Delegates from across the South East Asian region featured in-depth discussions and panel debates focused on the terminal market, International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 regulation and technological innovations in the industry at the recently concluded Tank Storage Asia.

The event, an exhibition and conference dedicated to the Asian tank terminal and storage industry, was held on September 26 and 27, in Singapore.

Companies in attendance included Oiltanking, Shell, Horizon Terminals, Vopak, Jurong Port Tank Terminal, Stolthaven Singapore, Alkion Terminals and United Terminal Korea to name just a few, with the highest percentage of representatives being senior management level and above. Among these job titles were CEOs, owners, directors, terminal managers and operators, investors, senior engineers, business development managers and procurement managers, said a statement from the organisers.

The exhibition culminated in the signing of a number of high-profile deals and partnerships, it said.

Among these exhibitors, Darren Hughes, international business development manager of Concrete Canvas was keen to reflect on their success at the show: “Returning year on year allows us to strengthen relationships with major customers such as Shell, Exxon Mobil and Vopak.”

“We have received direct orders as a result of exhibiting since 2014, from companies that found our material technology at these events and have subsequently specified it for their projects,” he added.

The exhibition was very highly received by exhibitors with over 65 per cent already rebooking their attendance for next year, it added.

Stuart Sharp, head of sales at Scanjet, said: “This is a great event to meet buyers in a regional market and we have already booked our stand for next year.”

Michael Yu, general manager at Full Most Taiwan, said: “We exhibit here in order to increase our brand awareness, showcase products and meet new clients that we otherwise would not have met.”

The high-level conference played stage to over 20 international speakers across both commercial and technical disciplines. These included Sharul B A Rashid, principal engineer at Petronas; Bernard Ong, director of operations at Vopak Terminals Singapore; Luc Bonami, managing director at Anno Chemicals NV; and Konrad Jar, vice president head of downstream consulting, Asia Pacific, Wood Mackenzie.

Among the delegates was Muhammad Eusoff Idris, SHE officer at Jurong Rock Caverns, said: “The speakers were very experienced individuals with great knowledge in their respective sectors. The conference provided some wonderful and extremely useful insights into the industry.”

Nick Powell, divisional director of Tank Storage Asia, said: “The conference has played host to a significant number of industry professionals from not only Singapore but across the South East Asian region.”

“We also hosted exhibitors from a trade mission organised by the Welsh government – highlighting the influence of the Tank Storage Asia event on a global scale,” he added.

“Overall the event was a resounding success, with delegates doing real business and sharing knowledge and exhibitors generating significant leads for the year ahead. Deals have already been agreed and signed off, a testimony of the influence of the event,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service