inconsistent across international boundaries. This has led to conflicts, inconsistencies, and potential safety concerns, which is particularly evident amongst the operators with global operations. Reaching a global consensus on such technical guidelines was challenging but the goal was accomplished.