Mitsui to store bioethanol in English terminal

Trading and services company Mitsui has signed an agreement with Simon Storage to store bioethanol at Simon’s Immingham West Terminal on the east coast of England.

The bioethanol will be received and delivered by sea and road; and the product will also be offered to companies currently storing products in the terminal.

Tank modifications were made for the new storage in order to prevent corrosion cracking; and remotely operated shut off valves were installed to stop overfill.

The tanks have been designed so that in-tank nitrogen blanketing facilities can be fitted further down the line and a metered supply of nitrogen to each tank vapour space will help protect the tank and stored product against air and moisture.

Product redelivery by road will be via an automated bottom road loading gantry capable of pumping product at up to 80m³/hr.

Martyn Lyons, managing director of Simon Storage says: ‘Our two terminals at Immingham are already handling thousands of tonnes of bioethanol every year and this looks set to continue rising in line with increased use of biofuels to cut carbon emissions.’