Orders for swap tanks

The debt-laden French railways group is to sell its wagons and tank containers leasing arm for around €3.2B

The tank container industry is looking forward to growth in 2018 in both mainstream and niche applications.

The growing use of flexitanks has undoubtedly eaten into the tank container market in recent years. John Bannister, VP, Reefers and Tank Containers, Seaco, acknowledged that flexitanks have cut into the tank container market, but added there are still concerns with “reliability, damage to boxes they are carried in, leakage, and proper, safe disposal of the bags after use”.

Lehnkering Chemical Transport (LCT), part of Duisburg-based Imperial group, is adding 100 x 7.15m long swap tanks from Van Hool in Belgium to its fleet. Under the new BIC LEHU code, LCT now operates as a registered operator of highly specialised new tank containers for transport and storage of specialty chemicals.

Switzerland-based tank operator Bertschi AG has ordered 200 x 7.15m swap tanks from South African builder Welfit Oddy for delivery in 2009 and 2010.

Singamas Container Holdings has expanded its range of tank containers to include swap tanks in capacities from 30,000 to 35,000 litres. Following successful prototype testing in late 2007, production commenced last month at the company’s Shunde plant in south China.